Hair Accessory Trends You Can Wear at Any Age

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(Image credit: Adam Katz Le 21ème)

As a 30-something fashion editor, I thought my days of scrunchies, butterfly clips, and thick headbands were well and truly behind me—banished to a dark corner of my closet alongside my illegally short high school skirt and blazer. That was until about a month ago when the resurgence of the '80s scrunchie seen all over the runways and in the strands of my favorite fashion influencers impelled me to purchase a pretty pastel pink one. Fellow fashion editor and friend Ally Payer also twisted my arm after she took the trend for a spin. And while it's certainly not a regular attendee at work, it does happen to look super cute when thrown up in a high bun on the weekend.

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(Image credit: @joiedejude; PICTURED: Taking my pretty pastel scrunchie for a weekend spin.)

But it's not just scrunchies stealing the limelight. In fact, chic (and old-school) hair accessories have been making a major comeback. And the trend shows no sign of slowing down for the fall season either. The A/W 18 runways were replete with striking hair candy. From leather headbands at Tom Ford to diamante hair slides at Zadig & Voltaire, it's safe to say there's now a chic fix for every bad hair day we'll encounter this season and beyond.

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(Image credit: Imaxtree; PICTURED: Zadig & Voltaire )

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(Image credit: Imaxtree; PICTURED: Tom Ford)

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(Image credit: Imaxtree; PICTURED: Dolce & Gabbana)

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(Image credit: Imaxtree; PICTURED: Chanel)

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(Image credit: Imaxtree; PICTURED: Prabal Gurung)

The Insta set has inevitably been putting trendy hair accessories on the fashion map too—tying silk scarves as headbands, fastening their ponytails with ribbons and french barrettes, and sweeping bangs back with metallic slides. Hair accessories that unquestionably look chic at every age. Ready to be inspired? Scroll below for the biggest hair accessory trends and how to wear them.

Hairbands

From silk scarves tied as headbands to stretchy leather pieces and the return of the stretch comb, it's time to slick back your strands in one of this season's must-have accessories.

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(Image credit: @littleblackboots)

Claw Clips

Whether you call them claw clips or crocodile clips, the '90s mom hair accessory is back. On the bonus side, what was once a post-shower solution for damp hair can now be worn from work to cocktail bar.

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(Image credit: @pandorasykes)

Hair Slides 

The perfect way to wear this season's hair slides and barrettes are as multiples. Opt for something sparkly, embellished, and showstopping.

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(Image credit: @nnennaechem)

Silk Scarves

Silk scarves offer a chic and unique way to tie back a low ponytail in style. Opt for something understated for work or go bold and bright when you're off-duty.

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(Image credit: @plantan)

Hair Clips

Max Mara sashayed models down the runway in statement metallic monogrammed hair clips, while Chanel tucked floral pearl motifs under high topknots. Trust us—it's the best remedy for a bad hair day.

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(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Scrunchies

Three decades later and scrunchies are well and truly taking center stage again. Time to welcome your favorite childhood accessory back into your life.

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(Image credit: @camilacoelho)

Up next, allow us to reintroduce you to these hair accessories.

Judith Jones
Senior Fashion Market Editor

Judith is the senior fashion market editor at Who What Wear and has worked in fashion for nearly a decade. Judith started on the Shop Who What Wear team, creating content and managing a team of merchandisers for the Who What Wear shopping app. She later crossed over to the editorial team, where she shares the coolest, most desirable fashion market finds and brands in her shopping-focused stories and social takeovers. She has become one of the top affiliate earners during her six plus years at Who What Wear. Before working in fashion, Judith was a TV host on the PBS travel show Globe Trekker (airing on Netflix and Amazon Prime) and shared her passion for travel and food. She studied at the prestigious London Academy of Dramatic Arts as well as Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York. She later studied fashion merchandising and design, which laid the foundation for her career in fashion.


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