Bound to Last

Quite possibly the most versatile accessory ever made, the bandana has made a lasting impression on American culture and men’s style. Ac Magazine traces the history and enduring appeal of this ultra-adaptable staple of men’s wardrobing.

BY GAVIN MANLEY

Image Credit: KAPITAL

Like many fashion accessories before them, bandanas were designed to solve a simple problem. Gentleman snuff users in eighteenth-century Europe were at a loss when blowing their nose into a white or colored handkerchief left grimy tobacco stains for all to see.

The solution came first from India. For it was here that textile craftsmen took advantage of a one-thousand-year-old tie-dyeing technique known as bandhani to produce silk and cotton kerchiefs.

Initially marketed as women’s shawls, one of the first designs to take hold was what we today refer to as Paisley. With its vibrant pattern of distinctive teardrop shapes, this early iteration of the bandana was welcomed by style- conscious snuff users who sought to disguise their tobacco habits in polite society.

The word itself, ‘bandana’ comes from the Hindi word ‘bāndhnū’ which appears to have Sanskrit roots in ‘badhnāti' – a word which stands for ‘he ties” – and also 'bandhana' which has been translated to mean ‘a bond.’ The root of these words led to the now obsolete term ‘bandannoe’ which was in regular use to describe these small pieces of woven fabric before ‘bandana’ – as we know it today – came to prominence.

America’s love affair with the bandana began in the late 1700s around the time of the War of Independence. Martha Washington — wife of George — allegedly defied the British ban on revolutionary propaganda when she commissioned a printmaker to create a square kerchief depicting her husband surrounded by military paraphernalia. Later, after the war was won the legend of this famous bandana slid into public consciousness and soon thereafter replicas of the iconic piece of cloth were in mass production.

Prized for its durability and endless versatility, the cotton bandana only grew in popularity during the nineteenth century. America’s working class had embraced the bandana and it wasn’t long before it was considered de rigueur for cowboys, coal miners, and sailors, among others. Affordable and widely accessible, the bandana became a symbol for workers’ rights in the early part of the twentieth century when more than 10,000 mine workers — many sporting red bandanas — marched in West Virginia calling for trade unions and better working conditions.

This simple, 20 x 20-inch piece of cloth was fast becoming synonymous with the spirit of strength and hard-working individualism that defined the United States at the time. So when America entered World War II in 1941, it's hardly surprising that Rosie the Riveter — the star of a powerful piece of wartime propaganda — wore a distinctive red, polka-dot bandana in a poster designed to recruit women to the munitions industry.

By the mid-19th century, the bandana was being used by large corporations as an advertising medium to tell new and interesting stories about their brands. All manner of products were promoted on the cotton square — even breakfast cereals.

The rise of counterculture in 1960s America saw the bandana emblazoned with swirling rainbow motifs — no doubt portraying the hallucinogenic effects of LSD and other drugs. Meanwhile, on the other side of the pond, a familiar motif was rediscovered by British fashion houses and before long, stylish men everywhere were dressing up an otherwise ordinary suit with a close cousin of the bandana — the paisley silk scarf.

Perhaps the most imaginative functional application of the bandana appeared as “the hanky code” in New York of the 1980s. A journalist from The Village Voice had joked that instead of wearing keys on one side or the other — to indicate a gay man’s sexual preferences — colored hankies or bandanas could be employed for greater effect. The popularity of this trend has undulated in the years since and more recently there’s been a concerted effort to revive the Hanky Code according to Hornet — which calls itself “the world’s queer social network”.

Rock stars like Axl Rose and rappers like Tupac Shakur further cemented the bandana’s pop cultural relevance in the latter stages of the twentieth century. Subcultures too, like bikers and gang members have appropriated this accessory as symbols of freedom, originality and even rebellion against the establishment.

But it wasn’t until the turn of the 21st century with the rise of music festivals in Europe and throughout the United States that bandanas were once again adopted by mainstream fashion brands. Retailers targeting Millennials and Gen Z consumers were now offering bandanas on e-commerce websites.

Runway shows by Alexander Wang and other designers featured them in a number of looks, while the traditional paisley pattern made its way onto apparel items including tops, pants and outerwear.

In early 2020, as the world grappled with the life-changing consequences of a global pandemic and proper protective face coverings were in short supply, many turned to the bandana yet again — this time as a makeshift mask.

As if there is any doubt about the long-lasting cultural impact of the bandana, this year’s halftime show at the Super Bowl featured Snoop Dog in an eye-catching, blue bandana outfit. At 50, the American rapper has been around the block a few times and has yet to lose his appeal. Much like – it could be said – the simple bandana.

Originally published in the Spring 2022 issue of Ac Magazine (The Accessories Council).