All about durag : where does it come from and how to wear it ?

All about durag : where does it come from and how to wear it ?

The durag (or do-rag) is more than a fashion accessory, it tells a story: that of African-Americans from the 19th century to today. If its practicality has made it an essential fashion accessory to keep the hair in place, or to make determined haircuts, it has become more than an aesthetic object: it is a militant accessory.

From the early 1990s onwards, a lot of American rappers propelled him to the forefront of the scene, and that’s probably why he’s so familiar to you. Yet his story goes back to the depths of the most sordid hours in American history: slavery. Controversial, this fashion accessory was banned from American schools and decried for its “gang” image. Yet it remains a symbol of African-American culture.

Durag, a story at the heart of african-american culture

Like many fashion accessories, durag tells a story: the intimate and distant story of African-American culture. Its advent during the slave trade led it to become an inescapable symbol of black American pop culture. More recently, it has made its mark on the world’s most popular fashion shows.

The durag is a symbol of african-american culture

Before being an essential part of hip-hop culture, durag has been symbolized for a long time, beginning with the advent of slavery in the states of the American Southeast.

Durag was born at the heart of the history of the slave trade

The advent of durag dates back to the 19th century : it was born during this dark period in American history, when part of the southern states practiced slavery. At that time, working in the cotton fields was hard, long, and required great mobility. While some may have imagined that durag was primarily intended to serve the overwhelming daily lives of African-American workers and slaves, it had a completely different purpose.

In fact, he has long been an object of oppression. In order to hide the beauty of black women, humiliate their femininity and assuage their servitude, slavers came up with the idea of a new kind of accessory: the durag. Fashion historian and journalist emeritus for the famous British Vogue, Funmi Fetto describes it as “a means of suppressing the beauty of black women and highlighting their inferior status as workers” during the great slave-laboring schemes of the American Southeast.

The Harlem Renaissance and the Great Depression

From the Harlem Renaissance, around the 1920s, the first image that comes to mind is that major cultural revolution that would bring about the emergence of Black American literature. This promising era saw the beginnings of African-American pop culture, and the emergence of a black intellectual elite that thought of its culture as a correlated entity, but independent of American culture. This is the genesis of Harlem, the world capital of black culture. In this time of great transformation, when African-American minorities are imposing their narrative on American history, the durag is experiencing a new lease of life, far removed from this tool of subordination and humiliation.

Durag is becoming a fashion accessory, perfectly reappropriated by black American women. It proves useful for maintaining hair. Even more, it becomes a symbol, an accessory that tells a story: the emancipation of African-American minorities. There is no longer any question of letting this piece of fabric remain forever the dubious banner of a dark past. The black American intellectual elite, and the militant youth of the time, intend to charge it with another story, another history : their own. That of a people who appropriated their culture and symbolized the attributes, never dusty, of their oppression.

At the time of the greatest American economic crisis, theGreat Depression, which shattered the 1930s, African-Americans emerged as full-fledged American citizens. They are the first victims of this financial and economic wreck: the first to be affected by what will be mass unemployment, hitherto unknown in the United States.

The ensuing New Deal, spearheaded by Republican Herbert Hoover, will bring a new history to black Americans: that of their emancipation and the resounding emergence of their political rights. Shortly before Martin Luther King, the 1950s were a time of great struggles. The African-American lawyer Thurgood Marshall obtained the unconstitutionality by the Supreme Court of the United States of school segregation in 1954. It is the dawn of the great marches for the right of black citizens to vote. It is a time of upheaval, the beginning of the political history of black citizens in the United States.

Everywhere, in every state in the United States, black citizens are reaffirming their rights to equality with their white fellow citizens, they are aspiring to a new world: the end of structural, social, and societal racism. Society evolves, political rights increase, and a great American pop culture is born. Treasures were born as early as 1960, in the jazz bars of Harlem and elsewhere, andblack American literature competed with the best European authors.

The black youth of the United States appropriates its codes, its universe, its way of inventing a free history. The american dream of black minorities is on the march and the durag is imposing itself. It is more than ever an object of effigy, the image of a youth on the verge of revolution. This accessory is one of the symbols of this virtuous era, substantially major for American history. It is the symbol of a revival, the black minorities count and intend to say so. The African-American youth wear this unique scarf and make it a symbol of their difference. More than ever, they are making it the vehicle of a nascent identity.

