No Sweat: the History of the Headband

How the humble headband came to dominate the court.

There are few accessories that have had a long and illustrious career in sports like the headband. What started as a true on-court, tennis accessory has now taken the sport and fashion world by storm -- on and off the field of play.

How it all started…

In 1914—the year she would become the youngest major champion in history—a 15-year-old Suzanne Lenglen stepped onto the court with a piece of folded fabric wrapped around her head. She could not have known then that she was laying the groundwork for one of the most iconic fashion trends in tennis -- the headband.

Fast forward to the 1960s and 70s and the headband had become well-established in tennis, taking the court by storm in all its colorful, interesting varieties. Headbands back then were worn both for their light weight and comfort, but also for their ability to keep players' hair out of their eyes and faces without making the head overly hot or obstructing a player’s field of vision.

Its popularity continued through the 80s, into the eye of a headband hurricane; a McEnroe fever era where bangs, perms and feathery locks required just the right accessory to complete the look. In fact, it’s not hard to imagine how the headbands worn then might eventually come to symbolize the era, or even inspire more streamlined and futuristic headwear.

One day, looking back, this humble fashion statement may say more about this iconic age in American tennis than all the record books combined. So, long live the headband in all its wondrous current (and future) forms! Without it, tennis (and sport) would only be half as cool.