Head wraps are having their moment right now. From young women in South Africa who are re-embracing it as a way of celebrating their African culture, to Lupita Nyongo who is making ground breaking red carpet appearances wearing African-inspired head wraps.
Hollywood sensation Lupita Nyongo’s latest head wrap appearance is on the October issue of Vogue magazine.
But let’s not get carried away by all this international attention, head wraps have always been part and parcel of women’s clothing here in Africa.
In the past, women wore them to cover their hair from dust and dirt as they did their home chores. It slowly transformed into a stylish piece of accessory that is now too cool for house chores.
Hollywood sensation Lupita Nyongo
On a bad hair day, with no time to head to the saloon for a hair fix, a head wrap can be your saviour. It can literally go with almost anything from a cool casual look to a night out party. And the beauty of it is, no one will even notice you are having a bad hair day.
How to choose your head wraps
- We can’t deny tribal prints and details such as checkerboards and stripes are really on right now, but choosing something you will look good is less about what is on and more about personal style.
- Prints will definitely make you stand out, so if it is your kind of thing, don’t be afraid to indulge.
- Comfort is really important, as having all that fabric on your head for hours can be quite an experience.
- Choose fabric that is soft and sits comfortably on your skin.
- Fabrics such as silk slip off easily, so, you might have to think twice before you go that route.
Different ways to style it
The way you style this head wrap enhances the shape of your face, for instance, you can tie the wrap in different ways to lengthen the shape of your face, add height or reduce the look for a long forehead. It’s therefore important to have in mind what you want to achieve. Let’s see how to style it.
It can be wrapped around the head as a turban. This style is very common on Muslim women, but that’s changing. You too can rock your turban. Its detail is usually clean, so this look can be appropriate for work or even a corporate work party.
The head wrap can be tied into a bow. This can be on any side of your head. This style is perfect for naturalists who love to show off their gorgeous hair in funky ways.
It can also be wrapped into a bun.
Don’t be afraid to experiment on your own without any tutorials. There is just so much you can do with your head wrap and stand out. The trick is to sit in front of your mirror and experiment.
