6 Ways To Wear A Headband Now That They’re Back

As part of the Y2K beauty comeback, hair accessories from the past are having a major moment (think butterfly clips and scrunchies) but the humble headband has been generally left out. At least, up until now. With the likes of Bella Hadid and Maddy Perez on HBO’s Euphoria now sporting headbands of all different kinds, the accessory is currently in the early stages of a huge comeback. This revival will no doubt include the headband in all of its forms—stretch comb, fabric, or the thin hard plastic ones—but the most nostalgic styles will reign supreme.

In the early 2000s, headbands were the used as an addition to almost any hairstyle. From low ponytails to sweeping side fringes, celebrities like Paris Hilton found a way to wear them almost daily. Sometimes used for practicality (pulling hair away from your face) and other times purely for decoration, headbands are also commonly associated with a nostalgic school-girl look. If you’re looking to be transported back to that iconic era, here’s how headband can make a comeback in your own wardrobe.

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HEADBAND IDEAS NO. 1: Skinny Headband

Bella Hadid has been spotted with her long hair pushed back off her face with a headband a few times in the last two months. Most recently she was photographed in in L.A. while filling her car up with gas and wearing a thin, plastic headband. If you want to replicate the chic off-duty model uniform, wearing your hair down and using a thin headband to sleekly pull your hair back, while wearing your favorite Y2K sunglasses is the way to go. It seems combining headbands with eyewear is the model’s personal favorite.

HEADBAND IDEAS NO. 2: Y2K Stretch-Comb

Who can forget the anxiety-inducing first episode of Euphoria season two? If you’re a fan of the show, you will have noticed that Maddy had slicked her hair back with a Y2K staple—the stretch-comb hairband. All you need to do to pull this one off is use the headband to pull back your hair and have it lay flat a few inches from your hairline. Maddy’s confidence and hoop earrings will also complete the look.

HEADBAND IDEAS NO. 3: Knotted Headband

This hairband is made to be seen. Opting for a fun hair-contrasting print creates an instant fashion moment.

HEADBAND IDEAS NO. 4: Widebands

Cotton headbands can be worn at home to keep your hair back when you wash your face, but they get a trendy spin if you pair it with a sleek high ponytail or with crazy volume for a modernized ’60s bouffant. Although it’s hard to wear these the wrong way, you’ll want to lay the hairband wide and smooth to keep in with this year’s hair trends.

HEADBAND IDEAS NO. 5: Twee Bows

If you haven’t already heard, “twee” is back (according to TikTok). This means the cornerstone of twee beauty will no doubt be back soon—the hard headband with a bow. We love how the queen of twee, Alexa Chung, wore one with natural waves, a middle part, and a blazer in Paris in 2019.

HEADBAND IDEAS NO. 6: Puffy Headband

The way to keep a luxe headband looking cool is to keep your hair texture natural and loose like Lacy Redway styled the hair at PatBO AW2022. Placing the headband casually, leaving a few face framing strands keeps it from looking too formal.