The inspiration for one of summer’s most glitzy accessories, the hair band, just happens to come from Baz Luhrmann’s much-awaited film of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby,” and leading the “band” was Carrie Mulligan. It was not the debonair Gatsby played by Leonardo DiCaprio, but the glamorous hair bands decorating those ’20s bobs that made my heart beat faster.
Sparkle this season, whether you are at the beach or the ballet, by adorning your hairstyle with hair bands of jewels, sequins, pearls or anything that says “all eyes on me” for your own bit of fireworks. One of the most fun ways to collect trinkets is perusing the local thrift shops and flea markets for vintage treasures like beaded hair combs. Also, think outside the box with marvelous broaches to fasten onto a band, and even old necklaces can be adapted to ignite a spark or two in that chignon.
Think decadent, over-the-top, and ageless. My 74-year-old mama got all dolled up for one of her last visits to the doctor with an extraordinary gold hair band fastened by yours truly into her blonde hair. It glittered and had earrings with a giant ring to match, so how could she resist?
To reenact the original Gatsby glamour, sleek the hair into flat waves using gel, tuck behind the ears, and crown your do with a dazzling ornamental band of your liking. Long tresses need not be dull because nothing stands out quite like a rare, unique hair band topping off an updo, ponytail or bun.
Among many other reasons, Coco Chanel became famous for saying, “A girl should be two things, classy and fabulous.” Well, I’m from the South, and I say a girl should be three things — classy, fabulous and unforgettable. As Gatsby would say, “Just tell them you’re with the band, ole sport,” the quintessential, say-something hair band, of course.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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