Usually, the mention of the scrunchie conjures flashbacks to the 90s, or those bad hair days when the only option is to toss your hair into a messy bun and hope for the best — hardly the epitome of royal elegance. That being said, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, is always one to disrupt the world of beauty, and this time she’s shown that the humble scrunchie is fit for royalty.
In case you missed it, it’s been a jam-packed time for the royals. While the Prince and Princess of Wales were hosting President Trump during a state visit to the UK, Sophie and her husband, Prince Edward, were busy jetting across the globe to meet with the Japanese royal family.
Whenever it comes to Sophie’s outings, her regal updos are always a highlight for the GH beauty team, with Sophie proving time and time again that even the simplest hairstyles can look royally elegant. Unexpectedly, it seems the scrunchie bun has now earned a place on the list, as she was snapped yesterday in Osaka, joining Princess Takamado at the Women’s Pavilion.
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From the front, Sophie’s updo looked ultra-polished, with her blonde locks swept back to frame her face and highlight the details of her outfit — a pretty puff-sleeved dress from Belulah London and a pair of delicate gold hoops. But when a flash of the blue velvet scrunchie came into view, we were struck by just how chic Sophie had managed to make the beauty basic look.
It seems that Sophie may even be ahead of the curve, cementing her place as one of the most stylish royals. Hairstylist Tom Smith, known for his track record in accurately predicting the next big hair trends, named hair textiles as one to watch this season.
‘We saw bandanas take over the summer hair accessory trends, and this will progress into wider textile-based hairstyles, ranging from subtle to statement-making in autumn,’ he says.
‘When added into hairstyles, textiles are the perfect fusion of style and practicality,’ he explains.
Sophie has already made a strong case for this, with her scrunchie bun being both polished and incredibly easy to recreate (we’re talking under two minutes, easy).
He adds: ‘The hair accessories trend is for the experimental and fashion-obsessed who see hair as part of the outfit, not an afterthought. Consider textures and prints and monochromatic styling with the rest of the outfit.’
Clearly, great minds think alike, with Sophie matching her scrunchie to her frock.
If you fancy giving it a go, luckily, there’s no shortage of gorgeous scrunchies up for grabs. From the classic velvet, à la Sophie, to bold statement patterns, the scrunchie might just be the easiest way to elevate your updo. Who’d have thought?
