This unexpected £3 90s hair band was everywhere at LFW

(Image credit: @Davidkomalondon via Instagram)

published 22 February 2022

Forget oversized alice bands of the noughties, sporty zig zag headbands are back

When I set foot backstage at London Fashion Week, I was primed for a Y2k overload (think Tik Tok fashion trends). But, I was caught off guard by the return of an iconic 90s hair band.

Sported by the timeless Cher from Clueless, the zig zag headband became a staple two decades ago. Famous for slipping to the back of your head by break time, every nineties girl had one at the bottom of her Billabong cross body bag.

From there the 90s hair band became a mainstay of British football. From Beckham to Jack Grealish, British ballers have pulled their curtains back with the extremely practical (and now very fashionable) accessory for years.

It’s this sporty legacy that inspired the hair look at David Koma AW22. However, it wasn't Becks that stole the show: “When David (Koma) sent me his moodboards I immediately thought of Keira Knightley in Bend It Like Beckham,” starts British-born, New York-living hair stylist, Kenna.

“It’s all about his celebration and representation of British culture,” he continues, saying, “We want all of the models to feel like they are sports women because David’s shows are all about being one big team.”

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The models pulled it off and made the attending fashion crowd coo over the subtle yet sexy references to rugby and football. Backstage though, the beauty teams only had one question, how was Kenna making those pesky things stay?

Here’s how to make your 90’s hair band stay all day...

The trick to making sure your 90s hair band stays all day is handfuls of mousse. By slathering the roots with Beauty Works Leave-in Mousse Conditioner, £10 and a load of the brand’s Super Hold Hairspray, 14.99 your hair band won’t move an inch. You’ll also be able to get those sporty-chic hair partings that are fashion-forward and face-framing.

If you want to take it to the next level, why not double up on the hair bands? Because of how thin they are, you can stack two without it looking strange. Either way, it helps if you blow dry your hair backwards before you start.

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The models at David Koma aren’t the only ones to wear the classic 90s hair band. Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid are big fans and so are the cast of Euphoria. The beauty of it is, theirs probably cost less than their morning coffee too. See our best picks of black, tortoiseshell and alice band styles below.

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Grace Warn is the at Commercial Producer & Writer Marie Claire UK. From organising cover shoots and uncovering the latest news to creating social content, she loves the fact that no one day is the same!

Growing up just outside of London, Grace made the leap at 16 and started to intern. Juggling education, earning money, styling, producing and organising numerous fashion cupboards was as intoxicating as it was challenging and it's what's brought her here today.

After graduating in the pandemic, the only option was to take on as many freelance roles as possible. From demystifying health jargon to keeping up with the latest footwear drops, a strange concoction of health and footwear journalism became Grace's bread and butter but she always wanted a break in lifestyle journalism and production. Then she landed her dream role!

When she's not racing to deadlines, Grace can be found on anything that could pass as a dancefloor dancing to Diana Ross or scouting out vintage sales on the outskirts out South London - believe it or not, Beckenham is the place to go!