At first glance, the word “scrunchie” takes me straight back to the dreaded pre-2020 VSCO girl era. Perhaps I was traumatised by the feeling of a velvet-coated elastic band spending more time on my wrist than in my hair. Or, more likely, I’ve been trying to distance myself from my pre-university fashion choices. Either way, I had buried all memories of that hair accessory—until now. As yet another trend cycle comes full circle (notably much faster than before), I’ve been forced to reconsider its latest revival.
Unsurprisingly, the 2025 iteration of the scrunchie differs only slightly from its 2020 counterpart. While the changes may seem subtle to the untrained eye, in the fast-moving world of social media, the original version would now be dismissed as “cheugy.” A quick TikTok scroll reveals the main differences: size and material. Velvet, once the dominant fabric, has been replaced by nylon, cotton, or silk, while the already chunky design has now gone supersized. My personal theory? These changes are a direct result of the clean girl aesthetic—an oversized scrunchie is the perfect finishing touch to a sleek-back bun.
Of course, Emma Chamberlain did not invent the scrunchie. While her infamous online shop drama helped propel the trend back into the mainstream, the scrunchie’s real heyday was in the 1980s. Nothing captures the spirit of that era quite like neon scrunchies and high ponytails. In fact, the first scrunchie—created in 1986 by Rommy Hunt Revson—revolutionised hair-tying. I’m not exaggerating—anyone who has ever tried using a rubber band in their hair will undoubtedly agree.
“As long as women have had long hair, there have been hair ornaments,” notes fashion historian Kimberly Chrisman-Campbell. While the scrunchie itself may only be a few decades old, women have been adorning their hair for centuries—often using it as a form of self-expression when they themselves were silenced. Which makes me wonder: what is our current favourite hair accessory trying to say?
For now, the scrunchie is back—but for how long? Good Squish scrunchies are everywhere on campus, despite their staggering price tag of £35 and up. Their cost is justified by local, handmade production and a repair initiative, yet it raises the question: how much are people willing to pay for a potentially fleeting trend? Some designs are minimal and timeless, making them worth the investment. But, as with all micro-trends, I remain sceptical of their longevity.
Having watched the scrunchie re-emerge time and time again, I can’t help but see it as more of a trend than a staple. So, as with any fashion comeback, the best approach is to be guided by your own style rather than fleeting social media hype. That way, when TikTok inevitably declares scrunchies “cheugy” once again and moves on to the next shiny thing, you’ll still be happy with your purchase.
Photo by Duncan Kidd on Unsplash