A recession fashion statement?

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Are you tired of all the economic gloom and doom? Santa Monica businesswoman Carrie Pollare figures plenty of us are, and she wants to help get the message out. She and her brother have introduced an ‘I’m Tired of the Economy’ bracelet so wearers can proudly declare their fatigue with all things financial.

‘I don’t know about you, but I’m tried of hearing about how bad the economy is,’ Pollare said. ‘People are depressed. It’s a really bad time for so many people. We wanted to inject a little humor into things.’

To be fair, Pollare and her brother aren’t exactly selling the pet rock of the current recession. Their line of ‘I’m Tired of’ bracelets, made of recycled tires and metals, is intended to help a dozen or so worthy causes, including charities that focus on breast cancer, child abuse and world hunger. Pollare said that half the proceeds from each $10 bracelet sold are donated to related organizations. Except, that is, the ‘I’m Tired of the Economy’ bracelet.

With these, half the proceeds are immediately kicked back to the purchaser in the form of a $5 rebate, which Pollare said should be applied to a little economic stimulus. ‘We recommend a cup of Starbucks, a Big Mac or maybe splurge on a couple gallons of gas,’ she said.

‘We couldn’t think of anything worthwhile to donate money to for the economy,’ Pollare said of why no charity is attached to the economy bracelets.

I don’t know, the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank and the Southern California Counseling Center come to mind. But it’s kind of depressing to think about how much help these organizations need nowadays.

-- David Lazarus