You know
those days: one piece of hair sticks out awkwardly; what is supposed to be full
on the top or sides lies flat; the curl goes in the wrong direction on one
side; your hair just looks like a limp dishrag.
Stylish
women understand that our hair is our crowning glory. It’s certainly important
to find a good haircut and to keep it up. But some days are just more challenging
than others when it comes to having good hair.
So why not
do what many very chic French women do on those days: wear a headband! (They
call it “Le Headband,” after all.)
History of Headbands
The beauty
and history of headbands goes back thousands of years. We might consider the
laurel wreath a kind of headband, perhaps the first one.
The
women’s version – since in ancient Greece wreaths made of
laurel leaves were only given to men – was rendered in gold. Maybe the gals got
the better end of the deal!
In the
early 20th century, a thin version of a headband, lacy and
decorated, was actually prescribed for headaches. These were known as “headache
bands” because it was thought that the pressure they exert could relieve a
headache. But frankly, if you wear any headband that is too tight, you can
actually GIVE yourself a headache!
A Chic Accessory
We saw headbands
on movie stars around the 1920s, worn in turban-like shapes. Playful women by
the seashore wore them with knit swimsuits to keep their short bobs in place.
Flappers wore them to keep their hair styles while they danced wildly.
CoCo
Chanel made them very popular. They were a simple but eye-catching accessory
that matched the chic silhouette of her wide leg pants, simple turtleneck
sweater, and signature pearls.
In the 1960s
they became the crown of hippiedom, a band of fabric that kept those long flowing
locks off our faces – and out
of our food.
Our New Version of the Crown
Now
headbands are experiencing a renaissance because, frankly, they are just so
practical. And, they are also quite pretty. Kate Middleton, Duchess of
Cambridge, might be responsible for this renaissance, as she wears them often both
for style and practicality.
You’ll see
her wearing thick padded headbands in solid colors, or with braided or pleated
fabric, adorned with flowers, pearl-studded, and for more casual wear, tortoise
or polka-dot ones of thin plastic. They are a lot easier to manage in daily
life than a heavy gold and jewel-encrusted crown.
For us
commoners, they will serve similar purposes: they can elevate and accessorize
an entire outfit, or they can effectively hide or keep in place wayward hair.
For Formal Outfits
Headbands
built onto plastic frames can be padded or embellished and are best worn with
an outfit that has a matching level of formality. (That includes the ones made
from textiles like velvets and satin-like fabrics.) Wear them with formal
dresses or simple tuxedo-like suits for a very elegant look.
Those in less
formal fabrics are a good match for dressy-casual outfits. You can imagine
wearing a gingham or striped one with a summery dress at an outdoor garden or
pool party or to a luncheon date. You could also get away with wearing one of
these to make your jeans outfits look a bit more upscale.
The very
popular stretchy, knotted fabric headbands are meant to be playful and offer more
flexibility in terms of style. They work for more casual dresses, jeans, or
shorts outfits, for lounging by the pool, or just to bring a little bit of
femininity to anything that feels a little stiff or “tough.” Imagine a sweet
floral headband worn with a biker jacket.
But pay
attention to the other items in the outfit. If you’re not adept at pattern
mixing, make sure the color and pattern of the headband doesn’t conflict with the
color or pattern in your other garments.
Finally, the
simple stretch fabric type of headband, such as what we might wear to the gym
or see on Keith Richards at a Stones concert, is the most casual. Still, in the
right color it can still look more stylish than a simple sweat-collector.
Here’s to
good – and bad – hair days!
What do
you do on bad hair days? Do you wear headbands? What are your favorite styles
and fabrics? Please share with our community!
