It’s taken us almost 100 years to do it, but we’ve finally turned a corner in the fashion world, and the obsession with hair accessories is officially back on! Although they’re not the fascinators or diadems of old, these newcomers to the world of hair accessories represent a turn towards a pearlier, shinier, more velvety future for hairstyles, and they can definitely give your basic studying-for-finals outfit look a little more sparkle and class. As a celebration of the fun future of hair wear, I decided to try out four basic looks that have made a splash in 2019. I will base my rankings of these accessories on their functionality, ease of styling, versatility, and most of all, adorableness, so clip on in, and we’ll be looking put together in no time!
- Velvet Braided Headband
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Functionality: 2/4
Ease of Styling: 4/4
Versatility: 2/4
Adorableness: 4/4
The return of the headband took me by surprise this year. I think the last time I actually wore one must have been some time around 2011, at the height of the Gossip Girl craze, so it took me a minute to adjust to this new reality–and it turns out that I love it! I bought a pack of three headbands like these on Amazon and after a few wears, I can say that they are definitely comfortable enough for all-day wear, and they look darn cute too! I think my favorite part about this new style is that, because of the upgraded fabric and padded braid, it almost looks like a tiara made of textile–and as a girl who has been desperate for circlets, crowns, and all manner of fanciful headgear to return to the world of accessories since she was old enough to watch The Princess Diaries, this look is wish fulfillment incarnate. Whether you’re looking for something to go with your Christmas sweater or your New Years’ dress, I think that this option is a good one to help add intrigue to your look, and can be dressed up or down with ease.
- Pearl Jumbo Clip
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Functionality: 2/4
Ease of Styling: 2/4
Versatility: 3/4
Adorableness: 3/4
The pearl hair clip has been a popular accessory among Instagram influencers for a long time, but I got my first-ever pair only a few weeks ago. I immediately fell in love with these jumbo pink ones from FreePeople, and up until a few days ago, I was wearing them a few times a week. They hold back a good amount of hair, stay in place, and are the perfect combination of dainty and down-to-earth. The only downside I found is that one of my clips broke after only a few uses, but because of the pearl netting, I was able to slip the broken clip out and find a replacement one of the same size. The best part about this accessory has to be its versatility–because it’s both elegant and basic, I could just as easily wear it at the library paired with a sweatshirt and leggings as I could to a fancy New Year’s Eve bash. Although it does take some messing around with the clips to get a feel of what you like–I found that I like mine pinned back behind my ear–I think that these would be a great addition to any holiday outfit, and a welcome stocking stuffer for the pearl-loving person in your life!
- Satin Scrunchie
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Functionality: 4/4
Ease of Styling: 4/4
Versatility: 3/4
Adorableness: 3/4
The day I discovered scrunchies changed my life. Before I started using scrunchies, I usually kept my hair either constrained in a ponytail or down all the time, as normal hair ties often got caught in my hair when I tried to do any half-up look. It is my firm belief that scrunchies are essentially better than ordinary hair ties in basically every conceivable way, and I can’t believe it took me so many years to realize their true potential. They come in a million colors and textures, can be expensive or cheap, and always–always–look cute. My personal favorites are these satin scrunchies that I bought at Francesca’s around two years ago. They look really beautiful in my hair, stay on well, and are easy to match with my clothing. This is probably my most-loved and most-used hair accessory of all time, and I would recommend them to anyone looking for an easy way to have a little fun with styling! (Although, one note: though the satin ones I have are my favorite, I bought a giant pack of velvet ones on Amazon recently for a campus programming event, and those have a texture that stays better in soft, fine hair like my own.)
- Fringe Bandanna
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Functionality: 3/4
Ease of Styling: 3/4
Versatility: 4/4
Adorableness: 4/4
This final hair accessory is probably the least trendy, but it may also be my new favorite. I bought two fringe bandannas on sale at Madewell about two months ago, and I’ve gotten so much use out of them since, I don’t know how I didn’t encounter them before! I’ve always loved wearing bandannas in my hair because I really don’t like the feeling of my hair being down, but recently, my old and worn out favorites were becoming a little stiff and hard to style. So, I decided to give a new kind of bandanna a try, and now I wear them pretty much every week! I think the three things that these bandannas have going for them that allow them to stand out against other similar products is their material, their thinness, and their fringe. Because I have a soft, fine hair texture, I have a hard time with things that are silk or satin, so I love that the 100% cotton fabric of these bandannas allows them to stay in place all day. I also find that the weight of the material means they’re designed for maximum comfort, and the fringe adds a little more intrigue than your typical straight-edged hair scarf. I wear mine most often folded in half and tied at the nape of my neck (hello Cinderella vibes), but I also think they would be cute tied around a ponytail, knotted in the front, or even as a neck scarf! The versatility of this product is endless, and I’m always finding new ways to love wearing it.
So, that’s my hair accessory round up! I hope that this review inspired you to look around at all of the new hair trends that are coming into style and find the one that works for you. I also think anyone of the things on this list would make a really fun stocking stuffer or Secret Santa gift, as pretty much all of them are relatively affordable and are likely to see a lot of use. Until tiaras make their return to the fore, I for one am excited to wear my hair in more exciting, sparkly, resplendent ways than I ever have before!