Sweatbands have an interesting history in our culture. First invented by tennis player Fred Perry in the 1930s, they were largely just a tennis accessory for quite some time.
It wasn’t until the 70s and 80s that their functionality really started to blossom. Around that time, tennis players like Björn Borg, Jimmy Connors, and John McEnroe were making tennis players famous on TV. Headbands became not just useful for athletics, but trendy and stylish.
By the 90s that style was obsolete, and headbands faltered some in our culture. But new materials make headbands more useful and better looking than ever and their utility cannot be denied.
Here are all the ways you can make use of a headband.
Remove the Sting
One of the most painful things that can happen to you as you work out or play is to get sweat in your eyes. The suddenness and intensity of the pain ranks right up there with stepping on a Lego at 3 am.
No matter how focused you are, your concentration is destroyed and all you can think about is how to make the burning in your eyes stop. You can’t see, can’t think, and can’t go on until you have cleared your eyes.
Far better to use a headband to keep the sting from ever getting started.
Improve Your Vision
Unless you are ready to shave it all off, there’s a good chance your hair will at some point interfere with your workout. And if you shave it off, you have more sweat racing to burn your eyeballs.
No matter how short you keep it, it always seems to find a way to get in your eyes at just the wrong moment.
Keeping your vision clear and freeing yourself from the distraction of constantly having to push your hair out of your eyes is just one more way headbands can be used to step up your game.
Show Off Your Style
You may or may not like the styles of the 80s, but one thing is for sure, you remember them. Fortunately, in our times, we can get headbands in just about any color under the rainbow.
You can find headbands to match your favorite team colors, create a unique look for a charity run, or for an office softball league. Or you can just find the colors you like to compliment your style.
The important thing is that you look good and you know it. The better you feel the better you work and play, so why not dress it up a little bit?
Wear the sweatbands of your country in pride:
Attract Attention
Sometimes it is the little things that pay off the most. Maybe you are trying to catch the eye of a talent scout. Maybe you are just trying to catch the eye of someone you’re attracted to.
A brightly colored headband can attract attention, giving you the opportunity to shine at the right moment.
Add Visibility for Safety
Maybe you aren’t trying to attract attention so much as to just get people to notice you in the first place. If you are a runner, jogger, or cyclist, you have probably had a near miss with a car more than once in your life.
A bright neon headband can add visibility to your outfit, helping keep you safe on the roads.
Stage a Scene
Got a production to put on, but need the perfect finishing touch for your actor? The details can sell your character without saying a word. A headband can be just the accessory needed to craft a character’s persona for your play.
Or perhaps you are in a cosplay group and need to complete an outfit?
Or maybe you want to make your costume stand out for Halloween or another costume party?
A headband can be just the ticket for completing your look.
Stay Warm…Or Cool
Working out in the elements, maintaining proper body temperature can be difficult. In the wintertime, your ears are freezing, and all your heat is escaping out the top of your head. In the summertime, your body is overheating and getting dehydrated from overproducing sweat to help you stay cool.
A headband can help with both these problems.
In the wintertime, a thick, wide headband can help cover your ears and keep heat trapped in your body. In the summertime, a headband can help wick away moisture, adding to your body’s natural cooling.
A headband is a great way to maintain your body temperature so you can work harder and suffer less.
Read:
Revealed: 3 Ways to Stay Cool Running in the Summer Heat
6 Incredible Tips for Running in the Winter Months
Essential Guide to Choosing Your Ideal Running Socks
Eliminate Odors
If you wear a helmet for your sport, for cycling, or for work, you know the smells inside that helmet can be unpleasant. As sweat accumulates in the helmet, bacteria and odors build up that not only smell bad but can be unhealthy.
A sweatband worn inside your helmet can be tossed in the washing machine for a quick and easy cleanup. This will not only help keep you smelling fresh but keep unsanitary bacteria from building up.
Just Because You Can
Maybe you just really enjoy the soft feel of the headband. Maybe you like the comforting squeeze it provides. Maybe you like that way it looks, and how useful it is.
You don’t have to have a reason to wear a headband.
You can wear it just because you want to. After all, nobody’s going to demand an explanation for why you’re wearing a headband. You can wear it just because.
That’s the ultimate list of headband uses. Think we missed one? Let us know!
