Headband Fever Hits Summer — Fashion’s Hottest New Accessory May Also be its Easiest

How to Make the Craze Look Sophisticated and Not Juvenile

By Heather Staible // Jun 5, 2019

1/0

Lele Sadoughi's summer-ready headbands are available at top stores.

Stylist Valerie Dittner considers the head band the "third piece" when putting together a look.

The Webster's selection of summer accessories include wrap around Maison Michel headbands.

Go ahead and layer up the bobby pins this summer for a cool, more-is-more look.

Native Texan Lele Sadoughi leads the headband trend with fresh colors and styles.

Summer’s easiest accessory is also the season’s most elegant. The headband has evolved from schoolgirl staple to every style setter’s absolute must-have. A favorite of Duchess Kate Middleton and fashion houses such as Prada, the modern headband is both practical and pretty, and should absolutely be on your what-to-wear-now radar.

Stylist, influencer and headband aficionado Valerie Dittner considers the headband the third piece when putting together a look. A fan of Lele Sadoughi headbands, Dittner likes to mix prints and patterns, blending animal print with stripes and pearl-tipped headbands with denim and sneaks.

“It completes the look, but you don’t want to look juvenile, so pair it with something sophisticated and skip the baby doll dress,” Dittner says. “They look great with a cocktail dress or sleek high-waisted pants.”

The top knot/turban stye headband popped up in street fashion culture and the runway in fall 2018 and has evolved into an easy go-to in florals and summer sorbet hues. It’s a statement-making headpiece without all the fuss.

An added bonus of the headband is the versatility. Long-to-shoulder length hair gets a creative push back, while short hair gets an extra style pop. But let’s be honest the real power of the headband is in the hair math, which allows you to maximize a fresh blowout or extend hair washing day with a hit of dry shampoo.

And if it pinches your head, put it back. Beauty doesn’t have to be pain.

Dittner forecasts the headband to stick around for at least another year, allowing for those who may missed out on the velvety trend last holiday season to work it into this year’s falala fashion.

This elevated, back-to-basics trend in hair accessories isn’t stopping with the headband either. The humble bobby pin is also getting an upgrade, this go ‘round adorned with pearls, rhinestones, crystals and beads. Layer them up and get creative with intertwined designs and geometric shapes, or place them around the hairline.

So, this summer, say goodbye to the plain old ponytail. There’s a new band in town.