From en.wikipedia.org:
[Hair accessory] [date=February 2020] A SCRUNCHIE (or SCRUNCHY) is a
fabric-covered elastic hair tie used to fasten medium to long hair types.[1]
The elastic hair tie is encased in loose fabric that forms a ruffle when
twisted around a ponytail.[2] Large, elaborate styles and diminutive,
unassuming forms are available in many different colors, fabrics, and
designs.<ref name=Style>[author=Marissa Gold] [-]
** History
Philips E. Meyers came up with a concept for an elastic-band-covered fabric
in 1963[3][4]<ref name=":5" />[5] and filed a patent related to hair
accessories in 1986 titled "Hair Braiding and Tying Device."[6] Colleen Larkin
created elastic-band-covered fabric products known as "Ribbonbands" which were
created and sold nationally in 40 states and in stores like Macy's and Neiman
Marcus in the US from 1980-1984.[7][8] In California during the early to mid
80s, The Body Shop developed and sold ponytail holders similar to the
"Ribbonbands" design, which they called "Silkies" and "Stretchies".<ref
name="casemine" />
Rommy Hunt Revson received the patent for the scrunchie in 1987.[9] She
created the first prototype of the scrunchie because she wanted a gentler
version of the metal hair ties used at the time.[10] Prior to this, Revson was
a house sitter in the Hamptons.[11] She bought herself a $50 sewing machine
and learned how to sew, developing the working prototype within weeks.<ref
name=":6" /> Revson was inspired by the design of the elastic waistband on her
sweatpants<ref name=":6" /> and named the decorative hair accessory the
_Scunci_ after her pet toy poodle.[12] After patenting the design, Revson
spent most of her time in legal disputes, both with manufacturers and her own
lawyers.[13]
The _Scunci_ name became modified to _scrunchie_, reflecting how the fabric of
the accessory is bunched up.<ref name="vare"/> The term _scrunchie_ has become
a genericized trademark. The brand, Scünci, is owned by Conair. The company
produces a number of products, including scrunchies, hair elastics, hair
clips, and hair brands. Their scrunchie product is known as _The Original
Scrunchie_.
Scrunchies were particularly popular in the 1980s and 1990s, including larger,
more elaborate versions. Scrunchies regained popularity in the mid 2010s.<ref
name=decades>Heather Schwedel, "Fight to the Decades: Are We Experiencing an
’80s or ’90s Comeback?" (see
http://flavorwire.com/35237/decades-90s-80s-comeback-fashion-style-trends-eighties-vs-nineties)
, _Flavorwire_, August 25, 2009.
** Popularity
Revson's scrunchies were extremely popular in the 1980s and 1990s. Scrunchies
initially became popular in the '80s because they were a less damaging
alternative for pulling big hair up.<ref name=":1" /> Also, scrunchies came in
many different colors and patterns, so they matched the colorful and
over-the-top aesthetic of the 1980s. Well-known celebrities such as Janet
Jackson, Paula Abdul, Demi Moore, and Sarah Jessica Parker were all seen
wearing them.<ref name=":0" /> Debbie Gibson in particular wore them; Madonna
wore a large velvet scrunchie in _Desperately Seeking Susan_.[14] Scrunchies
were also featured in popular movies like _Heathers ,_ being passed from one
Heather to another based on popularity shifts.[15] The popularity of
scrunchies continued into the 1990s as well. This time, scrunchies made an
appearance in shows such as _Friends , Full House ,_ and _Seinfeld ._<ref
name=":0" /> The scrunchie's popularity was not limited to celebrities and
television: many female astronauts used them to secure their hair while they
were on a mission.<ref name=":0" />
The early 2000s marked a fall in the popularity of scrunchies. Carrie
Bradshaw in an episode of _Sex and the City_ mocked the fashion, saying "No
woman … would be caught dead at a hip downtown restaurant wearing a
scrunchie."[16]<ref name="Style" /><ref name="decades" />[17] This comment
represented the decline in popularity of the scrunchie during this time
period, sparking a decade's worth of negative views and distaste.<ref
name=":7" /> The scrunchie became a faux pas in the sense that wearing it
around was embarrassing.<ref name=":0" />
*** 2010s revival
Even after its loss of popularity, the scrunchie made a comeback in the late
2010s.<ref name=":2" /> It was seen all over runways making its way back into
fashion.<ref name=":2" /> In 2017, scrunchies appeared at the New York Fashion
Week as part of Mansur Gavriel's fall 2017 collection.<ref name=":5" /> It was
an event that fashion publications like _Vogue_ and _Harper's Bazaar_ would
mention in their own articles; scrunchies were coming back but as low, loose
ponytails rather than on top of the head.<ref name=":5" /> A _Vogue_ editor
even included the scrunchie in a "can't-live-without hair products" list
coining it as an essential accessory for makeup-removal time at the end of the
workday.[18] The scrunchie has expanded on its popularity, with even
Balenciaga getting involved, selling an "XXL" silk scrunchie for $275.<ref
name=":8" />
Scrunchies are no stranger to the public sphere, making their way into the
hair and on the wrists of celebrities.[19] Famous women such as Hailey Bieber,
Bella Hadid, Gigi Hadid, Ruth Bader Ginsburg,[20] and Selena Gomez have all
been seen wearing them again.<ref name=":0" /> Singer Lizzo generated news
when she wore a $100 scrunchie with jewels on it backstage at MTV's Video
Music Awards.<ref name=":2" /> It was featured in the popular Netflix original
movie _To All the Boys I've Loved Before_ as a symbol of power struggle
between main character Lara Jean and her former BFF,<ref name=":3" /> and the
character Eleven on _Stranger Things_ was seen wearing them in the third
season of the show in 2019.[21]
Scrunchies are often exchanged between tweens and young teens as a sign of an
emerging romance. Generally, a girl will give a boy a scrunchie as a sign of
affection or to say that he is "cute" or that he is her "crush", and the boy
will wear the scrunchie usually on his wrist.[22][23]
Scrunchies are also an integral part of the VSCO girl aesthetic, which is a
trend that is discussed greatly on TikTok. The VSCO girl is seen as a teen
aesthetic among Gen Z culture, and the most prominent addition to the look is
an armful of scrunchies.<ref name=":5" /> The re-surge in popularity is partly
attributed to the rise in nostalgic culture at the end of the 2010s.<ref
name=":1" /> Another reason cited for its rise in popularity in the late 2010s
is an increased emphasis on hair health, the scrunchie is gentler on curly,
coarse, or kinkier hair than normal hair ties.<ref name=":2" /> They also add
volume to buns without having to use hair bun inserts to create a doughnut
shape, and they help to avoid creating dents in the hair.<ref name=":7" />
** Types and variations
There have been over five hundred different designs of scrunchies since its
invention.<ref name=":0" /> There are many different brands and stores that
sell them.<ref name=":0" /> In the US, almost every major store sold some sort
of scrunchie in 2019.<ref name=":0" />
Scrunchies made of towelling can be used to help speed up the drying process
for wet hair and protect the hair, which is more fragile when wet.[24][25] [-]
** External links
- Instructions for making a scrunchie (see https://opentutorial.com/Make_a_scrunchie)
** References
[Reflist]
Category:Headgear Category:Fashion accessories Category:1990s fashion
Category:1990s fads and trends Category:1980s fashion Category:1980s fads and
trends