39 Bandana Hairstyles That Prove It's the Perfect Hair Accessory

Reviewed by Sky Kim

There are hair accessories, and then there are bandanas. Being that they're larger than your typical barette or headband, taking up much more surface area– depending on how you wear it– bandanas are pretty undeniable. In fact, wearing a bandana can be a statement in itself, even if the rest of your fit is otherwise understated. Because there are so many ways to wear them, we turned to Instagram to find some of the best bandana hairstyles, and we tapped hairstylists Jason Lee and Leo Izquierdo for their expert tips on styling.

And while bandanas have been around seemingly forever, these 39 styles feel entirely fresh.

Meet the Experts

• Jason Lee is a hairstylist, colorist, and the founder of Mela & Kera .

• Leo Izquierdo  is the co-founder of the haircare line  IGK Haircare .

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Flippy Bob

Give your flippy bob extra drama with a bold, patterned bandana. Teyana Taylor shows us exactly how it's done.

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Tucked-Away Updo

Trying to fly under the radar? A bandana and baseball cap combo gets it done. Let a few pieces fall around your face to keep it effortlessly chic.

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Bandana Braid

Leave it to Cardi B for the most creative take on bandana hairstyles. Weave in various colored bandanas into your extra-long braid for a statement style.

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Straight With Tendrils

A bandana is a great way to protect a blowout. Here, it's worn simply over straight hair, with a couple of loose strands left out, to frame the face.

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Messy Ponytail

A messy ponytail is as simple as it gets—but throw a bandana around it and boom, it's instantly trendy. If you're worried about the scarf or bandana coming undone, use bobby pins to secure it.

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Half-Up With Tied Fishtail Braid

We love this take on the fishtail braid , which sees hair put into a half-up, half-down style and braided before being secured at the top of the braid with a bandana. While most styles would utilize the bandana at the bottom of the braid, this ensures that the scarf can cascade down nearly half of the hair.

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Natural Curls

Sometimes, a bandana doesn't require much in terms of styling. Here, it's worn simply over the top of natural curls, and tied underneath. To achieve similar waves on straight hair, Lee says, "I always recommend letting hair air dry in two very large braids. The larger the braid, the more natural the waves will appear. This is a classic way to create and control air-dry waves in your hair and is especially good for those who have medium to thick hair."

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Curly Pixie With Bangs

A curly pixie style or lob is a great style on which to wear a bandana. Here, natural curls are showcased thanks to the ends and the bangs being peeking out from the silk scarf.

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Long and Textured With Curtain Bangs

Long, textured hair looks great when wrapped with a silk scarf or bandana. This look, in particular, is kept casual thanks to long, textured curtain bangs. Lee says that even those with straight hair can add texture. "For straight to wavy hair, you can 'set' the hair to create a wave pattern using clips ," Lee says. Basically, you just wrap the curl and pin it on top of the head with a clip and let it set for a few minutes.

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Protective Wrap

This is such a chic way to protect hair from the elements. Fashion your bandana into a turban and let the front curls peek out.

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Swept-Back Twists

A printed statement bandana is the perfect way to pull back locs , braids, or Senegalese twists —and look chic while doing it.

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Messy Bun

This just in: A messy loose bun paired with a textured floral bandana is our new on-the-go hairstyle from here on out.

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Swept Back

The best solution for those days when you just don't know what to do with your hair: Sweep it back in a patterned bandana. Of course, the straight, glossy hair is the perfect finishing touch. If you want to straighten hair, don't want to deal with heat damage, take a cue from Izquierdo: "If you are worried about damage from heat tools,  let your hair air dry a couple of times a week to give it a break from heat."

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Off Duty

Turn your bandana into a makeshift headband to keep a loose updo in place and pesky flyaways at bay. Allow the style to do double-duty by applying a protective product, Izquierdo reccomends.

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Faux Bangs

Want to test-drive bangs before you actually make the cut? Tuck your hair into a bandana to achieve a faux-bang effect, like this Brigitte Bardot-inspired look.

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Add Some Barrettes

Secure your bandana in place with some chic barrettes clipped onto the side. (Who cares if they're more for show than function?) We love the three she chose here and the equally chic and effortless bandana style.

