8 Fascinator Headbands You'll Never Want to Take Off

From the Merve Bayindir atelier in London: the easiest headpiece to wear, explained properly, with eight hand-made pieces from our collection.

A fascinator headband is a headpiece built on a band that runs over the crown from one ear to the other, rather than on a comb, a clip or an elastic. The band does the holding, so there is nothing to pin into the hair and nothing to balance. That is why it is the mount most people find easiest to wear, and why so much of what we make in the atelier is built on one. What most guides leave out is how to place it so it stays put, why a badly fitted band gives you a headache by lunchtime, and when a headband is enough for the dress code and when it is not.

Eight fascinator headbands from our atelier

Chosen to show the range of band shapes we work with, from a flat Alice band to a padded form and a tall sculpted curve. Prices include UK VAT.

INÉS HEADBAND

£1,000

A black headband hand-shaped into our signature thick S-curve over a buckram base, covered in matte black sateen and layered with sparkled lace tulle that gives a fine shimmer in low light. The curve is the point: set it back over the crown and it frames the head from the side, which is where it reads in photographs. For balls, evening occasions, winter race meetings and memorials. Wear the hair swept back so the line stays clean.

VERDEL HEADBAND

£800

An emerald green band encircled by a sheer structured halo scattered with small white butterfly appliqués. The halo gives height without weight, so the piece carries across a lawn while the band itself stays slim. A summer wedding, garden party and race-day piece that takes either a soft ivory outfit or a hard contrast in fuchsia or cobalt.

TANGO HEADBAND

£750

A black headband with a padded structure made for long days, carrying a large hand-crafted crepe rose at the right of centre, surrounded by fabric petals and leaves worked with fine beadwork and crystals. The padding is what makes it comfortable from ceremony to reception. All black, so it sits with almost anything, from a wedding to a funeral.

ECLIPSE HEADBAND

£600

A generously padded headband that sits firmly against the crown, in an iridescent finish that moves from deep violet to bronze as the light changes. A hand-made flower in mulberry, wine and gold blooms at one side with black beaded stamens at its heart. The padding spreads the band's pressure evenly, and the colour shift makes it one of the most photogenic pieces we make for evening.

ROSEL HEADBAND

£550

A blush pink satin padded headband with translucent petals edged in fine gold, metallic leaves, blush crystals and beadwork, all arranged asymmetrically along one side. The petals have a pearlescent sheen that lifts a pale outfit rather than disappearing into it. Weddings, evening receptions and garden occasions.

ARCANA HEADBAND

£450

A fuchsia velvet headband on a rounded, high-formed shape that sits neatly against the crown, with matte black sculptural wire flowers climbing upward from one side. The flowers are drawn in wire rather than built in fabric, so they add height without adding weight to the band. Easy to wear, and a strong contrast against black or white.

DIAMOND HEADBAND

£450

A silver headband on a structured high base in a fine metallic weave, with a black rhinestone-set abstract flower arcing upward from one side. The high base lifts the piece off the head so it reads as headwear rather than a hair accessory. Cocktail parties, evening receptions and winter weddings.

ECRU WHISPER HEADBAND

£450

A flat Alice band in ecru silk abaca and silk sateen, anchored at the right of centre by a large shimmering metallic bow in sculpted folds. The Alice shape is the lightest and least noticeable band there is, which makes this the one to choose if you have never worn a headpiece before. Wedding guest, bridal accent or cocktail finishing touch.

At a glance

What makes a headband a fascinator

The distinction is in what sits on the band. A plain band is a hair accessory. A band carrying a sculpted form, a flower, a veil or feathers that rise above the head is a headpiece, and at an occasion it is read as one. The band is simply the method of attachment.

Alice band, padded headband, fascinator headband

The terms overlap, so it is worth being precise. An Alice band is the flat, flexible horseshoe band, and the name comes from Tenniel's illustrations for Through the Looking-Glass in 1871, in which Alice's hair is held back by a ribbon. A padded headband is built up into a rounded, cushioned form, so the band itself becomes the statement. A fascinator headband is any band carrying a headpiece, and it can be built on either. For the fuller picture of what counts as a fascinator in the first place, our guide to what a fascinator is covers the shapes and their names.