Durag, the subject of controversy

The advent of this symbol is not without a few deviations. As early as the 1990s, the gangs of the American Northeast appropriated the durag in a different way to make it a sign of belonging, and its bad reputation took precedence over its emancipatory history.

Themost conservative American authorities then decided to wage a war on this accessory. Under the pretext of standardizing dress codes in school spaces, several schools and a few states decided to ban it in schools. The same thing happened in many public spaces.

Moreover, even in the 2000s, the world of sport decided to pursue the same policy of banning durag. In 2001, the American National Football League banned it in its stadiums, for both fans and players. In 2005, the National Basketball Association, the NBA, banned it as well.

For many observers, since the majority of people wearing durag are African-American players or black fans, these bans remain suspect, and the motives behind the decisions are questionable as to their intention todemonise African-American pop culture. The 2000s is a period of new, latent racism, and these bans are unwelcome to many Durag fans. Emma Dabiri, author of Don’t touch my hair, says Durag has been demonized “like many forms of black cultural expression.

The image that has become closely associated with gang wars cannot, however, limit the durag to a symbolisation of crime. It is carried everywhere by black and white American citizens of all backgrounds and ages. It is deeply rooted in American pop culture, and as an American symbol of its state, it is exported with American cultural hegemony around the world.

A must-have accessory for the hip-hop world

The history of durag is closely linked to that of rap. The nineties saw the emergence of a new culture, that of hip-hop. It’s a new page for durag. Its integration in the history of American fashion has been an established fact for a few decades and its symbolization is over. It is fully an object of claim, a militant object, intrinsically linked to African-American culture and black pop culture.

Memphis Bleek, Jay-Z, Nelly, Ja Rule, 50 Cent and even Eminem are displayed witha durag. They impose a new style, a new march for American fashion, which will quickly become globalized. Wide-leg jeans, commonly known as baggys, reinvent another story of another American symbol: jeans. T-shirts are increasingly wide and caps are legion. Alongside them, the durag is being given a new lease of life, it is the object of anew claim.

Worn by as many women as men, it comes in a variety of colours and styles and will remain a universal accessory. Even today, many American rappers, such as A$AP Ferg or Ski Mask, still adopt it. Its use makes it a timeless and strong fashion accessory with a unique history, it is an accessory in its own right for several generations.

From the street to Vogue UK

Having become a fierce symbol of black culture and a timeless fashion accessory that totally frees itself from the colour of the skin, durag is now displayed everywhere. More than that, the big names in couture are making it their own.

In 2020, the famous singer and Afro-American designer Rihanna, now at the head of Fenty, her label associated with the mastodon LVMH, gave a whole new dimension to the Durag. By appearing on the front page of the very prestigiousBritish Vogue with a black durag, the most symbolic, she has imposed this street-powered accessory on the fashion and luxury industry. The cover of the illustrious English fashion magazine is more than ever evocative of the emancipatory power of the durag: “Rebel! Rihanna shakes up the rules”.

Thanks to the massive distribution of Vogue UK, and the marketing of several durag within her collections, the iconic singer of the 2010’s, who has built up a certain authority in the fashion world, gives a whole new dimension to this scarf. Still political, this reaffirmation of durag takes another step forward, and dictates a new narrative to the very muffled luxury industry. Symbolically, black culture intends to import its codes into an industry where young people project a large part of their identity image. Fashion influences the contemporary world, and durag with it.

At the dawn of the Black Lives Matter movement, which transcends the United States and rewrites a new page in the anti-racist struggle around the world, the Durag will, as it has always done, animate the history of the emancipation of African-American minorities. At the very heart of the world’s most popular parades, the Durag is the proud banner of a black culture in perpetual revolution.

A black culture that no longer wants to be marginalized because it exists in its own right in all ranks of society. The prism of haute couture will bring a brand new renaissance to this mixed, unconditional and timeless scarf.

