Bandanas have a special place as an accessory throughout American history. Their origins go far back to the American Revolution when George Washington’s wife Martha had a bandana printed that featured her husband on horseback—considered the first bandana created in the Americas. Later, they became a popular accessory in the Wild West for their versatility: They could be used to keep sun off the neck, wipe away sweat, and keep dust out of your nose and mouth while horseback riding. When women entered the war effort during World War II, they used these scarves to tie their hair back to keep it away from the running factory machinery, famously captured by the poster of Rosie the Riveter wearing a red polka-dot hair bandana.
In the 1960s and ‘70s, bandana headbands became fashionable among hippies and musicians—think Jimi Hendrix performing at Woodstock or Willie Nelson’s iconic bandana-and-braids combo.