When a headband counts as headwear

At a wedding, a garden party or most race meetings, a headband with a proper headpiece on it is accepted headwear. The exception that matters is the Royal Enclosure at Royal Ascot, where hats should be worn and a headpiece is acceptable only if it has a solid base of four inches, about ten centimetres, or more in diameter. Fascinators are not permitted there. A headband alone, however striking, does not meet that test; a headband carrying a saucer or disc of the right size can. In the Queen Anne and Village Enclosures a fascinator on a band is entirely correct. Our Royal Enclosure guide sets out the full rules.

How to wear a fascinator headband

Where it sits

Not on the hairline. The most common mistake is pushing the band right to the front, where it looks like a school accessory and presses on the most sensitive part of the head. Set it about an inch back, with the ends tucked behind the ears, and let the decoration fall over one side. Which side is a matter of taste; our note on which side to wear a fascinator goes into the conventions. The basic mechanics of every mount type are in our guide to wearing a fascinator.

Hiding the band

With hair worn down or half up, brush the hair over the band on each side so only the headpiece shows. In long hair a slim band disappears completely. With short hair, choose a band close to your hair colour or a covered band that reads as part of the design, such as a velvet or sateen finish.

Stopping it slipping

A band that slides backwards through the day usually needs anchoring, not tightening. Slide a hairgrip over the band behind each ear, or cross two grips in an X just behind the band and let the band rest against them. Hair washed that morning is slippery; second-day hair, or a little dry shampoo at the temples, grips far better.

Why headbands pinch, and how to stop it

The ache some people get from a headband has a name in headache medicine: it is a pressure headache, caused by something pressing steadily on the scalp. It builds while the band is on, it is worst exactly where the band presses, usually just behind the ears, and it fades within about an hour of taking the band off. It is not a sign that headbands do not suit you. It is a sign that the band is narrow, hard or too tight for your head.

• Choose width and padding. A wider, fabric-covered or padded band spreads the same pressure over more of the head. This is why Tango, Eclipse and Rosel are built the way they are.

• Sit it further back. Pressure behind the ears drops noticeably when the band sits an inch or so behind the hairline rather than on it.

• Hold it with grips, not tension. Security should come from anchoring, never from squeezing.

• Take a break. Five minutes off between the ceremony and the reception resets the pressure.

A headband that pinches is not telling you headbands are wrong for you. It is telling you the band is too narrow, too hard or too tight.

How a couture headband is made

Every band in this edit is designed and hand-made in our London atelier. The base starts as a shaped form, in buckram, wire or a firm band, and it is built up where the design calls for padding, then covered by hand in sateen, velvet or silk so the fabric wraps smoothly with no visible seam on top. A sculpted shape such as Inés's S-curve is formed by hand and set so it holds its line. Trims are made separately, petals cut and shaped one at a time, wire drawn into flowers, beads applied by needle, and then stitched to the band so the weight sits where the band can carry it. Merve Bayindir is a member of the British Fashion Council, with pieces selected for the Royal Ascot Style Guide. Most of our online collection is designed as one size fits most, and every order arrives in a custom box, with worldwide DHL Express shipping included.

Frequently asked questions

How do you wear a fascinator headband?

Set the band about an inch behind the hairline with the ends tucked behind the ears, and let the decoration fall to one side. Brush hair over the band to hide it, and anchor it with a hairgrip behind each ear rather than wearing it tight.

Why do headbands give me a headache behind the ears?

It is a pressure headache from a band pressing steadily on the scalp, usually just behind the ears, and it clears within about an hour of taking the band off. A wider, padded or fabric-covered band worn further back spreads the pressure and usually solves it.

Is a headband a fascinator?

A plain band is a hair accessory. A band carrying a sculpted form, flower, veil or feathers is a fascinator, and the band is simply how it attaches.

Can I wear a fascinator headband to Royal Ascot?

In the Queen Anne and Village Enclosures, yes. In the Royal Enclosure a headband on its own is not enough: you need a hat, or a headpiece with a solid base of at least four inches, about ten centimetres, in diameter.

What is the difference between an Alice band and a padded headband?

An Alice band is flat and flexible. A padded headband is built up into a rounded, cushioned form, so the band itself becomes part of the design, and the padding makes it more comfortable over a long day.

Find your fascinator headband

Every piece above is hand-made in our London atelier. The full headbands collection holds the complete range of bands, and our luxury designer headbands gather the more sculptural pieces. If you are weighing a headband against a comb or clip, browse the wider range of fascinators and hats before you decide. When the date is close, our ready to ship pieces dispatch the next working day. A fascinator headband is the easiest way into occasion headwear, provided the band is built properly and worn an inch further back than you think.