The bandana transcends style tribes, it works if you’re a grunge girl, hip-hop devotee or a quiet luxury type. “I love the bandana because it looks just as at home on Carrie Bradshaw at the farmer’s market as it does on Britney, Beyoncé and J Lo in the Noughties,” says Francesca Inverarity, hairstylist at The Hair Bros. “They’re great for pulling your hair off your face in the summer months, plus they also protect it from the sun.”
The Noughties is not the only source of inspiration for ways to wear it now. Hairstylist Bobby Eliot, who often works with Abrams, also references French ’60s icons, like Jane Birkin and Brigitte Bardot, who wore the trend full-coverage and granny-style, rather than the shorter boho-style bandana. “There are so many ways to style them,” says Eliot. “And they’re a great way to give your hair a break from summer styling as well – I love the idea of throwing in a little sea salt spray, letting your hair air dry and adding a bandana on top. So chic.”
It isn’t just A-listers who are head over heels for them, either. (“They’ve become my personality,” my fellow journalist Phoebe McDowell tells me.) The lazy girl’s answer to achieving good hair that looks on-trend without having to actually do anything, she believes their rise in popularity is down to the wider boho trend that is so prevalent right now.
The hair health benefits of wearing a bandana
The hairstylist Charlotte Mensah has long been a fan, often wearing one to protect her scalp and hair while she’s in the sun. “They’re amazing at protecting the hair, especially if you have a curly hair type,” she says, adding that she gets hers from vintage stores and markets. “I like the silk kind because they prevent frizz and help the hair retain hydration, while the cotton ones tend to suck any moisturising formulas out of the hair.”
