In my opinion, Scrunchies get a bad rap. Perpetrated by wearers who pulled ponytails higher than they should. Permed their bangs into a frizz no longer resembling hair.
I still love my Scrunchies.
They are great for the realities of ponytails. The reality vs. what we see in magazines, that is. Lovely neat but messy creations. Must last all of 4 minutes before the hairbrush guy and the hairspray guy have to fight it out for reconstruction rights. Don’t models or celebrities ever touch their heads? I’m not a savage and I still touch my head. A lot. Which means then I have to pull out the elastic, run a brush through my hair, and put the elastic back in. Scrunchies forgive me for touching my head. Thanks guys.
However. I understand the need to put away childish things when one becomes a woman. At least a 50 year old woman. I went in search of replacements. Muffy told me she wears Goody Ouchless Elastics.
Here we run into the problem. At 50, you don’t have youth any more to compensate. As in, my hair elastic is plain brown? No, problem, I’ll just be young over here and you will forget. As in, my hair elastic is over-stretched and wisps of hair float round my face? No problem, I will just be YOUNG over here, and you will forget. All that fluid still plumping cheeks and redding lips on the young has magic powers. Never forget.
So I was looking for something with a little teeny bit more style. Here’s what I found. It’s called a Hair Glove. In leather.
Um, well, more style, yes. Maybe not MY style. Although I am a firm believer in an open mind, the time when I might have found my inner biker chick has probably passed.
Etsy has some cute things. But again, cute, 50, my inner Grande Dame rebels.
Or, from Carolee. Hey, pearls! I’m on board.
Then I went to yoga. And, everyone knows, yoga is not really for spiritual growth, or calming the mind, or even sweating. It’s for buying cute clothes so you can pretend to be doing yoga. At the yoga studio I found this.
Houndstooth. A cousin to tartan. I might be keeping the little dangly part. Working up to leather is not a bad thing. Even if one never actually gets there.
Edited: Ha! The yoga studio hair elastics have a website…
25 Responses
Your comment about yoga made me laugh out loud! It's so true – when I signed up for classes, I immediately went out and bought the cute yoga clothes.
@JMW,
I had to laugh at the whole write-up! You are great! I’ve been trying to figure out how to updo my waist length pepper-grays for a while now. Very frustrating, and I can’t seem to find anything that doesn’t look like Betty High School. Still searching. My hair is so heavy, that it’s difficult to keep it up for long. I don’t do any hair/blow drying, and I hate to use hairspray because of the alcohol and chemicals.
I buy the ouchless elastics and wrap a stray wisp around the tie camouflaging it completely. Give it a try.
I cut off all my hair just to avoid this. Now it's shorter than my husband's.
I do like the pearl scrunchy very much, though!
Still mourning the demise of my Laura Ashley bottle green velvet scrunchie…XXOO
The dog ate my last scrunchie a few years ago. Saw it as an omen. Quickly went and had my hair cut.
I use a barrette now or a thick cloth covered rubber band. I remember having a scrunchie once that had hair. It supposed to be some kind of hair piece to add style to a pony tail. Never figured that one out…
I learned about France Luxe from a blog I read (wish I could remember which one, for credit purposes). Anyway, since I discovered this site, I buy all my head bands, barrettes, etc there. Give them a look-see. They frequently offer free shipping (added incentive).
I can't remember when my hair was long enough to wear scrunchies!
Mary Anne, France Luxe has gorgeous ponytail holders. Thank you so much for the resource. And I had short hair all through my 40's. This is a last ditch shot at hair tossing.
Hilarious–if you only knew–I have some black scrunchie that came in a gift bag (what on earth are fashion shows doing giving away scrunchies you ask?) and while I would never wear it out of the house, I have almost worn it out and was just thinking I need to make a more presentable version–maybe grosgrain ribbon? I'll let you know if it ever happens. Also loving the pearl one! Tartan with yoga type things hanging off it also looks good!
xoxo
You know, the 80's being back with a vengeance and all… Who knows? ;)
xo,
-maria
My hair is not quite long enough for a ponytail but it is getting there…I worked with a teacher who put her hair up with a pencil, sort of a French roll, mind she had thin hair not thick like mine!
I'd bet that pearl scrunchie would get tangled, ouch. The houndstooth one with the dangle looks like it would double as a Yoga "bracelet" or "anklet" too….I see all kinds of crafted adornments at my studio.
I am constantly trying to find new ways to liven up the old hair-tie. I twist and use a small claw clip, but I like the idea of a sleep ponytail. Barettes, certain ones, can actually be a nice change.
Fun post and comments.
We woemn sure do fret over holding our hair back just right! What did Audrey Hepburn use I wonder? She was always flawless.
so funny! I too love the Goody ouchless, but I cover it often with a scarf. I love the one with the pearls.
Pulling my hair back was too stressful. Getting everything just 'right' was more than I could handle – the poof, the height,length, bluntness of the actual tail, and then, once those items were perfected, you had to find the right doo-dad to keep it there. I preferred a tan suede covered rubber band. Then I had to have more sophisticated holders for work, church, etc. It was all too much. Short hair is so much easier.
Ahh scrunchies take me back. Fortunately my hair is now too short to tie up – so no longer an issue.
I hold my hair back from my face with an elastic headband while grows back out to a good ponytail length again. And when it does, it will be restrained with a large, very elastic scrunchy. My hair, you see, is very thick, very wavy (but not wavy enough to be cute or curly) and very unruly. And very dry as I get older and more gray comes in.
It just isn't fair.
You know, there is a lot to be said for Goody Ouchless. A lot. Years (decades?) back we hit that advanced age when grosgrain ribbon was no longer acceptable, and goodness, what a crisis ensued! The horror!
We somehow overcame it and still whip out a Goddy ouchless when necessary.
Unapologetically yours,
tp
Oh, never apologize. Not for sartorial choices. Not when no one is hurt. We defend your rights here Princess.
My daughter informed me years ago scrunchies were OUT. She has hair as long as my little finger, of course they are OUT. I like the pearl pony tail holder.
The cuter the hair ornament, the younger you'd better be to wear it- they're the yoga equivalent of ski bunny.
Goody Ouchless Elastics work for me –and usually only in black or brown. And if I'm feeling in need of a little elan? A silk neckerchief tied over the elastics.
Nice collection! So elegant! That band with pearl looking nice.
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