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Tiny Ballerina Bun

Short-haired girls get to get in on the bandana fun, too. A long handkerchief or bandana makes a chic statement tied around a tiny ballerina bun.

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Front Wisps

Sweep your hair back into a bandana style and leave face-framing wisps in front to give off major "I summer in Positano" vibes. (All you need is a convertible to complete the look.)

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90s Vibes

Is anyone getting a J.Lo flashback right now? Channel the '90s with a white bandana, pieces in front, and a '90s-inspired lipstick .

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Volume on Top

Hold voluminous curls in place with a strategically tied bandana folded in half and tied above your hairline. We love the hot pink bandana paired with red lips here.

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Tied With a Bow

Secure your low ponytail with a hair tie, then wrap your bandana around it and tie it in a bow. Voilà —an effortless, feminine statement hairstyle that takes less than two minutes.

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Loose & Effortless

Confession: It might be annoying to have to brush hair out of your face all day with this style, but we're obsessed with the effortlessly chic vibes and loose, messy tendrils falling out. Worth it.

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Bun Wrap

Who needs scrunchies? (Okay, we do, but we'll make an exception here.) This bandana-wrapped-bun—that's likely secured in place with a hair tie underneath—makes a cool statement, especially with this bandana's fiery-red hue.

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Tied Up

Fold your bandana into a headband and wrap it around before knotting it on the top of your head. The look is sure to get you lots of compliments.

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Piece-y Bun

Say "hello" to the perfect accessory to pair with a piece-y bun or updo. Bonus points: add in a single, face-framing tendril for extra chicness.

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Effortless and Half-Up

If you don't have time for an intricate hairstyle but you want to look like you put energy into it, clip or tie your hair in a half-up style before wrapping a bandana around the section. Major statement, minimal effort.

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Wrapped Up

This is the new best hairstyle for greasy-hair days. To get the look, fold your bandana in half and place the straight edge right below your hairline on your forehead, then tie the corners around so it holds down the back corner of the bandana triangle.

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Long Scarf, Short Pony

It's business in the front and a party in the back. A long statement headscarf or bandana makes an unexpected dynamic duo with a short, low ponytail.

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Dramatic Topknot

Make a statement with a sleek topknot tied up with a bold scarf or bandana.

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Boho Braids

Go for a boho vibe by braiding sections back and securing them together in place with a hair tie. Then, tie a bandana around the base, and let the fabric flow freely.

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Complete Head Covering

Bad hair day? We don't know her. Everyone will be none the wiser about what your strands look like once they're wrapped in a luxe head scarf.

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Beach Day Bandana

A super easy way to stave off scalp sunburn and keep your hair protected from the sun, salt or pool water is to match your bandana to your bathing suit!

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Bandanas, Three Ways

Whether you prefer wearing your hair up, down, or completely covered, there's a bandana hairstyle for you. Take a cue from Alix Earle and wear yours wrapped around your chin– or look to the two other models, here, one with their scarf around their ponytail and the other fashioned into a headband around their head.

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Designer Duds

No matter what you're wearing– even sweats or gym clothes– throwing on a chic head scarf can totally level up your look. Take a page from Dorit Kemsley's book with her Louis Vuitton head wrap. We love the contrast with her super straight, blonde strands.

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Bandana Braid

Take a boring braid up a notch by wrapping your scarf or bandana around its base, then use the length as one of the three strands and braid as usual.

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Bun Wrap

We love a slicked-back bun just as much as anyone else, but there's something even more alluring about a braided bun with a scarf wrapped around it. Bonus points if you match it to your fit.

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It Girl Bandana

If it has the Bieber or Jenner stamp of approval, who are we to question it? We love how cool and casual Kendall looks with her bandana, leaving her face-framing pieces of hair loose.

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Red Hot Messy Bun

This look is giving us total Rosie the Riveter vibes, but in a chic, modern way. Whether your hair is naturally curly or not, you can always add in some curls to give your bun more volume, or just focus on curling the front pieces for a more polished feel.

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Make it Monochrome

Few things feel better than that post-beach day shower, but if you don't feel like washing your hair– we don't blame you!– tie on a bandana and you're all but dinner-plan ready. This one pairs perfectly with an all-neutral fit.

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