Some hair trends require a fresh cut, an elaborate tutorial or 45 minutes with a styling tool. The zigzag headband requires approximately five seconds and a willingness to revisit your late-’90s bathroom drawer.
The stretchy, comb-like headband that once kept flyaways firmly off the face has officially worked its way back into fashion. After years of being filed alongside butterfly clips and other nostalgic hair accessories, the zigzag headband is appearing on runways, celebrities and street-style stars in 2026.
© Best Image/The Grosby GroupAnd this comeback has some serious fashion weight behind it.
Hailey Bieber has repeatedly worn the throwback accessory this summer, while Bella Hadid was already making a case for its return years earlier. Most significantly, Miu Miu incorporated zigzag headbands into its Fall/Winter 2026 fashion universe, taking an accessory once associated with drugstore beauty aisles and giving it a luxury makeover.
© Backgrid/The Grosby GroupThe result is one of 2026's easiest hair trends.
Why zigzag headbands are back for 2026
The zigzag headband, sometimes called a shark-tooth, stretch-comb or accordion headband, is instantly recognizable. Rather than sitting flat against the hair like a padded headband, its teeth separate sections of hair as it is pushed backward, creating those distinctive narrow lines around the hairline.
It was particularly popular during the late 1990s and early 2000s, when slicked-back hair, tiny sunglasses and minimalist accessories dominated celebrity style.
© Best Image/The Grosby GroupNow that fashion is enthusiastically revisiting those decades, the headband suddenly makes sense again.
Bella Hadid was ahead of the curve. In 2018, she stepped out wearing a simple plastic stretch-comb headband with a pinstripe outfit, for the Prabal Gurung New York Ready to Wear Autumn/Winter 2018.
© Camera Press/The Grosby GroupFast-forward to 2026 and the trend has moved well beyond an occasional nostalgic celebrity moment.
Hailey Bieber makes the zigzag headband her summer staple
Hailey Bieber has become one of the most visible supporters of the zigzag headband comeback.
This summer, Bieber has worn the accessory repeatedly rather than treating it as a one-off styling experiment. Allure noted that she included the headband in three separate looks in a single Instagram photo collection, wearing it with her hair down as well as pulled into a bun.
© x17/The Grosby GroupShe has also demonstrated just how adaptable the accessory can be.
On an August outing, Bieber paired a black zigzag headband with narrow sunglasses, wired headphones, black trousers and a bright yellow vintage Dolce & Gabbana lingerie-style top. The combination made the headband feel less like an uncomplicated finishing touch.
Miu Miu takes the ’90s headband to the runway
There is another reason the zigzag headband comeback feels bigger this time: Miu Miu.
The fashion house featured the accessory as part of its Fall/Winter 2026 collection and subsequently placed Bieber in a campaign wearing the style. Rather than relying solely on the familiar inexpensive plastic design, Miu Miu elevated the concept with luxury materials.
The contrast is also part of the appeal. An accessory remembered as inexpensive and extremely practical has become runway material.
© Best Image/The Grosby GroupA zigzag headband pushes hair away from the face without requiring a tight ponytail or slicked-back bun. The teeth create instant definition at the hairline while allowing the lengths to remain loose. It can also disguise greasy roots, control shorter layers and make relatively unstyled hair appear intentional.
There is no complicated technique involved. Slide the headband onto the head, position the teeth close to the hairline and push it backward until the desired amount of separation appears. Done.
