How to Make Skinny Elastic Headbands for Your Hair

Have you always wanted to put your DIY know-how to the test by making some stylish, skinny elastic headbands for your hair, on your own? The beauty about elastic headbands, is that, you can always customize it to your heart's content and re-purpose any old elastic headband you have lying around into newer and more exciting hair or clothing accessories.

Designing your own skinny elastic headband is easy, and you can go about this DIY project even with the least of arts and craft supplies. Anything you have lying around at home may even be used for this DIY project.

For your first ever skinny elastic headband project, make sure to have your scissors, glue, felt, flower head, thread, needle and thimble and 1/8" skinny and colored elastic headband ready. Another optional accessory would include a tape measure and/or ruler.

Begin your project by cutting the headband to your desired length. It would be a wise idea to wrap the elastic headband around your head to find the proper fit. Alternatively, refer to the measurements below if you are making an elastic headband for someone else or as a gift to your friends:

Adults -- 18 inches and 1/4"
Children aged 1 year to 12 years -- 16-17 inches and 1/4"
Children aged 6 to 12 months -- 15-16 inches and 1/4"
Babies aged less than 6 months -- 13-14 inches and 1/4"

Make sure to tie the elastic headband together, afterwards. The knot should not be longer than 1/4". For a cleaner knot, glue both ends together, but make sure the ends do not exceed 1/4". If you have a needle and thread nearby and enjoy sewing, attach both ends by sewing, instead; this will make for a sturdier elastic headband, as well.

The designing process begins as soon as the headband has been formed. At this point, choose a design to go with from the web, copy a few other designs or make up your own. If you want your elastic headband to look elegant or 'flowery', use ready-made flower heads or flowerettes, fashion jewelry, and other accessories to spruce up your headband.

To attach these flower heads and flowerettes together, you will only need to use fabric glue or any adhesive that attaches to cloth well, or if you want to work with a needle and thread, sue the accessories to the headband directly.

With DIY elastic headbands, the designs and accessories you can come up with are unlimited, and the best part is, you can make as many combinations as you want for free. Flex your creative muscles with these DIY projects.

Solving Hair Woes with Elastic Headbands

Your elastic headbands may not look like much but they can do wonders for your hair. A simple elastic headband can hold your hair in place and be more functional than the usual scrunchie (which can cause split ends) and hair clips which can tangle around your hair. If you want to make your hair accessories stand out or add drama into your attire, a simple elastic headband may even be redesigned and blinged-out with flower heads and fashion gems.

If you have thick, curly hair, you can use a thick elastic hair tie around your head to keep your hair down. Wide headbands are perfect for use on thick, curly hair or on wavy hair.

If you have long, thin hair get a skinny elastic headband to add flair and curves to your otherwise, plain, straight hair.

If your hair is long, wavy, and gets all over your face, two or more elastic headbands can keep everything still and away from your cheeks and forehead.

From Etsy.com

If you have long or medium-length hair and want to make it look more dramatic for an important event, look like a fashionable flapper with a glittery headband. An elastic headband also makes for a good accessory to you boho-chic attire or Grecian-inspired gown.

And finally, if you want to hold your child's hair in place with something soft and elastic, elastic headband with flower heads and flower centers should do the trick.

New Ways to Tie Your Elastic Headbands

You might see little girls, aged 4 and below, wearing colorful elastic headbands around their heads to hold their hair in place, but you rarely find elastic headbands worn in a different fashion. Elastic headbands are not just hair accessories which you use to keep your hair down or clumped together. If you are creative with whatever hair accessories you have in your home, you can transform a simple elastic headband into the perfect accent for any nightgown or dress and even use it to reinvent your hairstyle and your overall look.

There are several things you can do with an elastic headband; just be imaginative and don't let the old designs keep your from experimenting with your hairstyle or with your hair accessories.

1. Top glamorous hairstyles with an elastic hairband.

Tie a top-bun, sock-bun, and any other bun with a stylish elastic headband to make the look extra fabulous. There's absolutely no hairstyle an elastic headband can't improve. You can use an elastic headband with casual wear or as an additional hair accessory for formal events, like weddings and parties.

2. Use two or more elastic headbands for one hairstyle.

You can never have too many elastic headbands on your hair. To capture the boho-chic or hippie look, use more than 2 elastic headbands to hold your long, wavy hair in place. Add a few peace-sign clips or feather accessories and you have yourself a peace-loving look.

