Fashion and beauty are all about nostalgia, particularly when the world outside feels so fraught and unpredictable. But for Marc Jacobs and his F/W '26 show, looking to the past for inspiration was less about hopeless sentimentality and more about recognizing where we were and honoring how far we've come. The designer labeled the collection "Memory. Loss." and noted that it is "free from nostalgia" in the show notes, adding that "Recovering the past also reminds us that loss is inevitable and that hope is work." The clothes themselves were reminiscent of his prior work for Perry Ellis, with plenty of '90s and early '00s references, but what caught my eye were the Y2K-meets-80s-style XXL scrunchies holding low ponytails in place. I was born in 1989—I'm biologically pre-determined to spot a scrunchie.
With hues of Barbie pink, baby blue, sea foam green, lilac, ruby red, daffodil yellow and midnight black (in both tufted, pleated gossamer and silky variations) the joyful color palette mirrored the collection's equally vibrant bags and shoes. And the hair accessorizing didn't stop there—trays of acrylic-beaded hair ties, and plastic star and heart charms laid on trays backstage, waiting to be placed by hair lead Holli Smith and team.
In comparison to the hair accessories that have dominated both street style and FYP pages around the world, 2025 was all about an elegant, understated vibe. Think French hair pins, French combs, and floating hair jewels for the faintest hint of shimmer, nothing too loud or in your face. The excess and exuberance of the '80s has been in short supply, as least when it comes to styling your hair. That might be coming to an end in 2026.
Although Jacobs is prompting us to reflect on the past rather than blindly look to prior eras for inspiration, I do enjoy one part of this tentative scrunchie revival that might not be as apparent when it's walking down the runway on someone as painfully cool as Alex Consani: the ease. Yes, last year's sleek and chic accessories were fairly easy to use (after watching a TikTok tutorial or two perhaps), but I've yet to encounter a person who doesn't know how to tie up her or his long hair into a bun or ponytail, messy or otherwise. It's as embedded in modern relaxation culture as taking off your bra at the end of a long work day; the moment you finally get to breathe deep and chill out. Except now, it's just as stylish to wear the style outside with your fiercest tall boots and midi skirt.
Perhaps this is just another reminder that low-effort hair doesn't have to equate to low on style. Tying your artfully ruffled locks into a devil-may-care ponytail in the morning is more than acceptable in these trying times. Even better when you have a pastel, oversized scrunchie to secure it in place. If we can expect more hair accessories that make fast and easy styling look just as purposeful and chic as spending an hour on a bouncy blowout, I'm 100 percent here for it—and I'm not the only one.
Marie Claire Senior Fashion News Editor Halie LeSavage is also a fan of the scrunchie revival. "I never stopped being a scrunchie girl," she tells me the morning after attending the Marc Jacobs show in New York. "I pick up new ones from Pico on my twice-annual trips to Copenhagen Fashion Week, and I'm almost always tying one on top of a low bun for work. The Marc Jacobs runway inspired me to wear a pleated plissé scrunchie like his models: in a loose, low ponytail over a neutral sweater."
It's decided then—spring's first major hair trend is all about the statement scrunchie and decidedly low-effort hair. Keep scrolling for a few fashionable scrunchie options to add to your collection before the snow thaws.
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