College Roommates Create Pre-Wedding Tradition Inspired by Millennial Movie

Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue—while many brides stick to this saying on their wedding day, a group of college friends are taking the third point to a new extreme with their “something borrowed” now a wedding staple for all members of the group.

After the first of their friendship group was gifted a purse from a family friend as an engagement gift, the four women knew the bag would have to be featured in each of their nuptials, and so began “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Purse,” inspired by the coming-of-age movie The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, which was released in 2005 and followed a group of friends who maintained contact by sharing a pair of denims.

Brooke Hyland, Morgan Mix, Kayla Young and Ashley Russell (all 26) became fast friends after meeting on their first day of freshman year at Ohio University in 2016. Ever since, the group’s relationship has grown with the four still as close as their college days.

College students will relate to searching through their friends closets to find the perfect clothing item or accessory to borrow, and this sentiment seems to have stuck with the four years after leaving their university – despite the geographical separation.

The group’s pact to share a purse has now gone viral after Hyland, known for her appearance on the first four seasons of Dance Moms, alongside sister Paige, posted a video to TikTok unboxing the delivery ahead of her turn with the bag.

In the viral clip, which has gained over 3.8 million views and 340,000 likes since May 8, Hyland explained, “There’s four of us—so far two have already married. I’m going to be the third…”

The bag was originally gifted to Mix by a family friend, as Hyland explained to Newsweek, “Morgan was the first of the group to be engaged and she received the purse as an engagement gift from a family friend. We all thought the purse was so cute when she showed it off for the first time.

“We took inspo from ‘The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants’ and decided to pass it to one another when it was our turn, because how cute and sentimental. It also allows for the special-occasion purse to get more uses.”

The white clutch bag, beaded with flowers and the words “Happily Ever After,” has racked up some serious miles over the past few years making its way to each woman, as Hyland shared, “The purse has been with us in several locations.

“During Morgan’s time with it, the purse traveled to Ohio (local reception), Texas (her home), Mexico (destination wedding), and Scottsdale (bachelorette party).

During Kayla’s time, she took it to South Carolina (bachelorette party), Ohio (bridal shower), Alabama (wedding), and North Carolina (her home). Kayla just shipped it to me, so it’s now added Pennsylvania to its destinations. She’s quite the traveler!”

While the bag will have one more stop after Hyland’s time, it won’t be retired after Russell has used it, as the college friends plan to keep the bag for future generations.

Hyland said, “Once we’ve all used it, we plan to get our initials and wedding dates embroidered on the inside, and one day pass it on to our kids for their special day!”