3. Use it as a necklace and accessories with a cute pendant or with fashion jewelry beads.

Elastic headbands are not limited to being used as hair accessories. If you enjoy experimenting with your accessories, you could make a lace choker out of an elastic headband or make a flamboyant headdress out of it.

4. Adorn your hair with extra large "flowerettes"

Most elastic headbands for babies come with flowerettes or little clips that look like the petals of a beautiful flower. These flowerettes come in a variety of colors and design, so mixing and matching designs together should not be difficult.

5. Around your hair, yet concealed or partly concealed in a bun.

You don't need to show the word that you are wearing an elastic headband to keep your hair in place. If you want to wear your headband but discreetly, conceal it beneath a bun.

5 Fast and Easy Ways to Accentuate Your Hair

Accentuating your crowning glory is easy, that is, if you have 3 hours to prepare your look every morning before heading off to work or school. Fortunately, in today's fast-paced life, there are still a few, less time-consuming things you can do to look good and make the most out of any hairstyle you have in mind.

1. One of the easiest and most common way to hold your hair in place and still look fashionable is to wear an elastic headband. Elastic headbands come in different colors and widths, so if you have thin, straight hair, a 1/4 inch skinny elastic may be enough to put everything together; however, for curly or fluffy hair, thick 1-1.50 inch headbands should do the trick.

The best part about elastic headbands is that, you can accessorize them further with flower heads and flower centers. If you're hanging out with friends and want to look fun and funky, put on a skinny elastic and a single flower head and you've got yourself a 70's inspired look. If you're joining a formal event and want to look age-appropriate despite wearing a dress, decorate your elastic headband with fashion jewelry, such as these flower centers, and you have a sparkly, crown-like hair accessory.

These beautiful, flower center rhinestones can make your hairstyle more sophisticated.

2. For girls with long, thin or thick hair who want to look prim and proper, tying your hair in a clean sock bun is the quickest way to get rid of rowdy hair that just won't settle down. Sock buns are easy to do and there are plenty of tutorials for them on the web.

If you're feeling adventurous, try out all the other, newer ways to tie a sock bun. Hairstylists and aficionados for having perfectly combed hairstyles have managed to concoct plenty more ways to keep their hair in a bun.

3. Back in the 80's, kids with dip-dyed hair were often referred to as little rebels who wanted to assert their personal identities. The 1980's was a crazy decade, where awkward teenagers made headlines with their odd fashion choices, but if you tried to revive those trends today, people would refer to you as "edgy", in a fashionable way, and not rebellious.

Regardless of the year, dip-dyed hair is a quick way to accentuate your long, flowing tresses. It's a look that's sure to stop people in their tracks.

4. Since we are in the topic of "accentuating", wearing hair pins and scrunchies with colors that complement your natural hair color is another way to add a little oomph factor to your crowning glory. If you're a blond with blue eyes, sometimes, wearing hair clips that are closer to the shade of blue and its complementary colors will bring out the silky look of your hair and the color of your eyes.

Blue stands well against red hair

5. Finally, to further accentuate your hair, whether curly or straight, apply a dab of hair polish everyday to give it that lively luster. Some hair polish products also protect your hair from sun damage and dust, while locking in moisture to maintain gloss.

Award-Winning Hairstyles at the Golden Globes

The web has been blazing with Jodie Foster's somewhat cryptic speech during the Golden Globes (is she coming out or retiring?), but no one has forgotten about the award show's fashionable side. I like award shows because it is the best time to find out what's making the rounds in the fashion scene, as presented by Hollywood's biggest actors and actresses.

I was expecting to see more curls and side-swept hair this year, and my favorite actresses namely Rachel Weisz and Amy Adams made sure to don just that. Cleanly placed buns and cropped hair were everywhere, as well, as seen on Jennifer Lawrence and even the Golden Globe's own host, Tina Fey.

Rachel Weisz's flowing, side-swept brunette hair, with her hubby in tow

Amy Adams with side-swept curly bangs

A clean-cut look on Jennifer Lawrence

Of course, one-half of this year's presenters, Tina Fey, rode on the side-swept hair bandwagon

But within that crowd of buns and flowing, curly tresses, I found Ariel Winter from the Modern Family wearing a bejeweled elastic headband. This look gives her a more youthful and fun vibe which is perfect for the character she plays on screen.

