It Was Hot In The '70s And '90s: The Returning Accessory Trend Pamela Anderson Is Co-Signing

The artist formerly known as C.J. Parker has had a seriously cottagecore summer in 2026. If Pamela Anderson's Instagram grid is anything to go by, she's hardly left her garden. And while outside, she's kept her wardrobe pretty minimal, including a basic but trending accessory that's making a comeback: a bandana.

Gardening, Pamela Anderson's favorite hobby, is the perfect stress-free workout for older women, and it's also the perfect way to romanticize your life, at least according to her. While outside, Anderson captioned an August 23 reel, "Live romantically wherever you are." The reel featured Anderson frolicking in a simple white linen dress. Though the main focus of the video appears to be the lip balm by Sonsie Skin, the beauty brand she cofounded in 2024, that she conspicuously swipes over her mouth, we couldn't help but notice the white lace bandana that artfully held back her iconic blond mane.

This isn't the first time Anderson pulled out this particular accessory. In an Instagram photo from July 2026, Anderson posed on the cobblestone streets of Saint-Tropez wearing a white cotton T-shirt and skirt along with the same or a very similar bandana. In another Instagram photo from the trip, she coordinated a royal blue bandana with a cinched-waist maxi dress in the same color. It's safe to say Anderson is keen on this versatile headpiece with decades of history that's trending again.

Though bandanas were invented in India, they've been part of American fashion since the Revolutionary War. They were a political symbol back then, the must-have merchandise for your candidate of choice and, of course, the favored headwear of Rosie the Riveter and the women she represented. By the '70s, thanks to their working-class appeal, they were a crucial part of the hippie look. They were later adopted by the R&B and hip-hop communities in the '90s, as seen by artists like Missy Elliott, Aaliyah, and Beyoncé.

In 2026, they've become hip once more. Anderson isn't the only celeb on board the bandana wagon: Dua Lipa, Zendaya, Elle Fanning, Gigi Hadid, Kim Kardashian, and Amelia Gray were all spotted rocking the rag this summer, from the Italian Riviera to the "Odyssey" press tour. Leave it to the "Naked Gun" star to herald a '90s revival: Pamela Anderson's go-to '90s manicure is one of fall 2026's hottest nail trends, too.