This Summer, Only an Absolutely Ginormous Scrunchie Will Do
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Perhaps it’s because I grew up in the peak of Tumblr flower-crown mania, but I love a dramatic hair piece. There’s just something about a well-placed headband, scarf, or pair of barrettes that projects a sense of ’90s-movie popular-girl empowerment. To me, a great hair accessory is the proverbial cherry on top; it says, “This morning, I took the extra time.” Over the years, I’ve worn the brightly colored, summer-in-Italy-style headscarf. I’ve dabbled in the chunky, boxy statement barrettes. But this summer, only one hair accessory will do: the jumbo scrunchie.
I first saw them when they took hold of my Instagram Explore page, where they dotted the heads of all of my favorite TikTokstyle and beautyvloggers. I loved that they instantly added a little more character and shape to any outfit. And so, I began the hunt for my ideal jumbo scrunchie. Yes, I did covet my neighbor’s Sandy LiangFlower Power scrunchie, but I always knew I wanted something less pricey. I considered theFree People Chiffon Jumbo Scrunchieand theUrban Outfitters Oversize Scrunchie, but none satisfied my desire for an absolutely ginormous scrunchie like the$16Floating Scrunchiefrom the Wrap Life.
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TheFloating Scrunchiehas a grand, theatrical silhouette that leaves me feeling very dressed up with very little effort and elevates my lazy-morning high buns into something much more polished. I could be wearing the most basic, understated outfit, but if I’m wearing this scrunchie, I will be walking around like I am Bella Hadid. The thing that makes it stand out is that it truly is, dare I say it, jumbo. The polyester material of the scrunchie makes it sheer and shiny. It can be seen from every angle (and possibly the International Space Station). And because it comes in multiple colors, some of which are nude, it never lookstoodone-up or out of place.
Even more than its outfit-enhancing abilities, I appreciate that thisscrunchie has helped me find another simple-and-elegant hairstylethat works for my 4C hair. As a Black girl, I’m always looking for low-effort styles that will protect my delicate hair. Having my hair in a slicked-back bun helps me avoid manipulation, breakage, and drying to begin with, but I was pleasantly surprised to see how adding a small (or … not so small) detail like this jumbo scrunchie took my hairstyle from laid-back to glamorous.
There’s so much woven into what our hair represents to us; hair can be a source of confidence or insecurity. It can be a work of art or a signal of distress (chopping bangs in the middle of the night, etc.). But for me, it also has a cultural weight. When I take care of my hair now as an adult, I’m reminded of sitting on a chair in my mother’s bathroom with her hands gliding a comb through my coiled locks. That time spent together to celebrate my hair, my sense of beauty, and my individuality was precious. It’s gratifying to find another way to experience that feeling again, as an adult. Wearing this jumbo scrunchie is a way to instantly draw eyes to my hair, to announce its existence, and to invest in its long-term care. That is a sort of celebration all its own.
The other big scrunchies I considered
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