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A scrunchie (or scrunchy) is an elastic hair tie used to fasten medium to long hair types. The elastic hair tie is encased in loose fabric that forms a ruffle when twisted around a ponytail.

History
The scrunchie was invented in the 1960s, but it was patented in 1987 by Rommy Hunt Revson.

She created the first prototype of the scrunchie because she wanted a gentler version of the metal hair ties used in the 1980s. Prior to this, she was a house sitter in the Hamptons. She bought herself a $50 sewing machine and learned how to sew, developing the working prototype within weeks. Revson was inspired by the design of the elastic waistband on her sweatpants and named the decorative hair accessory the Scunci after her pet toy poodle. The name scrunchie was a natural evolution, because the fabric scrunched up.

Popularity
The early 2000s marked a fall in the popularity of scrunchies. Carrie Bradshaw in an episode of Sex and the City mocked the fashion, saying “No woman … would be caught dead at a hip downtown restaurant wearing a scrunchie." This comment represented the decline in popularity of the scrunchie during this time period, sparking a decade's worth of negative views and distaste.

The scrunchie made a comeback in the late 2010s. It was seen all over runways making its way back into fashion. In 2017, scrunchies appeared at the New York Fashion Week as part of Mansur Gavriel's fall 2017 collection. It was an event that fashion publications like Vogue and Harper's Bazaar would mention in their own articles; scrunchies were coming back but as low, loose ponytails rather than on top of the head. A Vogue editor even included the scrunchie in a "can't-live-without hair products" list coining it as an essential accessory for makeup-removal time at the end of the workday. The scrunchie has expanded on its popularity, with even Balenciaga getting involved, selling an "XXL" silk scrunchie for $275.

Move this sentence down: Scrunchies are no stranger to the public sphere, making their way into the hair and on the wrists of celebrities (used to be in the paragraph above on Wiki) - New paragraph about celebrities (in wiki already)

Scrunchies are also an integral part of the VSCO girl aesthetic, which is a trend that is discussed greatly on an app called TikTok. The VSCO girl is seen as a teen aesthetic among Gen Z culture, and the most prominent addition to the look is an armful of scrunchies. The re-surge in popularity is partly attributed to the rise in nostalgic culture at the end of the 2010s. Another reason cited for its rise in popularity in the late 2010s is an increased emphasis on hair health, the scrunchie is gentler on curly, coarse, or kinkier hair than normal hair ties. They also add volume to buns without having to use hair bun inserts to create a doughnut shape, and they help to avoid creating dents in the hair.

Types and Variations
There have been over five hundred different designs of scrunchies since its invention. There are many different brands and stores that sell them. In the US, almost every major store sold some sort of scrunchie in 2019. The Scünci-brand offers a range of textures, including velvet, satin, and fur, as well as various designs such as neon and metallic.

Silk scrunchies specifically help to keep “the moisture and the natural oils of your hair intact,” preventing damage. They are also seen to reduce friction, resulting in less hair that is pulled out. This allows for smooth and frizz-free hair that reduces static. There is also less tension involved, not pulling back on the hair as much. If there is too much tension, there could be an increase in headaches and could even potentially lead to a receding hairline.

There are also different variations of the scrunchie. There is a scrunchie bow, which is a normal scrunchie with a small and short or large and long bow on one side of it. There are also different patterns, such as leopard print, tie-dye, and dotted. There are also scrunchies with prints of animals or pictures of flowers on them.

Towel scrunchies are an additional variation which can be used to help speed up the drying process when your hair is wet. The hair is fairly fragile when wet. Using towel scrunchies can help to remove excess moisture “without overdrying or damaging your hair.” They help to dry without leaving a crease in the hair as well. Although helpful, their effectiveness can depend on the length of the hair and is best when used overnight. There are both microfiber and terry cloth towel scrunchies, but the microfiber kinds allow the hair to stay fairly smooth.