Today, stars are in favour of durag and there is no shortage of examples. In 2018, at the Met Gala, a major event for both the music and fashion industries, actress/composer/performer Janelle Monae wore one. Two years later, at the Grammy Awards, California-born rapper Guapdad 4000 wore a three-metre-long durag designed by Faded NYC.

In spite of this, some polemics broke out, notably when the very prestigious French haute-couture house Chanel was accused of cultural appropriation, after having presented a durag at one of its fashion shows. Another trend: black queer culture is beginning to appropriate the durag, for aesthetic or militant reasons.

Where does the name durag come from, and who invented it ?

Although the name of its inventor is unknown, his name has long been the subject of debate. Precisely, it is the spelling of his name that has remained an enigma. Some write it”do-rag”, others prefer”doo-rag”, again”du-rag”. The final spelling of this accessory has never really been decided. It remains that the origin of its name is also unknown. In France, we tend to write it”durag”, without necessarily insulting the semantics used in the United States: there too, several variants of the word exist.

As for its inventor, the mystery remains: the New York Times conducted an unsuccessful investigation. The prestigious American newspaper only mentions a certain Darren Dowdy, the head of a company producing hairdressing products. In 1979, Dowdy marketed a hairdressing kit containing a durag. As the durag is more than 200 years old, he is certainly not the instigator of this famous fashion accessory.

What use for durag ?

Symbolic object of a black culture in full transformation, the durag is also a practical tool which proves to have a real utility beyond the simple aesthetic aspect.

Durag keeps your hairstyle intact

Does your hair tend to go all over the place? By forcing them to touch or hold where you want them to stand, durag has the added benefit of preventing your hairstyle from getting frizzy little hairs.

You just got out of the hairdresser’s and you have a wedding planned for this weekend? Wear a durag for the time between the event and your hair will remain intact.

Durag improves the textures of your hair

Rough hair? Dry? Durag can solve many of your hair problems, even if your hair is not frizzy. It offers a simple method to restore greater flexibility and agility to your hair.

To do this, apply oils, creams, or other moisturizing products to your hair and apply a durag to your head overnight. Your hair will look smoother and silkier. The main virtue of durag is to prevent moisture from evaporating. What’s more, there is no longer any risk of staining your pillow.

Durag holds your braids

Getting beautiful braids and already a long fight, which takes time. After a few days, stray hair may appear. To avoid such a catastrophe, durag allows you to maintain your braids and prevents hair from spreading.

Durag smoothes your rough hair

Just like when it comes to moisturizing, durag has many benefits whenyou have rough hair. If tying the hair up helps to smooth the hair and keep it looking smooth for a longer or shorter period of time, wearing durag will avoid damaging your hair.

Indeed, tying them too often breaks your hair, while durag will only flatten it enough to straighten it without ever being damaged.

Durag accompanies you during your sports training

If you are fond of sport, and if you have long hair, durag presents some solutions. Durag keeps your hair in place in an opaque way, it prevents perspiration from your hair from dripping onto your face.

More than that, it allows you to attach them without damaging your hairstyle, which is particularly practical to ensure your sports performances in complete serenity (hair). Athletes such as Allen Iverson, Colin Kaepernick, Arnaud Clément or Marco Pantani regularly wear it at training sessions or in stadiums.

Durag promotes waves

It is one of the most popular hairstyles among African-American men : waves, also called 360 waves. These remain the best friends of the durag. While you don’t have to be a fan of this hairstyle to wear a durag, you have to be a fan of the waves to get the same waves as the famous rapper Nelly. Explanation.

What are waves ?

Waves are a hairstyle popularized by African-American men in the early 2010’s. The goal is to make your hair look like it forms a wave. Very popular in the United States, these 360 waves have been landing in France for a few years now.

If this hairstyle is not easy to achieve, its originality is guaranteed: innovative and elegant, it promises you success.

How to get nice waves ?

The process is not simple, and even if some Afro hair salons are starting to offer them, it is still preferable to do them yourself. Indeed, by taking the fold from the beginning, you will have more chances to succeed in the (difficult) maintenance of this haircut. Here are a few steps.

