Headband

For other uses, see Headband (disambiguation).

"Hairband" redirects here. For the "hair metal" genre use of "hair bands", see Glam metal.

A hard plastic headband, or Alice band

Headbands are a clothing accessory worn in the hair or around the forehead, usually to hold hair away from the face or eyes. Headbands generally consist of a loop of elastic material or a horseshoe-shaped piece of flexible plastic or metal. They come in assorted shapes and sizes and are used for both fashion and practical/utilitarian purposes.

Horseshoe-shaped headbands are sometimes called Alice bands after the headbands that Alice is often depicted wearing in Through the Looking-Glass.

Tartessian gold headband from the Iron Age.

History

Greeks and Romans

The beginning of headbands started no later than the ancient Greeks who wore hair wreaths. The Greeks and Romans wore these pieces to very special occasions or an important event. Cultures such as the Etruscans and Romans started to decorate their wreaths with jewels made up of gold and silver. While wreaths are certainly a likely beginning of today's headbands, some believe that current day hair bands have slowly taken shape from scarves that were worn around the head or were modified from the band of hats that tied under the chin.

Early 20th century

In the early 20th century, wide headbands known as headache bands were very popular accessories in women's fashion. Their name, of course, results from the belief that the tight pressure they provided around the forehead could relieve or prevent headaches. The French called such a garment a bandeau (bandeaux, plural). In the 1910s, headache bands would likely have been more lacy in design--a crochet central panel decorated with ribbons and rosettes and bordered with lace, for example. Examples from the 1920s and 1930s are more apt to be dramatic sheaths in exotic fabrics and decorated with feathers, and would have been worn with fashions by couturiers such as Paul Poiret. These sorts of headache bands probably achieved their peak of popularity in the 1920s. Today, items called headache bands are apt to be strictly utilitarian and medical in focus.

During the same period, jewelled headache bands or headbands, often in precious metals and precious gems were popular.

1980s

Deely boppers were a fad in 1982.

Princess Diana famously wore an emerald and diamond choker as a headband in Melbourne on the occasion of a state tour of Australia in 1985.

Symbolism

In Japanese culture, hachimaki headbands may symbolise determination or devotion.

Fashion

Materials and uses

Rafael Nadal wearing green head band during a tennis match.

A headband depicting the Tree of Currier House (Harvard College)

There are many kinds of headbands such as, leathered, plastic, metal, fabric, toothed, and novelty. The leather headbands are usually glued onto a harder plastic headband, or they are hand-stitched. Plastic headbands, which are most common, can be wavy, straight or angled and come in many colors. Metal can also be used to form and support leather headbands. Metal-only headbands may be plain or decorated, sometimes with precious jewels. Fabric headbands are comfortable because they do not dig into the head. They usually have an elastic band, so that the headband forms to the head. The toothed headbands have comb-like teeth that are connected to the top part of the headband. Their teeth ensure that the hair stays in place. Novelty headbands can be used for holidays and may have decorations attached such as bunny ears, reindeer ears, Santa Claus hats and others. Headbands are often are part of a larger fashion statement - they can be color coded and matched accordingly to one's outfit.

Utilitarian uses

"Sweatband" redirects here. For the Bootsy Collins album, see Sweat Band. For the component of a hat, see Sweatband (hat).

Two cloth headbands

Flag of Corsica shows a man wearing a headband.

Headbands, or sweatbands, are worn around the forehead during physical activity to absorb sweat and keep it from reaching the eyes. Sweatbands are often made of a continuous loop of terrycloth, as it is a particularly absorbent fabric. Folded bandanas, usually knotted behind the head, also serve this purpose. Headbands are usually used for sports but have not been popular since the late 1970s or early 1980s.

Some specialized headbands are designed to be worn covering the ears, to protect from cold temperatures and snow. These tend to be broader and of heavier fabric.These headbands are usually made from a heavier material such as neofleece, micro fleece, polyester and other materials. They are usually designed to draw sweat away from the skin and keep it dry and warm. These special headbands come in women's, men's and children's sizes. These headbands also come in many colors and are useful when doing winter activities such as skiing or snowboarding.

See also

• Diadems
• Laurel wreath
• Tiaras
• Hachimaki
• Deely bopper
• Bandeau