A new year means another 365 days of trends coming and going. Luckily for scrunchies — you know, the fabric hair ties that adorned ’80s aerobics models and every female member of the Tanner family on Full House — the throwback hair accessory is making a comeback. The catch is, the return of the scrunchie comes with a new name.
Scrunchies are now called hair clouds, and the change has got to be the most wtf fashion moment of 2018 thus far. Having had a major comeback in 2010 and again in 2015, it’s obvious that scrunchies are the trend that just won’t die.
According to WWD, the bunched fabric worn at every possible angle on the heads of ’90s fashionistas, is having a revival via the high-end runways of designers like Balenciaga and Instagram-famous labels like Maison Cléo. But think twice before you refer to the hair tie by its former, outdated name. Credited to Danish scrunchie designer, Comfort Objects founder Line Sander Johansen, hair clouds are the hip, new name for the ponytail holders.
Intended to drive away negative connotations associated with the retro accessory, the “hair cloud” nomenclature is a rebranding effort to make scrunchies the “it-girl” accessory of 2018.
“The Hair Cloud — as I named it, instead of the mixed feelings I had about the scrunchie — is based on the idea of them looking like silk clouds around the hair, when tied a bit effortless in a bundle,” Johansen told WWD, explaining the rebranding.
The new terminology may take some getting used to just like the idea of scrunchies returning to the spotlight. While some praise scrunchies — oops, hair clouds — for their style and functionality, others consider them to be one of the most embarrassing ’90s fashion trends. So, it’s quite the polarizing accessory for such an ubiquitous ’80s and ’90s fashion item.
It’ll be hard to say whether a name change will make these funky hair ties appealing to those who are not digging the trend. But for ponytail lovers that are so here for the scrunchie revival, hair clouds will be right up your alley.
We’ve seen them atop the heads of Hollywood trendsetters like Cara Delevingne, Selena Gomez, and Bella Hadid. Plus, you can already shop trendy styles at popular stores like American Apparel, Urban Outfitters, and Forever 21. So it looks like signs already point towards hair clouds being a major thing in 2018.
When looking to style your hair clouds this year, there’s no better place to turn than to YouTube, of course, to hop on the trend.
With this ‘do, you won’t have to worry about securing the hair tie perfectly. A messy bun adorned with a hair cloud looks effortlessly chic.
Hate on scrunchies all you want, but there’s no denying how adorable double buns look with a pair of hair clouds secured around them.
There’s just something about messy styles and scrunchies that works so well. A floral hair cloud is the perfect, feminine addition to a messy side braid.
No need to always style a hair cloud in a plain Jane ponytail. Add jumbo side twists to a low pony, and throw on a bright hair tie for major flair.
Referring to scrunchies as hair clouds may seem strange at first. But who’s to say that the terminology won’t catch on? A name change just may be what scrunchies needed all along to have a permanent comeback, so you might want to get used to seeing them around.
