FROM FRUMPY TO FAB
Scrunchies, the 80’s daily hair staples have made a comeback as a hot quarantine trend. Back in 1987, scrunchies were patented by singer Rommy Revson. She wanted a gentler version of the metal hair ties used in the 1980s. But they could never really be associated with glamour. Carrie Bradshaw played by Sarah Jessica Parker in Sex and The City made scrunchies look sort of frumpy and uncool with the lines “No New Yorker in her right mind would ever wear one (scrunchie).”
But that’s history. Now, with quarantine making versatility and comfort mainstream, crunchies are back into fashion and their use is not just limited to hair accessories. One saw imaginative uses on the global ramps. Celine’s Hedi Slimane had models wear scrunchies on their wrists and walk down the runway. Fashion houses such as Prada, Hermes, Mui Mui, Sophie Buhai have their versions of silk, printed, pearl and logo-embossed scrunchies. “Wearing them on the wrist adds an extra dose of fun to your overall look. Paired with stacks of bracelets, they can give a cool bohemian look. Their versatility is the reason of their longevity in the fashion world in addition to their functionality,” says stylist Isha Bhansali.
Fashion scrunchies are trending in India as well, with designers such as Payal Singhal, Shruti Sancheti, Radhika Gupta and more giving a thumbs up to the 80s trend. Stylists say, scrunchies are here to stay. “Functional basic scrunches are a classic to stay because of sheer functionality while the fancy ones in different shapes are fun and have a very niche segment of quirky audience as takers,” says stylist Esha Amiin.