Prepare your hair

While all hair types can be styled in this way, the more naturally curly your hair will be, the easier it will be for you to achieve the desired result. Length is of little importance. In any case, if your hair curls: it is already long enough for 360 waves.

The most important thing is that your hair is healthy and in good condition. Remember to eliminate your dandruff before proceeding and especially to use a repairing shampoo if you suffer from scalp problems.

Several haircuts allow to obtain beautiful waves:

• The “César” cup : the most traditional, it’s a sure thing!
• Cut your hair with a razor to create a horizontal line towards the fringe.
• The simplest? Cut your hair with a hair clipper (0.8cm shoe)

Equip yourself well

Your hair will need daily maintenance! That’s why you must make sure you have the necessary equipment:

• A lineless brush, preferably designed for long hair. It promotes better control of the hair during the styling process.
• Good hair lotion. Moisturizing your hair will prevent stray hair from appearing.
• Shampoo and conditioner for curly hair: they will make your hair silkier and softer. The more you use a suitable product, the easier it will be for you to maintain your waves for a long time.
• Ointment. You don’t think about it at first glance, but the ointment will help you fix your waves.
• And of course, a durag! Essential accessory, it will allow you to flatten your waves during the night, while protecting them.

What’s more important? Time. Shaping your hair takes time, durag and effort. There’s only one way to care for your hair: every day, lengthen your hair’s natural curls so that they form a wave. When curled, your hair must curl. Note that there are special shampoos for men who want to obtain waves.

How to maintain your waves ?

A few simple tips to maintain your waves:

• Be consistent. Maintain your waves every day, all week long. There’s a simple way to do this: when you get out of the shower, do it after you’ve moisturized and washed your hair.
• Don’t forget to apply the hair lotion and ointment.
• Don’t forget to also brush the hair in front and towards the forehead, and on the sides.
• Imagine a circle at the top of your head: brush your hair following this circle outwards.
• Brush your hair evenly: some people who use this hairstyle complain that they get waves in front but not at the back of their head, which is often because they don’t brush their hair evenly.
• The brushing game keeps your hair in place: brush all eight times, strand by strand, at least four times a day.

Another little tip: put a damp towel on your head. Moisture and heat make it easier for your hair to curl.

How can durag help you get nice waves ?

The durag is the essential accessory to obtain beautiful 360 waves. Several uses are to be recommended:

• If your hair is not naturally curly, wearing a durag for 14 to 15 hours a day will allow it to curl naturally. Indeed, the humidity created by the durag will promote the curl of your hair and allow a better hold of your waves.
• To keep your 360 waves impeccable, wear a durag while you sleep. In addition to avoiding wandering hair, it will allow a better maintenance of your hairstyle.
• Wear a durag for 45 minutes after brushing your hair. This will help it stay in place.

Men and durag

For a long time considered a feminine accessory, durag has imposed itself thanks to the hip-hop culture as a mixed fashion accessory, especially appreciated by men nowadays. Their use differs from what women used to do with them initially. Indeed, it was first an accessory to hold the hair of workers and slaves during forced labour.

Durag affirms cultural pride

Like many rappers, men inspired by hip-hop culture are its first followers. If it is very present in the panoply of African-American rappers today, it is first of all due to a willingness on their part to pay homage to their ancestors.

As a cultural indicator, the durag worn by men is above all a story of symbolism. More than symbolizing the great movements for the acquisition of political rights by African-Americans, it claims a culture in its own right. African-American culture has found tremendous leverage within hip-hop culture. Black artists claim their skin colour as a source of pride. Like the Black Panters in the 1970s, who also appropriated the durag as a political and militant emblem.

The legacy of the slave trade period has given way to a culture with renewed codes, new music and anever-changing style of dress. Hip-hop knows how to reinvent itself and is no longer the hip-hop of the 1990s. Above all, many artists have emerged, in the United States and in France. They have reappropriated the original codes of this musical genre, while keeping the durag as an essential accessory of hip-hop fashion.

The negative oppositions linked to the “gang” image of the durag have not marred its popularity. Although many initiatives have been taken by the American authorities to ban durag in schools and even in sport, it is nowa banner of African-American men’s fashion.

