HEADBANDS






Nothing says Sloane ranger like a thick, velvet headband – and when it comes to Sloane style, there’s only one authority; The Official Sloane Ranger Handbook. Co-author Peter York told the Guardian that headbands appealed to Sloanes because "they looked like they were not of this century, they were decorative and they were opposite of hairstyling". He’s right; headbands date back thousands of years. In the middle ages women wore styles similar to those we’d recognise today, studded with pearls and gemstones and Alice bands were hugely popular again – albeit amongst children – from the late 18th century onwards (and yes, they were named for Lewis Carroll’s heroine). Their 80s resurgence amongst adults perhaps harks back to this idealised image of Victorian childhood, particularly when paired with oversize lacy collars and frilly blouses. Prada made the padded headband ultra-desirable with their Spring/Summer 2019 version; oversized to the point of pastiche, it suddenly became an elevated accessory that inspired a thousand imitations.  


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