Headscarves have been worn for many centuries, as a way to keep hair-dos intact, to keep the head warm and to suggest modesty or position. Headscarves are also a fashion item, the popularity of which waxes and wanes according to the trends. The last great era of the head scarf was the 1960s, when celebrities like Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn wore them with great style. Nowadays, while headscarves are not as popular as a fashion statement, they’re still very useful and can look glamorous or casual; you just need to know a few simple ways to wear the headscarf well.

They are always a great accessory and can really make a fashion statement. It’s an easy way to accessorise your outfit in several minutes. All you need is a head scarf and you are good to go. Choose some silky, light weight scarves with interesting prints or with pop of colours.

No matter how you wear them, these head wraps will add a dose of bohemian vibe to your style. Wearing a scarf is a great way to style your hair when you are planning to spend a day at the beach. Put on your swimsuit, take a pair of fab sunglasses and put on a head scarf, you are good to go.

History of the African head wrap

African head wraps have been a part of both the African and the African American culture for centuries. The colourful cloths represent the history of the African people and are worn proudly by both men and women.

African Americans who wish to preserve their heritage typically choose to wear head wraps even today. The head wrap has a different meaning when worn by men than it does when worn by women. Even the colours of the head wrap have a different meaning.

Features

The head wrap typically covers the hair completely. One cultural significance about the African head wrap is that African women typically secure the wrap using a knot at the base of the crown which leaves the neck and forehead exposed. Part of the reason for this is to make the facial features appear striking so that anyone that wishes to look upon an African American woman would look up at her face rather than down at her body.

Identification

African head wraps come in many bright bold colours that animate the face. According to Africa Imports African Business, in West Africa, head wraps are referred to as "gele” in Yoruba or "ichafu” in Ibo. Some African American women continue to wear head wraps to boast their spiritual strength.

Fun fact

According to Danya London, the head wrap has now become a staple of traditional black dress; arrays of wonderful head wraps, fashionably worn at special events, have now become a fashion statement for the black woman. In history, the head wrap was hard to come by and therefore usually worn by wealthier black men and women. Now the head wrap is an available garment for men and women of all statuses to wear.

Agencies