The durag is a real fashion accessory

Nowadays, durag is mainly worn for reasons of style. The practicality of this fashion accessory is no longer the primary reason why it has remained so popular for so long.

Worn by the great rap stars such as JayZ, 50 cents, Snoop Dogg or Kendrick Lamar, it is a timeless and indispensable clothing accessory. It can be worn with or without a cap. Moreover, it has made its appearance on sports fields: many American athletes wear it, and not only for practical reasons. It has become an elegant and useful fashion accessory.

Many major luxury brands have marketed it, and many small designers have made a juicy business out of it. Its universalism, elegance and practicality make it an indispensable accessory for the luxury and fashion industry.

The outmoded image of the durag “gansta” is thus over. From now on, it is unconditionally a universal accessory with an enhanced sense of style. All types of men wear it, regardless of their origins or skin colour, and just take a look at Instagram to see how popular this accessory is. It comes in an impressive variety of colours and materials.

The durag is a very practical accessory

The durag is first and foremost a practical accessory. To protect your hairstyle, to maintain your waves, to avoid perspiration in the eyes, it is of all uses. Since the 1980s, on basketball courts in the USA, it has been worn by top athletes to protect themselves from perspiration. It can also be found among the adepts of the street musculation in the popular districts of the American East. Wearing a durag while exercising can be very practical: the shape of the hair stays in place and the fabric absorbs drops of sweat.

Thanks to this accessory that crosses generations as well as continents, frizz in the hair due to humidity is avoided. And when doing dusty or dirty work, it becomes an essential ally in protecting your hair from the surrounding dirt.

Another unsuspected practical aspect: during the summer, and especially in hot weather, the durag protects against UV rays. Perfect for men with a shaved head.

As for the afro cuts, if those that are too voluminous won’t fit under a durag, it protects wonderfully the shorter cuts for men, like the waves, the mini locks, the dream cut, the frohawk, or the braids.

Of course, if you suffer from baldness, durag is the most aesthetic accessory to hide it. In addition to taking on the full shape of your skull, it will rejuvenate you and add extra style to your outfit.

What durag is made for you ?

Gradually, the traditional black durag has been supplemented by a multitude of new models. While black remains the most commonly worn colour, a wide variety of new colours are now available on the market. More than that, some new fabrics have been added to the range of durags, which is classically made of silk and polyester.

The most traditional black and silk durag

Traditionally, black is the colour of choice for durag. In the origin of durag, sobriety was sought after. Given the circumstances in which this accessory, which has become a must, was introduced, it was out of the question that it should be too conspicuous. From the Renaissance of Harlem on, Durag enthusiasts continued to wear it in black, as a tribute to their ancestors.

Although today it exists in all colours, black remains timeless. It’s up to you! Would you prefer to approach it in its most classic form or be more original? It all depends on your style and your personality, but black durag is a sure bet for men and women who like darker tones.

The solid-coloured durag, a touch of colour in all sobriety

White, blue, green, red, there are many colours available on the market. If the patterns seem too much, and you prefer to approach your durag in a plain colour, you still have a choice of colours!

Some distributors no longer hesitate to offer very original colours such as powder pink or certain shades of “watermelon” orange.

Wearing a solid colored durag has some advantages:

• Less classic than black, but still sober.
• Can be worn with almost anything.
• Allows you to tune your clothes easily.

Velvet durag, a touch of luxury

Velvet is a noble, warm and luxurious material. Wearing a velvet durag means choosing a more sophisticated style. Eminem is one of the first followers. Above all, velvet is an exceptionally comfortable material. While remaining light, it is warmer than silk, and a velvet durag will always be more suitable in winter or autumn than a silk durag.

If you choosea velvet durag, choose warm colours: orange, brown or red. You can also dare to choose midnight blue, which is probably the colour with which the velvet durag is best worn and which allows it to be associated with class and elegance to a chic or very elaborate outfit.

Either way, your velvet durag will be the ideal accessory to accompany your hairstyle. It offers many possibilities and is the perfect accessory to impose its originality in the eyes of the world.

He’s probably the most “imperial” of them all. Embroidered with a tiger or plain, the velvet durag is probably one of the most fashionable today.

