Aussie WAG Belinda Bartholemew-Walsh is making scrunchies cool again

THEY had their heyday in the 80s and 90s but Aussie Belinda Bartholemew-Walsh is determined to bring them back.

Belinda Bartholomew-Walsh has launched her company, Scrunchie-O.

IT’S the humble hair accessory that defined the 90s — but after several decades of being a fashion faux pas, the scrunchie is making a comeback Down Under.

And it’s all thanks to Aussie WAG Belinda Bartholomew-Walsh.

Ms Bartholomew-Walsh, who will tie the knot with Newcastle Knights recruit Aidan Guerra this week, is “single-handedly bringing back the scrunchie” after launching her own business, Scrunchie O’s, in August.

The 27-year-old, who grew up in rural NSW, discovered her love of scrunchies after suffering from post-partum hair loss following the birth of her daughter Olive, now 20 months.

After hearing scrunchies were kinder on the hair than normal elastics, Ms Bartholomew-Walsh struggled to find any in shops — and so her business venture was born.

Belinda Bartholomew-Walsh with partner Aidan Guerra and daughter Olive. Picture: Instagram

“Scrunchies weren’t cool at all and I didn’t know where I could find a nice one. I found a few at cheap places in Bondi Junction but none that I liked — they were pretty ugly, and while I loved using them they just weren’t stylish,” she said.

“I thought if I couldn’t find one when I had lots of time with just one baby and no work, then maybe other people couldn’t either.

“I went online and ordered stacks and stacks of different scrunchies and I asked my girlfriends to try them too. We decided we liked velvet, because it was really soft and in fashion, and the elastic had to be tight but not too tight. After a few glasses of wine I was sitting at home and I thought, ‘maybe I should just sell them myself’. The response was overwhelming and I’ve realised it’s a really niche market.

“People want accessories that are stylish and look cute, but are also good for the hair and beneficial to hair growth.”

The mum of one hand-picked the material, colours and elastic and personalises each package with a handwritten note — a touch she says keeps her clients coming back for more.

Belinda and Aiden Guerra. Image: Instagram

Ms Bartholomew-Walsh said the new-found popularity of scrunchies was part of a wider ’90s revival.

“If you have a look around, everything ’90s is coming back, like double denim, high-waisted jeans and chokers, so it’s just inevitable because we go through fashion cycles,” she said.

“Now you can see so many different, beautiful women wearing them and they’re cool again. “They’ve broken down the stigma from Sex and the City when Carrie Bradshaw wrote about being offended by seeing a woman in a scrunchie.”

Ms Bartholomew-Walsh said despite her love of scrunchies, she didn’t expect her business to take off as well as it had.

“They sold out within the first few hours of going online. I put them up, went out for dinner and by the time I’d finished eating they’d all completely sold. That’s when it hit me that maybe I was on to something,” she said.

Scrunchie O’s are now being sold online as well as in salons and boutiques, and Ms Bartholomew-Walsh said she struggled to keep up with the demand.

Scrunchies are getting more popular with celebrities such as Bella Hadid. Picture: Instagram

The entrepreneur said she had no prior business experience before launching Scrunchie O’s.

“It was really scary and I didn’t trust myself at the beginning, but I learnt through trial and error,” she said.

Ms Bartholomew-Walsh had some straightforward advice for other young women who might be sitting on a business idea.

“Just go for it — you don’t have to know what you’re doing in the beginning because you learn along the way,” she said.

“Just trust yourself, accept that you’re going to make mistakes and don’t overthink it.”

Scrunchie O’s are available in 10 colours, with a new summer range launching soon, and they cost $15 each.