Bandana Rama

Bandanas bring a new kind of chic to accessorizing

Bandanas bring a new kind of chic to accessorizing in gothic fashion. Bandanas have proven stylish in many uses and specific trends.

Whether you have an obsession with 1960’s vintage or 17th century pirate garb, a bandana can be of use to you.  These symmetrical pieces of fabric have been flaunted flamboyantly as well as work as forms of suppression in many cultures throughout history.  People use bandanas to hide their faces just as often as they use them for expression.  It is one of the most versatile accessories in fashion today.  Versatility is what has brought bandanas into the realm of gothic fashion.  Whether your style is rugged leather or refined lace, it’s proven to add pizzazz to your attire.  They have also been popularized by the Rock-a-Billy style of southwestern motor heads.  Due to its variety, the simplicity of bandanas is generic without being mundane.

If PVC or the cyber Goth style is your flavor, Black Orchid Designs has a ‘PVC Vampire Bandana,’ which can be ordered from the Velvet Garden, as well as Black Orchid Designs for about $14 USD.  Lip Service has hit gothic fashion with extraordinarily mind-blowing styles of gothic bandanas.  Shear, black, and large in size, they make a multipurpose accessory into an even more versatile must-have.  Called Bombay Bandanas, they retail for about $12.30 USD and are definitely worth every penny.  They are large enough to be worn around the waist, thin enough to be worn on the head, and can even be worn around the neck to cover vampire bites.

For fellow bandana enthusiasts across the pond, Spellow House, a UK online gothic shop, sells a wide variety of gothic style bandanas made by Alchemy Gothic.  Spellow House has spellbinding portrayals of the bandanas they sell online, leaving a flavor of meaning to each bandana.  One awe-inspiring elucidation of an Alchemy Gothic bandana is ‘…the Crossroad was both a favored haunt of the highwayman and a traditional sight for public executions.’  The Spellow House online store can be found at spellowhouse.com.  Alchemy Gothic’s bandanas sell at an affordable price of $4.95 USD.

Drangonesque at Sharpe-Designs (sharpe-designs.com) carry men’s pirate/tribal style bandanas.  These designs include skulls, pentagrams, Celtic knots, flames, etc., as well as a broad selection of colors.  Lucky 13 specializes in bandanas for the Rock-a-Billy style. One of their most attractive pieces is the ‘Black Katz’.  It’s a sassy, pink bandana with black print and retails at about $11 USD at retrorebels.com.  Retro Rebels also has a Lucky 13 ‘Booze Bikes’ bandana for the more masculine types; black with skull and bones in white print.  The Lucky 13 designs are hot!

In chic couture, Thomas Wylde has a line of skull scarves that have even made celebrities take notice and retail at around $220 USD.  Alexander McQueen also has skull bandanas and scarves.  The McQueen collection is immensely stylish and beautiful and retails at about $170 USD.  The Thomas Wylde skull scarves are 100% silk, but aren’t as elegant as the Alexander McQueen collection.

Aside from the growing popularity of skull prints, paisley is the most common pattern found on a bandana.  There are infinite colors, styles, and fabrics as well.  Traditional bandanas are a cotton cloth, but silk and lace scarves can be worn in the very same fashion.  There are also other materials such as mesh and leather available.

Bandanas are most popular in the summer. They accentuate summer styles, like short pants and tank tops.  They also wear well with biker styles.  They are most practical during the summer months to keep hair away from the face and soak-up sweat from the heat.  Fashionable fabrics bring basics into the spotlight.

Who knew something so common could evolve into something so chic!