The Bandana : A Print with a Past and a Place in the Present

The Bandana: A Print with a Past and a Place in the Present.

Some prints never really leave you. They do not follow trends or wait for permission to return - they simply stay, gathering stories as they go. For me bandana print is one of those.

I first fell in love with bandana print at sixteen as an art student, I would spend hours in Manchester's Affleck's Palace hunting through vintage bandanas - soft with age, faded just enough to tell you they had lived a life before me. I wore them tied in my hair, wrapped around my head, dancing deep in to the night as the acid house scene was emerging around us. Manchester was electric then, the music, the movement and the people - bandana print is inseparable from those memories. It carries faces, friendships and freedom.

That emotional connection has never left me and years later it still finds its way in to my collections.

A Print That Belongs to Everyone.

Bandana print has always travelled, rooted in bohemian paisley it has been worn across cultures, continents and generations - by workers and artists, rebels and romantics, cowboys and rock stars, protestors and dancers. It is practical, expressive and deeply human.

That is what makes it timeless and ageless. Bandana is not owned by youth or by a moment. It adapts. It softens. It becomes more beautiful with wear - much like the women I design for.

When I design, I am drawn to its familiarity. The way it feels lived in rather than pristine. It never shouts. It doesn't try too hard. It has confidence without arrogance - that is something I believe style should always have.

Why it Still Matters Now.

I am now a 50 plus woman and no longer frequenting Manchester's dance floors but I still want to wear the print whilst remembering those times fondly in an age appropriate way. There is a hesitation - Too boho? Too casual? Too young?

But done well, bandana is none of those things.

In this collection, I have deliberately expanded my colour palette from the classic navy and red, instead I have worked with a wide range of strong but muted tones, colours that feel grown up, modern and wearable. The scale of the print is easy, designed to flatter and not overwhelm. It does not wear you - you wear it!

The placement of the print varies from piece to piece, which means each garment feels individual, personal and almost one of a kind. 

The Collection.

The heart of the collection started with three pieces, all made from super soft, premium quality pure cotton loopback sweatshirt fabric and of course it is made in Italy. The fabric choice was a Laundry B no brainer - bandana should feel as good as it looks. Soft, breathable, gently structured and comfortable enough to live in.

I wanted the first two pieces to be classics. The obvious choice was of course a classic barrel pant, a shape loved by all our ladies. Secondly, my mind went immediately to the chill sweatshirt. Bandana print and the chill are a match made in heaven. Thirdly, we have done a kimono buttonless relaxed jacket that feels like a cardigan if you just want to dip your toe in to this print. All three can be worn together or separate letting them each be the star of the show.

These are pieces designed for real life, to be thrown on and worn effortlessly. To feel confident without feeling styled there is a quiet rock 'n' roll edge to them - not too loud, not too costume - just enough attitude to remind you that personal style does not disappear with age, if anything it becomes more assured.

A Print for the Woman You are Now.

This bandana collection is not just about nostalgia - it is about continuity, who you were, who you are and the threads that run between them. 

Bandana print has always stood for freedom, individuality and self expression. It still does and I believe it belongs just as much to a woman in her forties, fifties, sixties and way beyond as it ever did to be a sixteen year old dancing until dawn.

Style is not about age. It never was. It is about confidence, ease and wearing pieces that feel like you.

For me bandana will always feel like coming home.

Jo x