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Gen Z Revives Surprising '90s Style Staple at Glastonbury
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Gracie Abrams stepped onstage at this year's Glastonbury Festival in a striking red and white bandana—and within hours, the accessory appeared to have caught traction within members of the audience and viewers elsewhere.
In a matter of days, the 25-year-old singer-songwriter has become the unexpected poster girl for the revival of the '90s-era bandana.
Her performance outfit, captured widely on social media, coincided with a noticeable uptick in festivalgoers sporting the retro scarf in varying colors and styles.
Clips of Abrams both on and off the stage have circulated on TikTok, where fans are already sharing how they are sporting the headscarf in a "Gracie Abrams way," as one user, @sophierosam, wrote in a TikTok post viewed thousands of times.
From left: A model wears a white cotton and lace top with a print skirt and blue and silver print bandana during the Anna Sui fashion show November 4 in New York City as part...
From left: A model wears a white cotton and lace top with a print skirt and blue and silver print bandana during the Anna Sui fashion show November 4 in New York City as part of the Fashion Week Spring 1999 Women's Collection; Gracie Abrams performs on The Other Stage during Glastonbury Festival 2025 at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 27, 2025 in Glastonbury, England. More
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Glastonbury, with its decades-long history as a music and style incubator, is once again serving as a flashpoint for trends that stretch well beyond its remote location in Worthy Farm, England.
In the early 2000s, the festival's boho-grunge identity played a key role in launching now-iconic looks, often associated with Kate Moss and Sienna Miller. Today, it appears poised to do so again.
Bandanas in Style
The bandana's return is not entirely sudden.
Last popularized in the 1990s and early 2000s by public figures like Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, Jennifer Aniston and Britney Spears, the accessory has long held cultural cachet.
In recent years, it found a niche resurgence through cottagecore aesthetics popular online and even made an appearance on Versace's autumn winter 2021 showcase.
But this year's Glastonbury marks a notable turning point, with widespread adoption among young women in the crowd suggesting the trend has crossed into more mainstream territory.
From left: Gillette poses at a portrait session on January 3,1996 in Chicago, Illinois; and Easther Bennett, Kéllé Bryan, Vernie Bennett, and Louise Nurding of the British R&B girl group Eternal at rehearsals for the...
From left: Gillette poses at a portrait session on January 3,1996 in Chicago, Illinois; and Easther Bennett, Kéllé Bryan, Vernie Bennett, and Louise Nurding of the British R&B girl group Eternal at rehearsals for the Brit Awards in London, England on February 19, 1995. More
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Abrams, known for her brown bob, stripped-down style and minimal aesthetic, wore the red-and-white bandana tied across her head, paired with a simple ensemble that let the scarf stand out.
Her look resonated strongly with her fan base and beyond, inspiring a surge of imitators across social media platforms. TikTok videos featuring the singer in her bandana have been viewed tens of thousands of times, with commenters praising the effortless style and swiftly sharing their own versions of the look.
Also fanning the trend's momentum is Sofia Richie Grainge, another Gen Z style influencer with more than 10 million followers on Instagram alone. Grainge, the 26-year-old daughter of Lionel Ritchie, has been photographed wearing similar scarf-styled headgear, as have other members of the U.S. style set like Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid.
Richie Grainge's endorsement adds high-fashion appeal to the accessory's already growing visibility.
From left: Le Toya, Kelly, and Beyonce of the R&B group Destiny's Child arrive at the Source Hip-Hop Music Awards held at the Pasadena Civic Center August 22, 2000 in California; and Jennifer Lopez at...
From left: Le Toya, Kelly, and Beyonce of the R&B group Destiny's Child arrive at the Source Hip-Hop Music Awards held at the Pasadena Civic Center August 22, 2000 in California; and Jennifer Lopez at the MTV Music Awards in 2000. More
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Headscarves and hair accessories more broadly have seen a renaissance over the past year, with the trend raising some eyebrows in winter 2024 as knitted bonnets briefly captured fashion attention. But where those styles leaned toward seasonal novelty, the bandana's Glastonbury-fueled revival suggests something more enduring.
The number of attendees spotted in the accessory, combined with its virality online, point to a wider movement.
@sophierosam
been trying to think of ways to get my shortttt hair out of my face all summer without getting a headache from pulling it back so here we are ♬ original sound - thesecrctofus
That Glastonbury would be the launchpad for such a trend is not surprising.
For years, the festival has shaped cultural tastes beyond music, hosting performances by global stars while acting as a runway for celebrity-attendees and influencers alike.
The 2000s saw the rise of "festival style," and many of its core elements—fringe, florals, muddy boots—can be traced back to the fields in Somerset, England, where the festival is held.
The current wave feels reminiscent, albeit tailored to a new generation with a different relationship to nostalgia and fashion cycles.
From left: John F. Kennedy Jr. walks with Carolyn Bessette in New York on October 18, 1997; Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake on January 4, 2001, in Beverly Hills, California.
From left: John F. Kennedy Jr. walks with Carolyn Bessette in New York on October 18, 1997; Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake on January 4, 2001, in Beverly Hills, California.
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This return of the bandana also reflects Gen Z's broader embrace of '90s and early 2000s trends and cultural symbols.
Newsweek reached out to @sophierosam via email for more information.
