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Bandana history & origin

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Bandana history & origin

Axl Rose wore one; so did Rosie the Riveter, that feminist icon of World War II. Bandanas are accessories that will never go out of style.

Discover through this short article the history and origins of this fantastic fashion accessory!

Rosie the Riveter Bandana

Their paisley pattern is a classic staple that we've used time and time again, but have you ever wondered where they came from?

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Very few fashion trends survive the passage of time. Coco Chanel's little black dresses or the most basic clothes, like pants and shoes, are still worn every day, but they have undergone many transformations over the years. However, the bandana has remained the same for centuries.

bandana woman retro royalbandana

This humble accessory has remained in the closet of men and women for over three centuries ....

 

Where did bandanas originate

The first bandana would come from the United States in 1780 (American revolution). John Hewson would be the designer

 

Bandana: from India to America

1) Cowboys

Red bandanas are commonly associated with the United States. Cowboys in western movies wore them and later Bruce Springsteen adopted them as accessories for his tours.

cowboy with a red bandana

 They are closely associated with the American way of life and the Wild West, but their origins couldn't be further apart. The word bandana comes from a Sanskrit term: "Badhnati", which means to tie and refers to a technique of dyeing fabrics.

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At that time, it was not easy to dye fabrics with bright colors, and to get the characteristic red of bandanas, producers soaked the fabric in fish oil, sheep dung, red blond roots and "intestinal liquor".

2) Persian: "paisley" (or "cashmere") pattern.

On the other hand, the classic bandana print also has an exotic origin: Persia. The drop-shaped pattern, called "paisley pattern", is a representation of the dew of plants combined with the representation of a cypress, a tree that symbolizes life and eternity in the Zoroastrian religion.

paisley paisley bandana

The shape also symbolizes fertility for Hindus and even refers to yin and yang. This garment was and still is a very important part of South Asian and Iranian cultures.

So how did it become so popular in the rest of the world? We can thank the East India Company for that.

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3) Bandana: arrived in Europe

Until the 18th century, bandanas were an accessory used by Asians, until the British and their "Silk Road" introduced them to European consumers. This is how these accessories became popular in Europe and local fashionistas changed their name to "bandannoes". The rest, as they say, is history....

bandana royal woman bandana

Bandanas have crossed many subcultures throughout history: cowboys, biker gangs, 60s hippies and many others. But one thing is clear: it will never go out of style.

Today, there are multiple ways to wear a bandana, many women for example, use it as a fashion accessory, whether on the head, neck, wrists and even other accessories such as bags.

Now that you know everything about bandanas, you just have to order a trendy and quality one.
You will find your happiness on our store : Royalbandana

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