What do Hailey Bieber, Alexa Chung, Timothée Chalamet and Gucci's AW25 runway all have in common? It's a jaunty bandana-style headscarf. Beloved by A-listers, influencers, editors and design houses alike, this 1990s does 1950s accessory is the styling trick you need to take your summer dress from snooze to snazzy.
There are a few ways to style the square piece of fabric, be it in cotton (which offers better grip) or silk (feels a little more luxe). Chalamet opted for the Gucci AW25 approach - the most daring of the bandana on head styling options by far - by wearing his over a cap tied under his chin.
Chung similarly went for the Queen Elizabeth II, Brigitte Bardot and Audrey Hepburn-approved under chin tie technique while on holiday. Though the British style star eschewed the cap accessory, she wore her navy bandana with a royal purple top, red shorts and a striped tote bag.
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If an under the chin tie feels a bit traditional, consider tying your headscarf over your hair and head. This feels like the most polished iteration of the look, and could take you into work with some oversized earrings and a shirt.
We're partial to Bieber's more Nineties and Noughties styling technique of tying under your hair at the nape of your neck, adding some whimsy to your ensemble while still keeping things practical (perfect for keeping flyaways at bay).
While you can pick up a vintage bandana or silk scarf with ease, brands like Miu Miu, Rejina Pyo and If Only If all have their own offerings in crochet, polka dots and more.
Best Bandanas To Shop Now
Hunza G Sofia Gingham Seersucker Headscarf Black Gingham
Rejina Pyo Sandy Headscarf Organic Cotton Cream
Damson Madder Sheer Spot Headscarf
If Only If Chocolate Gingham Headscarf
Parfois Square scarf 100% cotton
If Only If's chocolate-hued, gingham iteration was a sellout style, with those in the know pairing it with their matching mini dress or mixing it up with other outfits during the UK's heatwave.
‘Last summer when I was designing this year's spring summer styles, I really started to notice the trend of people wearing our nighties as daywear and I thought it would be lovely to add in a matching bit of kit that elevated their nighties-as-day-wear pieces,' If Only If's owner and creative director Emily Campbell told ELLE UK.
'Never one to shy away from a matchy moment, I went head first (excuse the pun) into our chocolate gingham dresses adding a matching headscarf with contrast ric-rac trim. I was tentative with the buy - would people feel the same way I did - would it all feel too Maria Von Trapp? Of course, I should not have worried. Our gingham headscarf was our first sell out style this summer. I know why; practical (windy hairs be gone) and cute. What more could you want?’
We couldn't agree more.
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Daisy Murray is the Digital Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, spotlighting emerging designers, sustainable shopping, and celebrity style. Since joining in 2016 as an editorial intern, Daisy has run the gamut of fashion journalism - interviewing Molly Goddard backstage at London Fashion Week, investigating the power of androgynous dressing and celebrating the joys of vintage shopping.
