This is it. The moment all fans of the Olsen twins, Olympic gymnastics and dent-free hair have waited for.
Scrunchies are back. And they’re back with a vengeance.
Jennifer Lopez, Margot Robbie, Cara Delevingne and Hillary Clinton are all known scrunchie enthusiasts.
Trendy brands like Urban Outfitters and American Apparel offer them in various sizes, shapes and colors, while a quick Etsy search of the word “scrunchie” yields more than 8,000 results.
However, the scrunchie’s journey back to relevancy hasn’t been easy.
Madonna and the Olsen twins made the scrunchie the most in demand item at Limited Too in the '80s while Clueless and Heathers brought the trend to the big screen.I’m not sure of this, but I think the scrunchie had more screen time on Full House than John Stamos.
But the scrunchie's reign didn't last forever.
Boring, black elastics slowly became America’s favorite hair adornment, while the scrunchie faded into obscurity. The final nail in the coffin came in 2003, when Carrie Bradshaw famously mocked the accessory on Sex and the City. The scrunchie went from being slightly outdated to a full on fashion faux pas.
The world was forced to endure plain, unembellished ponytails for over a decade.
Then, in 2015, something wonderful happened.
Scrunchies are popping up everywhere. While the trend isn’t quite as pervasive as it was twenty years ago, it’s becoming more and more fashionable.
Not everyone loves it, though. For every scrunchie-lover in the world, there’s another scrunchie-shamer. That’s fine, to each his (or her) own. But the oft-maligned hair tie doesn’t deserve its bad reputation.
It’s easier on your hair than non-fabric covered elastics, it doesn’t leave a crease when you take it out and it’s just so darn good-looking.
Not to mention it saves lives.
An Australian scientist recently recorded a sharp decline in bird kills after domestic cats were made to wear colorful, scrunchie-like collars. The bright colors and designs ruin the cat’s camouflage, giving the bird ample time to escape.
That’s right, this remarkable hair-tie protects wildlife and makes cats look fabulous. Leave the scrunchie alone. It’s a hero.
Look, you don’t have to embrace this ‘90s revival. But don’t judge those who do. Plain hair-ties are no better than their fabric-covered counterparts, no matter what Carrie Bradshaw says. Your Emi-Jay holds just as much hair as my scrunchie.
At the end of the day, I’ll choose my hair-ties the same way I make most major life decisions: If it’s good enough for DJ Tanner, it’s good enough for me.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
