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Ah, the humble stretchy headband. Once solely the remit of P.E. kits and sweaty gym sessions, this versatile little accessory has burst its way out of the gym and into the streets.

Supermodel and style icon Bella Hadid was spotted on the streets of New York on Thursday, wearing hers atop a slick back bun paired with leggings, a zip up jacket and a trusty pair of knee-high boots.

Despite its associations with athleticism and practicality, the stretchy headband has evolved over the years into a fashion staple.

Bella Hadid wearing leggings and a stretchy headband in NoHo New YorkBella Hadid is walking outdoors, smiling confidently. She is dressed in a sleek black outfit: a zip-up puffer jacket, fitted leggings, and chunky knee-high leather boots. Her dark hair is slicked back and held in place with a wide black headband. She accessorizes with hoop earrings and narrow, rectangular sunglasses. The overall look is modern, minimalistic, and effortlessly chic. The background shows a city street with a wooden building façade and glass doors.© GC Images
Bella Hadid wearing leggings and a stretchy headband in NoHo New York

Historically worn by athletes to serve the purpose of keeping your hair out of your eyes (very effectively too may we add), during the 1960s they became the icing on the cake to bouncy bouffant blow dries associated with the decade. 

Lets face it, Brigitte Bardot never looked better than when she starred in Contempt wearing her signature stretchy headband teamed with razor sharp liquid eyeliner that we spend most Saturday nights trying to recreate. 

Brigitte Bardot wears a navy headband, blue cardigan and blue and white striped top. Her hair is blonde and bouffant and she has her signature thick black eyeliner on her eyes.© Corbis via Getty Images
Brigitte Bardot on the set of "Le Mepris" ("Contempt"), 1963

During the 1980s, thanks to icons like Jane Fonda sportswear-meets-fashion never felt more fabulous. A unitard will always have a place in our hearts, thank you Jane. 

As athleisure stomped into popularity in the 2020s, leggings, crop tops and headbands were shunted into the spotlight once more. 

 Anna Winter spotted in Berlin wearing a camel overcoat, black bag, white tshirt, tortoiseshell sunglasses and a cream stretchy headband© Getty Images
Anna Winter spotted in Berlin wearing dreamy neutrals and a cream headband

The just-nipped-out-from-the gym look gives pure effortlessness, going hand in hand with our current obsession for neutral colour palettes and slick silhouettes. In the Venn diagram of 2025 high fashion, minimalism and sportswear undoubtedly overlap. 

The headband’s genius lies in its versatility. It will dilute frillier ensembles while adding a bit of edge, gives adds a touch of no-nonsense energy to a simple jeans and a T-shirt formula. 

Plus keeping your hair out of your face is just bloomin' handy sometimes isn’t it? Now we just need to remember where we left ours…

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