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Would you buy a $260 scrunchie?

Forget skirt lengths or the waists of jeans. The best symbol of the fluctuating, fickle nature of fashion is the scrunchie.

The iconic hair tie of the ’80s and ’90s has been declared fashionable again, so it's time to dig deep into your wardrobe and recycle your old ones. Or, if you have a spare AU$260, you can pick up this one from Balenciaga.

The brand is selling their "Chouchou Leather Bracelet" which is pretty much a glorified scrunchie in four brightly coloured shades and black, and according to the brand is, "styled to look like an '80s hair tie, but meant to be worn on your wrist like a bracelet, this colour-pop style is upgraded in supple leather."

The scrunchie retails for AU$260. Photo: Balenciaga
The scrunchie retails for AU$260. Photo: Balenciaga

Not everyone is quite ready to jump on this trend revival just yet, but many are willing to voice their opinion on the matter.

Editors at Vogue and Racked have waxed philosophical on this development, while social media abounds with fashion fans firmly declaring themselves pro and con scrunchie.

“You won’t catch me wearing a scrunchie ever,” declared Twitter user @elexisbrown23.

While @sydegee wrote, “PSA to all my friends: for my birthday y’all should go in on a group gift, split the cost & get me this USD$195 balenciaga scrunchie!”

Some are charmed by their ability to mix, match, and collect these little bits of cloth, while others just love its practicality:



Once upon a time, the scrunchie was not such a divisive object.

Invented in the ’60s, the cloth-wrapped rubber bands hit their stride in the ’80s and early ’90s when they fit right in with the era’s voluminous fabrics, accessory overkill, and loud prints.
From Madonna in Desperately Seeking Susan to the queen B’s of Heathers, they were a symbol of cool girls.

But they were also such a practical, gentle alternative to regular hair bands that they were also a favourite among less-fashionable mums and children.