Whether your soccer athlete is a competitive superstar or picks flowers on the field, chances are at some point she’ll sport a soccer headband. There’s something special about this functional piece of hair flair that makes a normal athlete feel like a superstar. Maybe it’s because soccer headbands have been around since the game was invented. Or maybe it’s because celebrity athletes wear them on TV. Regardless, soccer headbands are as popular as neon cleats. With so many options, it can be hard to choose, but I’ll share with you my guide for picking the best soccer headband.
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Below is an actual picture of my daughter’s “soccer headband” drawer. Yes, an entire drawer in her bathroom dedicated solely to soccer headbands. This drawer excludes the ones stuffed in her soccer bag and in the side compartment of our car door. Needless to say, she owns a LOT of soccer headbands. But, as she will cheerfully explain to anyone, different headbands serve different purposes.
Soccer Headband Categories
In my mind there are 3 categories of soccer heads- thin, thick with ties and thick with elastic. There’s also a 4th category of soccer headband that is more popular in women’s soccer than any other headband. That’s pre-wrap. But I’ll get more into that later since it’s technically athletic tape. Turn on any soccer match and you’ll see these kinds of headbands on both men and women soccer players.
Thin and Grippy
This category of soccer headbands are thinner and have clear grippers on the underside to keep flyaway hairs from getting in your face. Nike, Under Armour, and Adidas all make these thin soccer headbands. They also make great soccer goodie bag items as you can order some cute ones on Etsy for the entire team.
Thick with Ties
While thin soccer headbands can blend into an athlete’s hair, thick headbands with ties are practical and make a fashion statement. We have bought more than a few of these at soccer tournaments. Once one teammate buys one, they all want to fit in!
Thick with No Tie
The downside to the thick soccer headband with ties is that if you untie the knot, it’s a pain to re-tie mid game. Here’s where the last category of soccer headbands comes into play. The thick headband that slides on and off your head with no tie. The other benefit to this headband is that you can fold it over and create a thin one or keep it flat for a thick look.
Pre-Wrap
If you look closely at my daughter’s hoarding collection of soccer headbands, you’ll notice the most popular item is pre-wrap. Mainly yellow with a little pink and navy blue thrown in there. I thought it was just a phase until I watched the World Cup last summer and noticed that at the highest level of women’s soccer, they all wear pre-wrap. So while you can find the grippiest, glitziest headband out there, your athlete might just choose the variety pack of athletic tape. Go figure.
Soccer headbands have been around forever because of their practical and whimsical attributes. Chances are your athlete will go through phases as to which type of headband he or she prefers. Luckily they’re inexpensive, have a long shelf life, and make great gifts. So stuff a few in her Christmas stocking, Easter basket or goodie bag, and she’s bound to find a favorite look!
Other soccer articles to increase your flair:
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