Spring Break
History of ... the Scrunchie
Bold 1980s hair accessory still makes millions in sales
Nicole Strittmater
Issue date: 1/25/07 Section: Showcase
You've all worn them girls- whether you admit it or not.
They come in patriotic, polka dot, animal, teddybear, heart and tie-dyed prints to name a few. Then of course there's the cotton, beaded, silk, fur, crocheted, knit and suede options.
They've been the objects of ridicule in fashion magazines posing the question: to scrunchie or not to scrunchie?
That's right, it's the scrunchie: that infamous elastic, fabricated hair accessory.
But who exactly was the mastermind behind this 1980s and early 90s craze?
According to the U.S. Court of Appeals, a woman named Rommy Revson invented the 'scunci' or scrunchie, a "decorative ponytail holder for securely holding the hair of a user," and millions of dollars worth are sold each year.
While no credible Web sites could be found while researching, according to Patent Storm (www.patentstorm.us), it was created to "add a decorative fabric covering to the rubber band to further enhance the look of the person's hair." That way, according to the Web site, women are not seen wearing a simple rubber band, but "some nice colored fabric adorning their hair."
Originally, scrunchies were used for the sole purpose of holding hair up, according to www.hairboutique.com, but as time passed, people started using them as "pure decorative accessories."
Junior Amanda Adams said she clearly remembers the scrunchie craze and admitted that as a kid she had a whole box full of them.
"It was the cool thing to match them with your outfits," Adams said, adding that many people wore them as bracelets.
"Put them on your wrist and walk around and see how cool you were with your scrunchies," she said in between laughs.
Although the fad came and went, it is not forgotten.
Take the episode of "Sex and the City" where Carrie Bradshaw fights with her boyfriend, Jack Berger, over a book he wrote about a character wearing a scrunchie. Bradshaw is appalled and argues that no sophisticated New York woman would be caught dead in one. Of course, he broke up with her a few episodes later on a Post-It note, leaving fans wondering if the scrunchie was to blame.
They come in patriotic, polka dot, animal, teddybear, heart and tie-dyed prints to name a few. Then of course there's the cotton, beaded, silk, fur, crocheted, knit and suede options.
They've been the objects of ridicule in fashion magazines posing the question: to scrunchie or not to scrunchie?
That's right, it's the scrunchie: that infamous elastic, fabricated hair accessory.
But who exactly was the mastermind behind this 1980s and early 90s craze?
According to the U.S. Court of Appeals, a woman named Rommy Revson invented the 'scunci' or scrunchie, a "decorative ponytail holder for securely holding the hair of a user," and millions of dollars worth are sold each year.
While no credible Web sites could be found while researching, according to Patent Storm (www.patentstorm.us), it was created to "add a decorative fabric covering to the rubber band to further enhance the look of the person's hair." That way, according to the Web site, women are not seen wearing a simple rubber band, but "some nice colored fabric adorning their hair."
Originally, scrunchies were used for the sole purpose of holding hair up, according to www.hairboutique.com, but as time passed, people started using them as "pure decorative accessories."
Junior Amanda Adams said she clearly remembers the scrunchie craze and admitted that as a kid she had a whole box full of them.
"It was the cool thing to match them with your outfits," Adams said, adding that many people wore them as bracelets.
"Put them on your wrist and walk around and see how cool you were with your scrunchies," she said in between laughs.
Although the fad came and went, it is not forgotten.
Take the episode of "Sex and the City" where Carrie Bradshaw fights with her boyfriend, Jack Berger, over a book he wrote about a character wearing a scrunchie. Bradshaw is appalled and argues that no sophisticated New York woman would be caught dead in one. Of course, he broke up with her a few episodes later on a Post-It note, leaving fans wondering if the scrunchie was to blame.
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