The bandana kerchief is gaining popularity this summer as a go-to accessory among celebrities. Stars including Kim Kardashian, Dua Lipa, and Zendaya have been spotted wearing the item in various colors and styles. The trend draws on a long history that dates back centuries.
Celebrities have embraced the look during recent public appearances and vacations. Kim Kardashian wore a cherry-red version low over her forehead during a Fourth of July trip with family and Lewis Hamilton. Dua Lipa paired a sky-blue kerchief with an all-white outfit on her Italian honeymoon and a navy scarf with a metallic bikini. Zendaya wrapped a navy bandana around her hair while stopping at Rakestraw Books in Northern California during her The Odyssey press tour. Gigi Hadid shared a mirror selfie wearing a white kerchief with navy details.
The accessory has deeper roots. It originated in India, where the Sanskrit word bandh means to tie, and later reached the West through Dutch and British traders. In the United States it served as a political symbol during the Revolutionary War and later appeared in campaigns for candidates including Theodore Roosevelt and Dwight D. Eisenhower. It also featured in World War II imagery through Rosie the Riveter.
Pop-culture figures further popularized the style. Axl Rose and Bruce Springsteen used bandanas as sweatbands in the 1980s. Tupac Shakur, Aaliyah, Beyoncé, and Missy Elliott wore versions in multiple colors during the 1990s and early 2000s.
