femalenetwork.com

When it comes to headbands, stop taking cues from the Gossip Girl gang. Drop the prim Upper East side look--it's time for a fresh new mien via the hippie route.

No, I'm not about to talk you into wearing tie-dye headgear, but I'm trying to convince you to give the revolutionary hippie headband a second look. These are thin bands usually fashioned out of leather or beads, and are characterized by braids, fringes, feathers and hints of poppy color. What sets it apart is how it is worn: it lies on the forehead and is tied around the head, which makes quite a statement, indeed.

Mary-Kate Olsen is one of the brave souls to jumpstart this trend. This April, she arrived at a fete in the Mandarin Oriental in New York wearing a velvet headband sixties style.

In Tokyo, more and more urban warriors have been sporting this 60's piece--sans the overimposing peace sign, thank God. Most trendy youngsters use it to match their ethnic get-ups that imbibe the "make love, not war" vibe. Some think it looks ridiculous, while others view it as tres chic. Whichever side you're on, you must agree that it adds a dose of fun and irony to a world overflowing with designer conformity.

If you want to travel back to the sixties but refuse to adorn yourself with hippie headbands, revisit the work of venerable idols such as Jack Kerouac, the Beatles, and Bob Dylan to get you back into the groove.