Paisley bandanas, the western accessory that triumphs

Winter time is running out: in barely one month we will be able to put away our scarf and replace it for a lighter accessory. Although it is not really necessary to wait for wearing the Paisley bandanas, great unisex clothing accessories. They easily adapt to different styles, either for urban looks as for the motorcycle or as western accessory for your shirt or jeans, it really is multipurpose.

With lively and assorted colors with Paisley prints and predominance of red, navy blue, black, maroon, white and denim,  and in natural cotton fibre a bandana will become your second skin. The most daring will also find Confederate flag bandanas, The State of Texas flag bandana and US flag bandanas.

Bandana’s characteristic Paisley print remembers a huge inverted comma and its design has Persian origin. Its name comes from the scottish village of Paisley, where during the 19th Century its weavers were the top producers of shawls with this print.

In fact, bandanas are a classic, but one of those that every so often triumph like the first day, as nowadays occur, that are again on fashion. Furthermore, they have an unbeatable price affodable for all the pockets, are an authentic icon with a rocker or even rebel touch that provides brightness to any look. But let’s know a bit better bandana’s origin and its evolution until our days, where replaced the most chic silk scarfs.

The far west: a Lone Ranger and his bandana.

The origin of this scarf is easily attributable: were the far west cowboys the first to start wearing a bandana to protect their faces from dust and desert weather inclemencies. But the intention might be a bit further of so practical and innocent questions, the bandana also allowed them not showing their faces and be recognised.

We already know that put on airs was not something typical from the Far West, and hide the identity was often necessary for either escape from the the bad guys or commit a crime. And if it was done with style, so much the better, although back then the cowboys were not conscious about it, as they could neither imagine how their scarf would be present in the fashion centuries later.

The name bandana has its reason to make reference to this kind of scarf that can be used both for the head and the neck. With the passage of the years and fashion evolution, the bandana stop being a way to cover and became a sign to identify or be different from the rest of the people.

That happened in California, where at ends of the 60’s two rival bands, the Crips and the Bloods, differentiate one from the other wearing blue and red colors respectively. The Crips used the blue color for all their clothing and the bandana in that color gained importance. The Bloods for their part did the same, but their distinctive color was the red, that rebelliously showed in their bandanas.

Taking the most of your western bandana

In addition to the casual or even rocker touch that provides to some looks, bandanas have also been used by some artists as sign to represent the cultural heritage of the african nations. This is the case of Madonna, always paying very attention to all details of her attire. She especially wore them in the 90’s, when the bandana was a very popular accessory; and now has become a very chic accessory for women and top of trends for men.

Nowadays the bandana is not only perfect to combine with western or denim clothing but to give a touch of color or brightness even to the most classic pieces of clothing like coats or raincoats. It also looks great tied to the neck with a white shirt or even with polo shirts.

Wearing a bandana in the wrist still persist: looks great with single color clothing combinations, like for example a “total black”, or also a plain t-shirt and jeans. In some masculine fashion shows we can also see models wearing bandanas hanging on the trousers.

For feminine looks a bandana can be worn on the head to stylishly clear the long hair from the face. It can equally be used as belt, for example in an informal long dress, because the bandana shows the waistline and add a new element. And to customize a handbag, a bandana strategically tied will provide a nice touch that will make the difference.

One of bandana’s advantages is that we can wear it all year round:  during the warmer months it provides fresh touch to our looks and at the colder months it is a bright element to the more serious clothing. It offers a dynamism that enriches any style and is so easy to adapt that you will hardly resign yourself to have only one and the thing is that at Corbeto’s Boots we make it easy for you: will find a wide assortment of colors and designs to choose. Dare yourself!