Fluorescent durag, dare !

If you have decided to perfect a very sophisticated and trendy style, opt for the fluorescent durag. Few brands offer it, yet it is one of the most popular among young fashion designers around the world. It’s eye-catching and original, it looks great in the summer and adds an extra touch to your outfit for a truly assertive style of clothing.

Favour it with a sober outfit so as not to overdo it, like a black dress for women, or dare to be totally eccentric by associating it with a wide variety of colours. Either way, it will be the ideal accessory for your big summer evenings.

It comes in many colours: gold, multicoloured, purple, sky blue, orange, honey or pink.

The most unexpected of all camouflage-patterned durag

It’s a pattern you wouldn’t expect on a durag: camouflage. These forms borrowed from military codes come in several colours. This type of durag has the advantage of being perfectly unexpected. Indeed, if you want to stand out from the ordinary, it is the essential clothing accessory in your wardrobe.

Before becoming fashionable again in the late 2015’s, it had been very much in the public eye ten years earlier: it can be seen in a few series featuring African-American characters. To marry him well, don’t fall into the total camouflage look. On the contrary, be creative ! For example, a durag with a camouflage pattern goes very well with an all-black outfit.

Also, choose the most original camouflage patterned durag, not necessarily green and brown. Some camouflage-patterned durags have beautiful colours, such as blue, orange or pink.

The durag with a floral pattern, resolutely spring-like

If you want a fresher look, opt for the durag with a floral pattern! It will be your ideal accessory for spring. Although this pattern has a traditionally more feminine connotation in the West, some men can wear it very well. Several very famous male personalities have tried on the durag with a floral pattern like 50 cents.

The most important thing is to follow certain advice:

• Do not wear a durag with a floral pattern with an outfit that also has a floral pattern.
• Don’t wear it either if you dare a very colourful or even totally flashy style.
• However, try to marry it with colours other than black. For example, a durag with a blue floral pattern will go perfectly with an outfit in pink/purple shades.

Anyway, it is a pattern that brings a great freshness and cheerfulness to your outfit.

Durag, a two-colour pattern for more originality

It’s a classic. The two-tone durag is probably one of the best known durags. White and black, or red and blue, it will accompany all your stylistic choices. It can also represent your favourite sports club in case of competition. Are you for the PSG? The red and blue durag is your ally to celebrate the next victories of the Parisian club.

A little something extra? Don’t necessarily wear it in combination with two colours chosen for your outfit, but play with it: match it with everything. Anything!

Lace durag, a touch of glamour and feminity

Although the durag is historically a feminine garment, it has long been the prerogative of a rather masculine culture. Today, while it has become powerfully unisex again, some women may prefer durags in softer, more delicate materials. As such, lace durag is a perfect example.

Soft, silky and refined, it will be the perfect complement to a very feminine outfit. Above all, don’t hesitate to wear it for special occasions, because this accessory is very modern and elegant and is particularly formal. Solange Knowles, a singer on her way to becoming a superstar and Beyoncé’s little sister, is crazy about it.

The trick to more femininity? Combine it with a light or very silky colour, such as beige or light pink.

How do you wear your durag properly ?

Wearing a durag has many advantages, both as a fashion accessory for the whole day and as a night accessory. To maintain your hair, to make it smoother or to promote waves, wearing a durag is a precise art, which requires a certain dexterity. But by following a few tips, you should do very well. The most important? Tie it tight.

Tying the durag to keep the hair in place

To tie your durag and to make it last all day long, follow these tips.

Before tying your durag, place it so that the joint is in the middle of your head and the head is perfectly symmetrical. This is an important step: be particularly careful and make sure that both sides of your durag are well positioned so that your accessory covers your entire skull. If you have more length, your hair should stand out underneath.

Next, take one end in each of your two hands, and pull both sides of your head backwards to cross them. Be careful to keep your ears clear. When the two ends of the durag have crossed, form a cross. If you don’t want the strings of the durag to be too bulky, you can easily press them down when you pull on them.

When you have finished crossing and forming a cross with both sides of the durag, bring the strings back to the front. Then cross them at your forehead. Be careful not to tighten them too tightly to avoid disturbing your blood circulation.

