When B.C. Place stadium announced a ban on loose objects and large bags for Taylor Swift鈥檚 upcoming shows in Vancouver, it put some Swifties in a bind 鈥 what to do with the hundreds of friendship bracelets that are traditionally swapped at the superstar鈥檚 shows?
That has forced fans, including Christina Bates, from Nashville, Tenn., to get creative.
鈥淚 can comfortably fit 40 on each arm,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 have done the test run with it, and we can do 40 without circulatory issues.鈥
She had made more than 200 bracelets for Friday鈥檚 show.
Swift鈥檚 blockbuster Era鈥檚 Tour will end on Sunday after her three-night run in Vancouver.
Security is tight for the shows, with B.C. Place installing barricades around the stadium and banning the traditional 鈥淭aylgate鈥 parties where ticketless fans gather outside arenas to listen for free.
鈥淲e鈥檙e as excited about exchanging friendship bracelets as you are,鈥 B.C. Place said in an information bulletin posted last week.
鈥淗owever, all friendship bracelets must be worn into the stadium or carried in a bag which abides by (the) bag policy. Carabiners (metal or plastic) holding bracelets are strictly prohibited.鈥
Fans have been lamenting the regulations online, with one posting to a fan forum that she had 鈥渏ust ordered the cutest heart and star shaped carabiners to sort my bracelets.鈥
Others, like Bates, posed solutions. One fan said she planned to use a 鈥渃at collar as a garter鈥 to carry hers into the stadium, while others planned to attach them to their outfits or wear cargo pants.
Some decided on a more obvious option: trade them outside the arena.
Bates said her initial goal was to make 100 bracelets, but over the course of the year since she scored tickets to Friday鈥檚 show, she more than doubled that count.
鈥淚 would be listening to Taylor or watching a livestream and I鈥檇 think 鈥業 should have made that lyric鈥 so I just kind of kept making them,鈥 she said.
鈥淲e are officially closed now because we are out of letters.鈥
B.C. Place did not immediately respond when asked why it was banning bracelets on carabiners.
The policy restricts attendees to a small purse or a clear bag no bigger than 12 inches square.
The fan-led practice of trading bracelets is a response to a lyric in Swift鈥檚 song 鈥淵ou鈥檙e On Your Own, Kid鈥: 鈥淪o make the friendship bracelets, take the moment and taste it.鈥
Swifties ran with the idea.
Edmonton resident Mikayla Crook has been to four previous Taylor Swift tours.
鈥淲ithin the course of the year, I鈥檝e made probably close to 800 bracelets,鈥 she said.
She said she probably spent up to $300 on supplies and has held bracelet-making parties for the friends who will attend Friday鈥檚 concert with her. She hopes to trade 300 of them at the show.
鈥淚鈥檝e learned that they can be attached to your body, so I bought safety pins,鈥 she said. 鈥淚鈥檒l attach it to my bodysuit, because then that way it鈥檚 part of my outfit.鈥