The headband has been in style for ages, and changes well with the times. Although it goes back further than the 1960's I wanted to focus on the last 50 years, and how it has changed to keep up with the radically different style trends.
The 1960's
During the second half of the sixties, there was a big countercultural revolution. With the anti-war movement and the rise of feminism, the youth was all about "peace and love". The hippie was the style icon, with long straight hair parted right down the middle and a headband wrapped around the middle of the forehead. The headband was often paisley such as the one in the picture, or another colorful and whimsical print, filled with a variety of colors. The psychedelic pattern was in, and followed the cultural times and experiences. The look wasn't just seen on females, but also males, who also grew out their hair and wore colorful pants and gold chains.
The 1970's
With the continuation of the "hippie" movement into the early 70's, the "flower child" look was popular. With the similar style of wearing the band in the middle of the forehead, the headband altered slightly and more often teenage girls wore flowers, most commonly the daisy such as the one in the picture. The flower symbolized peace, love and tranquility, and opposed war and violence. The flower headband was a political statement, declaring to the world that that person was hippie, and they conveyed their political beliefs through their apparel.
The 1980's
In the 1980's the fitness craze started. Instead of the headband, it became, the "sweatband". With workout videos, tights, leg-warmers and leotards came the ever popular neon colored sweatbands. They weren't simply an exercise accessory, but they became an everyday accessory. Younger girls often times wore them to school with teased hair in high ponytails. They served not only a utilitarian purpose, but also an aesthetic one. They made people feel better about themselves, it was a statement to everyone, "I workout, I am fit," even if they weren't. People felt like if they wore the sweatbands that they too could get in shape.
The 1990's
The Grunge Era, the 90's, denim and wife-beaters, cropped tops and of course, the bandana. In the 90's the headband takes on an entirely new role, instead of an elastic stretchy band or long ribbon, it comes in the form of colored squares of fabric. Girls again, wore them mid-forehead with their hair down usually slightly greasy looking. Luckily this look did not last long, and is not often repeated in Halloween costumes like the previous decades. But while is was around, girls often wore them with low cut jeans and mid-rift cropped shirts like the girls in the picture.
The 2000's
For a few years in the mid-2000's the scarf headband made a comeback. In thousands of patterns and lengths, it was often times a thick plastic headband with a scarf over it that tied at the nape of the neck. This short lived trend was more like a fad, that came quickly and left even faster. Now scarf headbands or just the thick patterned band can be found in the $1 bin in cheap accessory stores, leftovers from overstock.
The 2010's
Although it's only 2012, the headband has managed to find it's place in the decade. The flower headband is back, well kind of. A combination of the thinner 60's band and rocking the flower from the 70's this headband is a combination of old classics. Some girls wear them across the forehead, like the one shown, while others wear them slightly further up on the head. But one thing stays true for all of them, the thin band with a flower, or a sequined design on the left or right side.
Throughout the years, the headband has severed many purposes other than simply being a piece to pull back one's bangs from the face. It's an accessory, a fashion statement, a political statement, something that can make you feel better about yourself or motivate you to do something.
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