You know that something has reached official hipster accessory status when queer electroclash crazy person/former elementary school teacher Peaches has a song about it. Such is the case with the bandana and her song “Hanky Code” about them. Taking no precautions against profanity or sexual explicitness (she wouldn’t be Peaches without it), she cautions hipsters against fashion statements they may not be aware of: “Better know your hanky code/Before you go and shoot your load/Excuse me what’s that hanging out of your pocket?/Do you actually know what that means?”
Peaches is referring to the BDSM community and the bandana code that they use to flag fetishes and sexual preferences. But the bandana/handkerchief has a much longer history than that.
The bandana takes its name from the Hindi word “bandhana,” which means “to tie.” In a similar fashion, paisley — the droplet-shaped motif most commonly featured on bandanas — is Persian and Indian in origin. Making its way west through means of the East India Company in the early 17th century, paisley — and subsequently, bandanas — gained popularity in the Baltic states, where they were believed to be charms that held the power to ward off evil demons. And while the teachings of Peaches would tell us that the greatest evil demons we face are those that bring vanilla sex, it would still be quite some time before the bandana made it into the pockets of gay men and BDSM-ers (and eventually hipsters) alike.
As the bandana made its way farther and farther west, the bandana became practical for pirates (awesome!), farmers and laborers who needed to wipe the sweat from their faces. They were popularized by cowboys enduring long cattle drives or simply spending long amounts of time on the dusty plain. To keep dust and dried grass out of their noses, mouths and throats, cowboys tied bandanas around their faces. This trend soon took up with the bad guys as well, as bandits robbing banks, trains and saloons tied the fabric around their mouths to mask their identities.
The bandana as a mask is a trend that still persists today as a part of rebel/outlaw culture. Protestors often wear bandanas not only to signify their cause through color but also to protect themselves from tear gas.
Contrary to the idea of masking, the bandana has also become a symbol of identity. Different color bandanas are used to symbolize gang affiliation, most notably red for the Bloods and blue for the Crips. In this context, bandanas are often referred to as “flags,” an idea Snoop Dogg is obviously familiar with as seen in “Drop It Like It’s Hot”: “I keep a blue flag hanging out my backside/But only on the left side, yeah that’s the Crip side.”
In the 1970s, the left side was less a symbol of Crips and more a symbol of ... tops. Gay men used the bandana as a secret code to signify fetish preference based on color. Practitioners had to be very aware of their flags, as it wasn’t just about the color but the placement. Worn on the left side of one’s body, a bandana on the left signified a sexual top, while wearing on the right meant bottom. The colors got even more confusing, as gray signified a fetish for bondage while charcoal signified a latex fetish.
Despite the more recent popularization of the bandana in the mainstream, wearers of the bandana should be aware of their surroundings, as this fashion item can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Take it from someone who may or may not have accidentally walked into a school-sponsored S&M workshop (how very AU of me) flagging more than just “hipster.”
So careful, hipsters, the next time you’re tying that bandana around your wrist — you might be wearing just a little more than your heart on your sleeve.
You can reach this columnist at kcasino@theeagleonline.com.
