If the lyric “We like them low cut caesars with the deep waves,” means anything to you, then you’re probably well versed in the purposes of the durag. The fitted hair coverings, largely associated with the shaping and maintenance of pronounced hair waves, famously “so quick to snatch up your Beyoncé ,” have been a pinnacle of Black hair care for the better part of a century. But in recent years, we’ve seen these protective coverings shift from beauty supply mainstay to coveted high-fashion accessory. From Rick Owens’ Fall-Winter 2014 Men’s Collection to Tom Ford’s Spring 2019 ready-to-wear line , durags are making waves in more ways than one. But this homage is not without a bit of irony, considering society’s tumultuous relationship with durags. In the ’90s, durags, originally “do-rags,” expanded beyond their initial purpose as a grooming tool used to maintain the look of waves and braids, transitioning to a full-blown urban style staple. Everyone from cultural giants like Nelly...
