Style File: Ranbir Kapoor’s bandana brawn

A bandana — sometimes worn as a headband and other times as a wrist tie or a neckerchief — is one item of clothing, which has always managed to steal the thunder in the multi-syllabic menswear space. It’s cool, youthful, confident and also a tad gangster. From the likes of pretty boys like Zac Efron and Harry Styles to style chameleons like Johnny Depp and David Beckham — this head accessory’s biker rawness and cinematic mafioso allure remains unparalleled. A bandana is rather polyvalent — partly rakish, mildly charming and at times, uninhibitedly nonchalant. This nifty headpiece has the transformative power to alter the wearer’s personality. 

In Bollywood, Ranbir Kapoor has been the biggest torchbearer of the bandana. He’s been seen sporting them during his football practices, dance training, and even during his family’s Ganpati visarjan. The actor has sported one in every colour, print and motif and it brings out his brooding hipster side. It also injects a fun touch to his personal style, which has been simple yet striking. He never looks too put-together and every RK look is relaxed and laidback just like his personality. Hence, his picks of the cool headgear is worth a study. At one of the recent football sessions, he paired his blue tee with a matching bandana, which had a floral print. On another occasion, he clashed his white v-neck jumper with a blue headscarf, which had paisley prints. Not so long ago, he rocked one in a candy orange tone, which had an abstract print that beautifully offset his head-to-toe navy blue tracksuit. 

STREET STYLE COOLNESS 

During the Ganpati festivities last year, he had colour-blocked his blue kurta with a red bandhani print bandana and completed his look with a pair of Dior sunglasses. Designer Aniket Satam opines that the bandana tied across the head radiates a street-style vibe and contributes to a rugged cool look, often seen on sports players on the field. “The whole bandana trend came into the forefront when musicians and band artistes across the globe made it into their must-have on-stage and off-stage accessory resonating with the street-style coolness. It’s nice to see mainstream Bollywood actors like Ranbir carrying it off by experimenting it with different knot styles, folds, prints and patterns. What was considered very ghetto has emerged as a modern-day fashion accessory,” designer Aniket Satam.  

BOYISHLY BRILLIANT 

Bandanas are the easiest street-style trends to pull off and they are boyishly brilliant and pocket-friendly. Designer Aakriti of label Flirtatious says, “It adds an instant boost to the simplest of silhouettes and is an excellent way to inject colour into your wardrobe. In these pictures, Ranbir is sporting a bandana for utility purpose so it can probably hold his hair back and makes it easier to play the sport but nonetheless, it adds a dash of hipster street style to his athletic look!  A great cherry red, cobalt blue or monochrome patterned bandana will do the trick, and ensure that your knots are neat.” 

Designer Eshaani Jayaswal seconds that, “Ranbir’s bandana style is as versatile as the characters he plays. He pulls off the bandana look with utmost ease and style! I would say his style is athleisure. His style statement is a perfect mix of comfort and fashion.”