Who else is enjoying the Rio Olympics? Speaking of Brazil, if you like fashion accessories with a story behind them, then Brazilets are definitely for you. I’ve been a fan of the wish bracelets since 2008 and I can’t imagine not wearing them.

As the name suggests, Brazilets originate from Bahia, Brazil. At the Church of Senhor Do Bonfim in Bahia, people tie them to the church gates.

The 200-year old Brazilian tradition of wearing these bracelets (also known as Bahia Bands or Bonfim Ribbons) has become popular over the years after being seen on celebrities including Camilla Belle, Lauren Conrad and Lindsay Lohan.

Brazilets can be worn on the ankle or wrist and come in a variety of different colours. Each colour represents something. The two colours shown here signify health, comfort and fertility (dark blue) and friendship (bright pink).

Each Brazilet has the Portuguese phrase “Lembrança do Senhor do Bonfim da Bahia” written on it, which roughly translates to “In remembrance of our Lord of Good End, good luck in life”.

How to wear a Brazilet:

Ask a friend or loved one to wrap the Brazilet around your wrist three times and knot it three times. Apparently, your wishes won’t come true if you put them on yourself. Make a wish with each knot and wait for the Brazilets to fall off (when your wishes are said to be granted).

According to tradition, your wishes many not come true if you cut the Brazilets off. If you don’t feel like wearing them on your wrist, you can tie them on a bag.

I usually buy mine from Brazilets.com but you can also find them on Amazon. If you’re in Brazil or Portugal you can pick them up at market stalls.

Tags:  accessories bahia bahia bands bahia wish bracelets bonfim ribbons brazil brazilets fashion accessories Lembrança do Senhor do Bonfim da Bahia rio olympics rio summer olympics style summer olympics summer olympics 2016 wish bracelets