Bandanas may look rad, but they serve real purposes too.
When you see a person wearing a bandana on their head, what is your initial assumption? If “totally righteous badass” comes to mind, you’re 100% spot-on correct. What is it about this piece of fabric tied around one’s head that is so damn cool, and what reasons are there for wearing one? Let’s explore.
Why wear a bandana? What’s in it for me?
Unfolded and in their natural state, bandanas are nothing more than a big square of lightweight cloth. But folded and tied around one’s head, they are a thing of both beauty and purpose.
We took a look around the Internet, polled a group of bandana-clad people, and made some flat-out guesses, and concluded there are simply a lot of great reasons why one might wear a bandana.
- It looks good. Regardless if the bandana is serving a real purpose, if you put one on, look in the mirror, and declare that it looks awesome, then just fucking own it, man. Wear it with confidence and pride.
- It feels good. Maybe you look like a dipshit, but the feel of the bandana around your head just feels natural. Go with it!
- It’s hiding something. If you botched a haircut, or are embarrassed/ashamed of your balding head or receding hairline, a bandana can cover it up as well as a cap.
- It’s cooling you. If you’re out in the hot sun, consider a bandana as a very lightweight method of staying moderately cooler.
- It’s protecting you from harmful UV rays. You’ll have to cover the rest of your body with sunscreen or clothes, but the scalp can be covered with a bandana to lessen or eliminate sunburns.
- It keeps hair out of your face. If you have long hair that just won’t stay out of your face, hold it back with a bandana!
- It keeps sweat out of your face. Athletic headbands do a better job of it, but a bandana will soak up some moisture, too!
- It helps you to slip your head into a helmet. Whether motorcycle helmet or football helmet, a bandana over your hair is the exact same thing as wearing a sock on your foot.
- It’s the belt for your head. If you want to drape a larger cloth over your head and keep it out of your eyes, a bandana functions in the same way a traditional belt would—only for your forehead!
- It’s the toolbelt for your head. Need somewhere to stick a pen or ruler while working on a project? Slip a pencil under that bandana and keep it right where you want it!
- It’s good for developing a look. Maybe it’s as simple as you trying to stand out in a crowd. Trust us, people in bandanas are memorable. “Who should we cast in this movie?” “What about the guy who wore the bandana to his audition?”
- It’s good for joining a gang, or becoming a thug. Just like a pocket protector screams “GEEEEK!”, a bandana invokes images of thuggery, mischief, and all-around rebelliousness. It’s great for a goody-two-shoes who wants to look just a little meaner.
- It’s good for setting a mood. Are you normally an uptight asshole business exec wearing a tie? What says “I’m ready to let loose and pop open a Mich Ultra” better than a bandana?!
- Costumes. Whether you’re pretending to be Hulk Hogan, Tupac, or Bret Michaels, you’ll need a bandana to perfect the look.
- They’re a great icebreaker. Not a good natural conversation-starter? Put on a bandana, for Christ’s sake! “So dude, we gotta ask… what’s up with the bandana?” Bam! Next thing you know you’ve got your next BFF for life.
- It’s a good way to always have an emergency rag. Are you constantly knocking over cups of pop? Take off that bandana, sop it up, and you’re golden.
- And of course… blowing your snotty nose. But after blowing, you might get some looks if you put it back on your head.
Are there more reasons to wear a bandana other than those listed above? You betcha! But this is a blog, not a 38,000-page encyclopedia. Leave your bandana uses in the comments and you could win a How To Do That bandana!
My Hot Take
I’m no stranger to the bandana. I began wearing one fairly regularly to work in 2017 for many reasons. I liked the way it looked, I like the way it felt, and it helped cover my receding hairline! I couldn’t give two shits if anyone else liked it or not. My wife most definitely did not like it and pleaded with me to take it off in public. But I felt like my work friends enjoyed it, and a few of them even started wearing their own bandanas. When I switched jobs and wore it to work for the first time, I got a lot of looks and was nicknamed “Tito Friday” because I wore a Tito’s Vodka bandana on a Friday.