The Scrunchie! The ins and outs of this timeless classic hair accessory!

The Scrunchie! The ins and outs of this timeless classic hair accessory!

Hair scrunchies are everywhere at the moment and the internet is flooded with articles about their comeback. But do you ever wonder if it’s possible for something to be making a comeback when we’re not entirely convinced it ever left in the first place. Besides their functional purposes of keeping your hair out of your face, slip hair scrunchies are one of the best ways to add a pop of colour to an outfit. We’ve even been known to wear them around our wrists to add a bit of style!

It’s style with minimal effort - what’s not to like? This accessory makes a statement both in your hair and in history and I am excited to share a few cheeky facts hiding in those gorgeous ruffles with you.

Are scrunchies better for your hair? 

Above all, we support trends that are just as much good for you and the environment as they are stylish and bold. By design, hair scrunchies are good for your hair and differ from typical hair ties which tend to tug at the hair and cause breakage at the end of the strands. We know you can all sympathise with the high ponytail that comes on hair washing day. Picture the relief you feel when you finally let down your mane. Now, if you’re picturing this glorious moment and imagining yourself painfully tugging a thin hair tie out of your luscious locks, put down the flimsy hair band and back away slowly. Our beautiful, soft, handmade, stretchy scrunchies are the solution to your everyday hair ritual. Scrunchies are designed by encasing a thin elastic band in a bundle of soft fabric which reduces friction in the hair and protects your strands from any harsh tension.

What are scrunchies made of?

The gentle nature of a scrunchie is completely dependent on the fabric that is used. Here at Sew Simple, our scrunchies are gentle on hair and smooth. The fabric I use is made out of liverpool bullet stretch fabric. A poly spandex blend that is textured on the right side of the fabric and smooth on the wrong side. It's typically 2-way stretch. Great stretch and good thick drape, as well as good recovery.

Not only are our scrunchies themselves sustainable, if you think about it, joining the scrunchie revolution will save so many broken and stretched out hair ties from being thrown into the bin. With scrunchies as beautiful, vibrant and funky as mine, you’ll never want to go back to the dull black hair tie - trust me!

Are hair scrunchies back in style?

We know that fashion trends are constantly reinventing themselves and coming back around (although, is there anything 'fashionable' items that need to stay buried) and scrunchies are no different. These hair scrunchies may recently be seen on the wrists of TikTok stars today, but these bad boys certainly never left our wrists. If anything, we’ve just recognised the true power of a perfectly placed scrunchie and have traded in our generic colours for bolder patterns like our vibrant funky prints or our classic bold colours, recognising that a scrunchie truly does make an outfit.

When were scrunchies invented?

Rommy Hunt Revson invented the scrunchie in 1986, but the design was inspired by the 1960s. Revson was inspired by the elastic waistband of her sweatpants and wanted to create a gentler alternative to the metal hair ties that were popular at the time. She originally called the scrunchie the Scunci, after her dog, but the name was later modified to scrunchie to reflect the way the fabric bunches up.

 Scrunchies were especially popular in the 1980s and 1990s, but fell out of favor in the early 2000s as trends shifted towards sleeker styles. However, they regained popularity in the mid-2010s and are now considered a stylish accessory.

 Astronaut Pamela Melroy donated a scrunchie to the Smithsonian museum in 2004 after her missions to the International Space Station in 2000 and 2002. Why would someone donate a hair scrunchie to the Smithsonian you might ask? Well, NASA has a policy that all hair should be tied up and carefully secured to prevent injury to the astronaut. Seeing as this policy was specifically targeted at female astronauts since the male astronauts did not have the same worries, this scrunchie represents a major milestone in female participation in the generally male dominated career of space travel.

Where do scrunchies belong today?

All of this is to say that scrunchies are timeless and important and, as history shows, are ever evolving. It's clear that scrunchies are back in style right? And to be honeat...were they ever truly were out of style!? A hair scrunchie is not only a practical necessity for people with long hair that is constantly flinging around in the wind, it is also an opportunity to have some fun with your style and add some boldness to everyday looks.

 

Whether you’re wearing a scrunchie to hide post-workout hair, spice up a zoom meeting look, or to get those bangs you cut for yourself in the first lockdown out of your face, remember the bold people that came before you and rocked those stacked ponytails in the past. It’s easy to stand out in Sew Simple's sustainable scrunchies set with vibrant prints that are guaranteed to add a little cheeky something to your look without damaging your hair or the planet. Overall, a scrunchie is just an easy way for me to have some fun with style again. We definitely think we deserve to have a little fun.

Now that I feel that I may have convinced you of the scrunchie's greatness and powerful addition to any self-care routine, it's time to add some to your collection.

Head over to the Scrunchie collection and have some fun of your own!

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