The Bandana: The Hottest New Fashion Trend Dogs Have Known All Along

The Bandana Kids. Albie & Anabelle

Everything gets recycled. Take The Bandana. This is the hottest new fashion trend right now. Fashion bibles have decreed it; major retailers are all carrying it, in every color, print and fabric imaginable. The thing is…this hot, new trend is one our dogs have been wearing for years. So, I thought I’d do a little research as to the origin of the bandana. There’s a giveaway, so read on to find out how to enter!

George & John

They have actually been around for well over 200 years. The word Bandana is thought to come from the  Hindi ‘bāṅdhnū’ and in  Urdu ‘bāndhnū’  meaning a tied, bound cloth. They didn’t look like modern bandanas back then, and their origin in the U.S. is an interesting one, born out of the struggle for independence.

Martha Washington started it all. Seems in 1775, when travelling north to join George for Christmas – he was commanding the Continental Army at the time – Martha visited Joseph & Esther Reed in Philadelphia. According to Bandanashop.com, while there, she met with John Hewson, a printmaker recommended by Benjamin Franklin for his skills & defiance of a ban on textile printing by the British. Hewson copied the drawings of militia flags & cannons that Martha shared with him, but lacked a good likeness of George Washington to complete the design. Martha sent that along the following year. While The Washingtons were celebrating their anniversary at the Massachusetts headquarters,  a parcel arrived from Philadelphia containing a drawing of the General on horseback.

By the Summer of 1776, patriots were cheering that image of Washington on America’s very first souvenir bandana! Many followed George Washington’s example by being portrayed as heroes on bandanas in pursuing their political ends. As Mental_Floss.com wrote, “After Martha, the bandana became a marketing strategy, a pre-Facebook ‘Like’ button. Custom prints were made for political candidates hoping to adopt some of Washington’s charisma.” And so, the bandana craze began.

Uses of and milestones of the Bandana

The popularity of printing squares of fabric featuring ideas and matters of consequence continued. Referred to in the early days by some as “ little banners,” bandanas increasingly became a means of economically promoting a range of issues. And, they had the additional attraction of being an extremely versatile item of clothing, uses ranging from a handkerchief, a mask, a headscarf, a neckerchief, through to a means of carrying a bundle of goods, a bandage or a sling! Thank you for this info, Bandanashop.com!

The American Cowboy made the bandana famous in old Western movies, like John Wayne, above. However, they are commonly seen as being used by pirates, farmers, and railroad engineers, as well. The main purpose was to use them to wipe sweat from the face area, covering the nose and mouth to protect the lungs from dust, and to keep dust out of collars.

In the 1930’s, miners united wearing red bandanas tied around their necks, one of the early references to “rednecks.” In the 70’s, gay groups used different colored bandanas to signify sexual preferences.

In the 90’s, bandanas became a different kind of symbol of identity. Gangs wore them to signify which one they belonged to, like the infamous Bloods, who wear red, and the Crips, who wear blue bandanas. The colors represent affiliation, without requiring any personal interaction with members of either gang.

In 2015 in Canberra, Australia, the largest gathering of dogs wearing bandanas was created.  764 came together (above), organized by the RSPCA ACT (Australia), raising AU $31,000 for the RSPCA.

Photo courtesy of www.thechronicleofwoos.blogspot.com

So, when did the dogs get in on the act? I learned some dog parents would wear matching bandanas with their pups to the dog park to make identifying which dog was theirs easy. Like back in George Washington’s day, I learned it also makes for a great marketing tool, to publicize adopting, a business brand and more. I learned it helps some dog parents with making their dog stand out, so they’re easy to find (try that in Canberra, Australia on that day in May of 2015, though!).

And, it’s a great fashion statement. Our Instagram friend, @rocky.poo, is the master of the bandana. Isn’t he a cutie? He must have a whole wardrobe of them, for every occasion. He’s popular, too, and has over 8,000 followers. You can follow him @rocky.poo!

Photo courtesy of @rocky.poo

What I couldn’t find was, which dog started the trend and when? So, I’m running a giveaway to find out!

The Giveaway!

Do you know how the dog bandana trend began?  If you can tell me (or weave a creative tale about it), you’ll win a set of adorable,  stylish and summery Dog Fashion Living bandanas. Dog Fashion Living is part of the Dog Fashion brand, as is another of my favorites, Dog Fashion Spa.

You can take a bit of creative license here; if it’s not absolutely accurate or true, at least make it fun! LOL. I’ll choose the one I think is the most inspired. 🙂

The three bandanas in the set:

Always on Vacay

Beach Bum

Cat Patrol

Each retails for $12.00, making the set’s value at $36.00.

The giveaway will run from Sunday, May 22nd at 10pm EST to Sunday, May 29 at 11:59pm EST.  You need to be 18+ years old and live in the U.S. You also need to be a part of the Bark & Swagger Family by joining our email list. Good luck!

Do you love bandanas as a fashion statement? Tell me why!