Puff sleeves, stirrup leggings, and fanny packs—what started as a playful nod to the maximalist fashion moments of the ’80s is now a full on revival. The latest trend to join the club? (Designer) scrunchies.
Humble though it may be, the frilly hair accessory was a calling card of ’80s and ’90s “it” girls everywhere—from Madonna to Kelly Kapowski to Phoebe Buffay. After all, what else would one use to tie up those quintessential larger-than-life locks without causing an unsightly dent? That’s actually the very reason they were created in the first place. In 1987, nightclub singer and pianist Rommy Revson patented the very first prototype of the scrunchie (based off the waistband of her pajama pants), because she was tired of traditional metal-fastened elastics causing breakage and creases in her strands. Genius.
Flash forward to today, and major fashion designers—like Hermès, Prada, and Fendi to name a few—are getting in on the comeback. Though, if you’re the type of person who feels naked without a hair tie around your wrist at all times (just in case), you’ll be happy to know that the modern designer scrunchie movement is just as much about tying it in your strands as it is about wearing it like a bracelet.
So without further ado, we’ve rounded up the 12 best designer scrunchies to luxe up your locks the retro way.