Once all these steps are completed, tie a knot with the strings at the back of your head towards your forehead. If you can tie a classic knot just like the one you tie when you lace your shoes, you can be more original and choose another type of knot. Be careful not to tighten your knot too tightly and above all not to double it: you will have a lot of difficulty untying it afterwards.

From now on, your durag is in a knot. Now all you have to do is lower the cloak as much as you like. This will tighten your durag for added support. Be careful to be perfectly comfortable: a knot that is too tight can prevent you from enjoying your durag, which must be comfortable above all.

Feel free to fold the flap if you wish. To do this, tie it in the string of the knot, or if it is long enough, tie a knot and wedge it between the strings.

Tying the durag to protect your hair at night

The technique differs only slightly from the one that allows you to tie your durag for the whole day. On the other hand, you need to take a few extra precautions. Follow the guide to tie your accessory at night:

• Take the durag upside down, place it with the knuckle in the middle of your head. This prevents the stingray from leaving unwanted traces on your skin.
• Then, by grasping one end of each of your hands, cross the durag at the back of your head.
• Wrap the two parts of the durag around your head. Both sides should end at the back of it.
• Put a very elastic headband around your forehead.
• When your durag is under the headband, you can gently remove the strings until they separate.
• Tie the strings at the back of the headband. You also have the option of letting them hang.
• Finally, fold the flap inside the headbands to avoid detaching the durag.

What to wear the durag with ?

Durag can be worn with everything, whether you are a man or a woman, and it doesn’t matter your style! Let’s see together how it is possible to wear this clothing accessory full of character.

If you have a sophisticated, minimalist style

You’re more of a flawless, millimetre-style than a hip-hop guy? You can still wear a durag. For a few years now, the Angeleno brand – which means that it was founded in Los Angeles – Oji Royale has been marketing very good quality durags. For its advertising campaigns, it doesn’t hesitate to use some of the most sophisticated codes in the luxury industry. Recently, the models present during the brand’s latest campaign designed by the artistic director, designer and photographer Oseije, wore clothes with a resolutely minimalist imagery with their durags.

Powder green shirt, pleated linen outfit, corduroy pants, in the arid desert of California, Oseije featured Asian and African-American models with urban, trendy and trendy clothes. Far from any hip-hop connotation, the line of durag imagined by the Californian label came in powdery, acidulous and pastel shades.

Oseije, which has established itself among the most prominent American designers in recent years, has largely dusted off the durag and offers minimalist collections that are reminiscent of the simple, aesthetic softness of California. The singer Solange will give you inspiration. She masters durag better than any other star and her style is resolutely minimalist.

If you stay true to hip-hop

Old-fashioned hip-hop? Not at all. If there’s one trend that has become established over time and exported itself everywhere, it’s hip-hop. If the R’n’B rappers and singers of the90s have mostly disappeared from the radar, the millennial and Z generations have seen the emergence of new names. The success of the first European festival on the subject, the Suresnes Cités Danse, continues to attract audiences of all ages every year!

Durag has remained a fundamental. Nowadays baggis are not really popular anymore – and that’s understandable – and XXXXXL t-shirts are not very tasteful anymore. Nevertheless, great designers such as Virgil Abloh, a child of hip-hop and today artistic director of Louis Vuitton Men, has reinvented the fundamentals with his Off White label.

In the Louis Vuitton Spring Summer 2020 men’s fashion show, which featured many African-American models,Ablohpresented what hip-hop imagery is today. Colourful ultra-large pants, disproportionate sneakers, short jackets, and ubiquitous logos are the new codes of hip-hop, and durag is the perfect accompaniment to this 21st century hip-hop style. Flowers from all schools were the motif of this latest collection. Yes, the rapper of 2020 is abandoning his big chains for floral sweaters.

Apart from the Off White and Supreme shows, you can very well adopt the same style as Kanye West without spending billions. Here are a few tips for wearing a durag with a hip-hop style today:

• Forget the codes from the 1990s. Really, chains and exposed underwear are so out of fashion.
• Wear colours and wide, good quality clothes.
• Wear huge shoes.
• Take the flashiest durags and accompany them with a nice bandana.

