Simply when it appeared like trend had exhausted each throwback pattern from the Y2K period, a stunning blast from the previous has crept again into the highlight: the bandanna.
Gen Z’s latest Instagram obsession, Love Island USA, noticed two contestants casually carrying triangle-folded bandannas prefer it was 1995, which shortly was a viral trend second. Social media lit up with comparisons to everybody from Tupac to Steve Carrel’s “Jail Mike,” and it grew to become clear. The bandanna is formally again.
However whereas the current resurgence might sound playful or nostalgic on the floor, there’s much more to this sq. of cloth than meets the attention. With roots in historic Indian textile traditions, it’s having fun with a contemporary wave of relevance, due to celebrities, stylists, and a brand new era rediscovering its attraction.
From Gujarat to Gucci
To name the bandanna a “pattern” would possibly really be a disservice. Its story is way older and richer than most individuals realise.
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“The phrase ‘bandanna’ really comes from bāndhnāti, a Sanskrit time period which means ‘to tie,’” explains Dr Sadhna, Affiliate Professor at Woxsen College’s College of Arts and Design. “It’s immediately linked to bandhani, the normal Indian tie-dye approach nonetheless practised as we speak.”
In accordance with Dr Sadhna, vibrant bandhani textiles from Gujarat and Rajasthan have been already being traded globally by the 1600s. They featured daring patterns, typically with the long-lasting teardrop-shaped boteh, a Persian motif we now know as paisley. These vibrant squares developed, over time, into cultural and political symbols.
Crimson bandannas symbolised labour solidarity throughout Appalachian miners’ strikes. Rosie the Riveter wore hers as an indication of feminine resilience throughout WWII. (Supply: Wikimedia Commons)
By the 18th century, the British East India Firm had launched the bandanna to Europe. From there, it made its method into colonial America, even getting used for political prints (even George Washington as soon as had his face on one). Because the a long time handed, it grew to become a part of the working-class uniform: worn by miners, cowboys, and railroad staff to dam mud and sweat.
Quick ahead to the twentieth century, and the bandanna’s id grew to become much more layered. Crimson bandannas symbolised labour solidarity throughout Appalachian miners’ strikes. Rosie the Riveter wore hers as an indication of feminine resilience throughout WWII. Within the Caribbean and throughout the African diaspora, bandannas grew to become expressions of cultural satisfaction, particularly when head coverings have been as soon as used to manage or suppress id.
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After which got here the music. Jimi Hendrix in his psychedelic head wraps. Tupac in his signature front-tied crimson bandanna. Chicano satisfaction. Punk riot. Queer codes. The bandanna had formally gone from purposeful to fiercely symbolic.
Trendy-day icons are tying it up once more
Whereas a few Love Islanders might have re-lit the match, celebrities in India and past have been fanning the flames for some time now.
Take Alia Bhatt, for example. At a sun-soaked vacation spot wedding ceremony in Spain, she wore a purple bandhani bandanna that immediately turned heads. Styled by Rhea Kapoor and designed by Arpita Mehta, the look paired conventional craft with easy cool.
Her matching mirror-embroidered choli, swirling skirt, and potli bag have been beautiful, however it was the headscarf tied over her head that gave the outfit a punch of character. Immediately, each Gen Z bride’s visitor checklist included one important accent: the bandanna.
Then there’s Kiara Advani, who pulled off a laid-back, boho-chic look throughout promotions for Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2. Wearing a metallic crop prime and printed palazzos, she tied a bandanna in the identical summary sample as her pants, giving us a wearable, trend-forward second that felt spontaneous however polished.
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And Neha Dhupia? She’s made the bandanna a part of her signature. “When you’ll be able to’t determine which scarf 🧣 to put on… it’s easy! Twist them n put on each!” she wrote on Instagram as soon as, reminding us all that trend guidelines are supposed to be bent.
Even Shah Rukh Khan, Bollywood’s perpetually icon, has sported bandannas off-duty. On him, they really feel lived-in. Relaxed. Timeless.
Possibly it’s nostalgia. Possibly it’s the consolation of a tried-and-tested accent that feels each easy and expressive. Or possibly, in a time when id is extra fluid and private than ever, we’re drawn to issues that carry which means without having clarification.
The fantastic thing about the bandanna lies in its duality: it’s each historic and present, rebellious and conventional, playful and political. You’ll be able to put on it to a protest, a picnic, a marriage, or a exercise. It matches in all over the place, and that’s what makes it timeless.
As Dr Sadhna places it, “The bandanna has at all times been about extra than simply model. It’s about who you might be and what you stand for, wrapped up in a sq. of fabric.”
