The Scarves and Bandanas Made Famous By Beyoncé and Christina Aguilera in the Early ’00s Are Back
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There is no question in anyone’s mind that we’ve hit peak ’90s and ’00s fashion nostalgia obsession. The industry has (along with the designers and executives and influencers who rule it) exhausted all trends from back in the day, whether that be Kate Moss–era minimalism, lingerie for day, or tie-dye, just to name a small few of the bunch. However, just when you thought that there were no more style tricks to borrow from this bygone era, another one has started to emerge on the fall 2020 runways. If you once shopped at, say, Express or Limited Too, you may remember the sudden craze sparked around bandanas and scarves that you could wrap around your hair like so: Fold into a triangle shape with the point facing down your locks, leave a bit of bang or hairline at the front, place at the crown, and tie underneath your hair. It was the late ’90s, early ’00s accessory that swept through the zeitgeist and, thus, the mass fashion market too.
It was also a look beloved by Beyoncé in her Destiny’s Child days, as well as Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, and the Olsen twins. The vibe was a little bit bohemian, but a little bit pop princess too—rhinestone-embellished scarves always complemented a pair of scandalously low-slung Frankie B jeans and a cropped tee or tank. The fall 2020 versions of these little throwback items are much more restrained than that, however, namely the vintage scarves at Gucci and the simple pastel- and navy-hued designs at Jacquemus. At Dior, creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri went ultra-old-school with a familiar logo-print scarf that reflected the feminist, 70s youth-inspired collection.
Today, instead of those too-tight jeans and barely-there tops, the accessory can be paired with grown-up clothes, like floral frocks and bomber jackets or button-down blouses and wide-leg trousers. The bandana and kerchiefs of our youth have certainly grown up, and even if you’ve long forgotten about your days perusing Delia’s catalogs, these little accessories are worth investing in now.
Below, here are nine scarves to wear in your hair like it’s 1999, now and well into the fall 2020 season on which they’ve already made a mark.