If you have a more sober style

You don’t have to be a fashion victim to wear a durag. This accessory is now sufficiently democratized that you can approach it with any style. To go for a walk, to go to school, or to go out in the evening, adopt it with all your outfits.

If you are a woman, you can wear it with a simple dress or a colourful outfit. For a man, if the jogging style is avoided and will remind you of the American gansta codes of the 90’s (which are quite outdated), you can very well wear it with wide jeans and a basic white t-shirt. Accessorize with simple and elegant jewellery, such as rings.

Anyway, the durag is an accessory of freedom and stylish enough to be worn with everything. One word: dare!

Avoid with a too classic style

You wear a suit to work? Obviously don’t wear a durag, unless you work in fashion and your eccentricity is your charm. Wearing a durag with an overly classic outfit risks discrediting both of you. It’s hard to imagine an adept of the polo-shoe-boat-sweater combo on the shoulders with a durag. Even if some may try, they look ridiculous!

Similarly, if you are more of the reserved type, adopt as much as possible a durag with a sober outfit. By this we mean jeans, a white T-shirt and sneakers. Especially not with a suit or polo shirt. You can do that, but you’ll need to have strong shoulders to be able to handle the looks.

On the other hand, don’t hesitate to wear pants with your durag. Fashionable for a few years now, these pants can be worn with everything, even sweats… So why not a durag? In this case, put on a wide t-shirt and tuck it into your pants. Combine this with a loss of XXXL sneakers or simpler, like Veja sneakers.

In any case, be creative and enhance your durag with clothes you like and feel comfortable in. Don’t make up your own style, there’s no need to: anyone can wear a durag with class and elegance. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: this accessory is universal and goes with almost anything. But not with the three-piece suit, that’s for sure!

Assume your durag !

The durag is still an eccentric and very fashionable accessory, especially in France, even if it has been very democratized. Its old bad reputation, its militant history or simply the fact of wearing a headgear or headgear can be a brake to take the plunge. Forget about these shackles: durag is just a fashion accessory.

Above all, it makes it possible to sublimate a very sober, basic or minimalist outfit very simply. Anyone can wear one, regardless of age or skin colour. All the stars in the world of cinema, fashion or sport are wearing it.

Don’t think any more, the durag is the accessory of the summer. Moreover, it is easy to use (it takes 5 minutes to put it on), very practical and light. During the heat, it retains perspiration: it is much more hygienic than a cap or bandana. Above all, it makes it possible to very quickly sophisticate a summer outfit that is a little too simple.

What jewellery to wear with a durag ?

You are a fan of jewellery and the durag has seduced you? Mix them together, they form the perfect duo ! If you pay attention, you can see that durag has become a fashion accessory in its own right, and that its practicality is no longer the main reason for its success.

Since the 90s, durag has been intrinsically associated with the image of rap, and anyone knows the love of some rappers for huge and eccentric jewellery: rings, necklaces, XXL chains and platinum earrings. If you want to go durag style and wear jewelry, choose them well:

• Hip-hop style? Choose a huge gold chain and complete it with a black durag. Style guaranteed.
• More sophisticated style? Go for the rings. Wear many, many, many, many, many! The multiplicity of rings, without any other accessories, makes it possible to give life to a neat style. Inspired by rock, minimalist or hip-hop, rings are the must-have accessory for wearing your durag.
• Wear earrings. If you’re a woman, prefer large, round earrings. If you are a man, a gold ring on your ear will enhance your durag.
• Don’t match the colors of your jewelry and your durag. Tastelessness is a sure sign of bad taste! Instead, choose a mix of styles, without falling into the caricature of a shiny Christmas tree.
• What’s the design for your necklace? It depends on how you look. Make yourself happy by adopting the symbols that are dear to you: heart, skull, dragonfly, it doesn’t matter.

What price for a durag ?

Prices vary a lot. On average, they are around 9 to 20 €, for the most sophisticated or those in lace. Models for children are cheaper and cost around 10 to 12 €.

It all depends on what you are looking for, but a quality adult durag very rarely costs less than 15 euros. You can also buy them in bulk: you’ll make great savings !