9 Summer Hair Accessories Your Most Stylish Friends Already Own

Spring/summer fashion collections this year were flooded with a certain accessory that will solve all of your frizzy, sweaty, unmanageable summer hair problems… From barrettes to headbands, scrunchies, and hair wraps, the accessory of the season is the kind that perches on top of your head, and it’s here to upgrade every summer outfit you wear.

Not only is this trend extremely practical—I’ll take any reason to fashionably pull my hair off my face in the midst of a sweltering hot NY summer—but it also is an unexpectedly stylish way to accessorize. Who knew that a bejeweled barrette was exactly what I needed to pull my entire summer look together? Whether it be seashells, pearls or bright colors that suit your fancy, this season’s must-have comes in a style for everyone. Keep reading for the summer hair accessories you have to try that are guaranteed to get you into a beachy state of mind.

Scrunchies

Your ponytail just received an upgrade with this '80s accessory. The perfect excuse to pull your hair back off your neck, scrunchies are back, and we’re totally here for it. Pull your hair up in a high pony, tie it with a scrunchie, put on a pair of heart-shaped sunglasses, and you’re ready for the beach.

Knotted Headbands

For the perfect Mediterranean touch to your outfit, consider adding a knotted headband. These retro-cool accents are ultra-flattering, adding height to your hair and enhancing your facial features. There’s no such thing as a bad hair day as they lend themselves to effortless styling—just throw one on and go.

Headbands

Ever since Miuccia Prada sent padded nylon headbands down her spring 2019 runway, I’ve been having Blair Waldorf flashbacks in the best way possible. Whether padded, pearled, or studded with shells, headbands are being seen everywhere from celebs to influencers. Whatever your style, there’s a headband for every occasion—take it from Blair.

Bows

From Hailey Baldwin on the pink carpet of the Met Gala to Kate Middleton basically everywhere, celebs, royalty and fashion girls alike can’t stop wearing hair bows. Whether they be tied around a high pony or used to finish off a messy braid, these long strands of satin and velvet require almost no effort but look like you put in the most. Isn’t that the balance we’re all seeking?

Barrettes

Fashion trends come and go, this is a given, but the one summer hair accessory trend I did not see coming was barrettes. That is, until suddenly every fashionable girl strolling around NYC had her hair tied back in a low bun and a pearl-encrusted barrette fastened above her ear. It took approximately one sighting, and I was sold. When it comes to barrettes, the more the merrier.

Hair Pins

Same same as barrettes, but different. Much like barrettes, they come decked out with shells, pearls, and the like, embellishing your hair in the most cool-girl way possible. Unlike barrettes, they can actually help secure your hair into a specific style, rather than falling out repeatedly like barrettes are wont to do. We’re always here for form and function.

Headscarves

Personally, this is the number one trend I’ll be sporting this summer. There is something incredibly glamorous about casually wrapping a headscarf around your hair and tying it with a quick knot in the back. Think Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid on a boat in Cannes. Sadly, the boat is not included with purchase but the instantly elegant look is.

Hairbands

For all intents and purposes, consider a headband a more structured, rigid adornment that sits delicately upon the top of your head, while a hairband is a more flexible, cloth-like piece of material that wraps entirely around your head but serves a similar function. A small difference, to be sure, but an important one as they give two very different looks. A headband could be considered more elegant and sophisticated, perfect for date night, while a hairband has a messy, cool appeal that makes it ideal for a beach day.

Jaw Clip

Prior to this summer, I hadn’t seen a jaw clip since my mom used hers on a daily basis to pull back wayward hairs while gardening in the backyard. That being said, moms always know best, and this was no exception. Jaw clips truly are the ideal way to pull back loose hair without committing to an entire ponytail. Whether you use one large clip for a hair twist or a few smaller clips lined down the back of your hair, the effect is undeniably charming.

Now that you have the perfect hair accessories, here's what to wear them with.