Elastic headbands will never go out of style, as you can see on 14-year old Ariel's look. Whether you're out and about the city to hang out with friends or attending a star-studded gala, elastic headbands will never let you down. It'll keep your hair in place and add that oomph factor to your overall attire.

5 Amazing Things You Can Make with Elastic Headbands

Elastic headbands are often found adorning the heads of babies and ladies who want to showcase a boho-chic vibe, but there are plenty of other things you can do-- and make-- with a yard of fold-over elastic-- just ask the DIY experts!Many DIY projects today make use of elastic headbands to decorate the finished product or to hold the finished item altogether.

These popular hair accessories now double as popular DIY decorative material, so don't be surprised to see them on a dress, on shoes, and even, on bouquets of flowers used in weddings and similar occasions.


There are five (5) amazing things you can with elastic headbands and you can use them as...

Stylish Camera Strap

By RStyle.me

This camera strap cover also has a rosette attached to it. You can find these flower heads in any place that sells elastic headbands since these rosettes and flower heads are often used to embellish the look.

By Designlovefest.com

The straps above were made with cloth, but you can use fold-over elastic or elastic headbands as an alternative.

Alternatives to Washi Tape

Washi tape has gained quite a following, but the best alternatives to it, according to avid DIY hobbyists and veterans are elastic headbands, which are sturdier and more fashionable.

You can even add rosettes and flower heads on elastic headbands while washi tapes rely entirely on their prints. When it comes to making customizations, you can do more with fold-over elastic.

For Tying Gift Boxes

You don't need rolls and rolls of ribbons and lace for this; an old yard of elastic headbands will do. Aside from tying gift boxes with fold-over elastic, you can also use elastic to beautify mason jars or an empty bottle.

Although lace were used for most of the projects above, you can substitute them with fold-over elastic and elastic headbands. Instead of making lace appliques, use mesh flowers or flower centers, instead.



As Belts and Accents for your Attire

By Pinklemonade.Blog.com

You can use just about anything on your clothes and it would still look good. The mannequin above wears an elastic headband, turned belt, as well as a flower piece.

By Rufflesandstuff.com

As a Bouquet Wrap

Finally, elastic headbands are also ideal for keeping a group of flowers tightly, together.

By Stylemepretty.com

You can add a brooch to the elastic headband that keeps the bouquet in place and it would look more elegant. Feel free to mix and match colors to add a more playful appeal.

Easy to Make Party Favors and Gift Ideas

No party is complete without cute party favors, and that is the very reason why DIY experts and hobbyists from all over the web are spewing their best do-it-yourself party favor crafts for everyone to try out at home. Whether you lack the right budget for fancy party favors or if you simply want to make your party favors (and perhaps, every other detail for your party) on your own, here are a few ideas you should try out.

Recycle your old mason jars to make a plethora of trinkets and party favors. You can also use mason jars when serving pastries and cakes during your party.

Courtesy of Catch My Party

Making the first coffee cup party favor is easy. You will need a ribbon or elastic headband, glue, and printable labels. You can find coffee cup printable labels here and a whole slew of elastic headbands to tie your gift together at ElasticBytheYard.com 

Made by Wit and Whistle

Terrariums are timeless party favors and they would be ideal if you have nature-loving friends joining your party. Get the instructions for this DIY terrarium kit at here.

If you ran out of mason jars for this DIY project, try old or unused teacups instead. Making the project above only takes a few minutes. You can put any gift you like inside the teacup, like a mini-cupcake or candy. Next, get a piece of transparent cellophane and settle the tea cup inside it properly before tying the bag with a ribbon, or better yet, a stylish elastic headband.

Homemade crafts are always a sure hit in any party. Make homemade lip balm, homemade soap, homemade candles and homemade perfumes and give them away to friends.

The DIY craft above is homemade mango shimmer lip balm. You can get the instructions here.

In Between Laundry made the bath scrubs above. The final product is placed in a mason jar with a ribbon, but you can always use elastic headbands and perhaps, a small flower bow to make it look more presentable.

Although you can't see it, there are actually small vials of homemade perfumes in the pillow boxes above. Get the instructions for the homemade perfume here.

Who can forget candies and pastries? They're timeless and would be ideal for any party.

As suggested earlier, you can serve pastries, cakes and sweets (even ice cream) in a mason jar; however, if you have too many people coming over to your party and not enough party favors, use small vials instead. Pour candies into a small vial, but don't forget to decorate it with cute designs.

You can find the DIY for the pinwheel party favors here.