People who could be considered "Punks" "Goths" or "Metalheads" used to be the only types of people who wore leather wristbands, but now people in many different social groups wear them. As underground subcultures become more mainstream, the fashions associated with them are viewed as being less extreme than they once were.

Leather wristbands come in different colors. Most of them are either black or brown, but some are dyed brighter colors like blue or red. Leather wristbands made for males are usually at least two inches wide while those made for females are usually narrower. Leather wristbands can be plain, just a band of solid colored leather that fits around a person's wrist. Others have metal studs, spikes, or stars on them. These are popular with people who dress in the stereotypical "Punk" or "Heavy Metal" style. Other leather wristbands are decorated to look like those worn by traditional Native Americans. These wristbands are often made of many pieces of leather braided together and can have images embossed on them.

Leather wristbands have become suprisingly popular among fashion-conscious people in the last few years. These wristbands were once rare, but now they are commonly found in clothing stores as varied as Hot Topic, Urban Outfitters, and even Abercrombie and Fitch.