Charity wristbands

Raúl Peschiera on fashion faux pas

If choosing between the fig and tobacco bouquet of your bespoke parfum or the more understated notes of a classic Chanel is enough to induce a cold shiver of panic, occasionally, even you may feel a twang of your heart strings as you recall what life is like for the poor souls elsewhere in the world. Perhaps that’s why the slightest rattle of a charity tin is enough to send you hunting deep in your pockets for any spare change.

Even if you give to charity because it’s the easiest way to calm your goblins of guilt, it does not matter—generosity never goes out of style. So why is it that so many aiming for good end up with gaud? I am, of course, referring to colour-coded wristbands.

While there is nothing wrong with charities doing everything they can to get funds and spread the word—and many need all the help they can get—wearing these plastic bands is the style equivalent of walking bewildered down the High Street in a hastily tied hospital gown. Who really cares if you support the yellow, the white, the blue or the dizzying check-pattern charity? And don’t tell me that Bono, whose wrists have launched a thousand causes, has made the world a more caring place.

Rather than gnaw that particular bone of contention, I’ll move on to admit that I am charitable enough to acknowledge that these wristbands are great for the kids. They are bright, colourful, fun and have a trendy, meaningful side, which might appeal when you are 16 or under. But come on—you might as well be knotting small friendship bracelets for your dinner guests if you wear one of these.

Be generous, give your money or your time. Roll up your sleeves and do something to help someone, a school or a community. There’s integrity in giving to help the lives of others. But you don’t need to decorate your wrists with bits of colour to prove it. No one really gives more because some bloke on the bus has a sweaty bit of plastic falling down his forearm. If you want to inspire others to follow your lead, let your work speak for itself. What do you think adorned the wrist of Warren Buffett when he gave £20bn to Bill and Melinda Gates’s charity? A fine watch, probably. Think about it.