WO2022133024A1

WO2022133024A1 - Hair accessory for styling hair

Info

Publication number: WO2022133024A1
Application number: PCT/US2021/063696
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rachael RUBIN
Original assignee: Rubin Rachael
Priority date: 2020-12-18
Filing date: 2021-12-16
Publication date: 2022-06-23

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to hair accessories and more specifically to a curling hair accessory. In accordance with aspects and embodiments, a curling hair accessory is provided having an elongated rope with stretchable loops at its ends. The elongated rope has at least one hair fastener positioned about its midpoint. A user can use the fastener to fix the accessory to the crown of the head and wrap sections of damp or dry hair with a styling product dispersed throughout around the elongated rope. Once the hair is wrapped, the rope can be secured into a bun with the stretchable loop and help in place until the hair is set into a curl.

Description

HAIR ACCESSORY FOR STYLING HAIR

FIELD OF DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to hair accessories, and more specifically, to hair accessories than can be worn while sleeping or engaging in other activities to maintain previously styled hair or facilitate further styling. The disclosed hair accessories advantageously allow users to style their hair with less effort, reducing the time spent on getting ready for the day.

BACKGROUND

Time-saving products have always been popular, but as people work longer hours and have more obligations outside of the home, products designed to save time in consumers’ morning routines continue to rise in popularity. The cosmetic and beauty industry, in particular, has become increasingly focused on creating products that offer users premium results in less time, allowing busy users to create optimal results while in a morning rush or while on the go.

One area of personal care that remains time-intensive is hair care. Those with medium hair or longer that requires styling generally must wake up early enough to fully wet and dry their hair and style it as desired. This process is time intensive. While some individuals with certain hair types can style their hair the evening before, sleeping on styled hair often causes the style to become undone such that further work and effort must be put into correcting the style in the morning. Sleeping on wet hair often renders the hair difficult to style in the morning. Moreover, many individuals with longer hair prefer to sleep with their hair up, either in a ponytail or chignon, and tying the hair up in this manner can cause indents in the hair that cannot easily be corrected.

There thus exists a need for hair accessories that enables individuals to tie up their hair in the accessory for comfortable sleeping such that the accessory either facilitates styling or preserves already styled hair. In the morning, the individual can remove the accessory for a quick and easy morning.

SUMMARY OF DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates to hair accessories designed to facilitate easy hair styling and thus save time. In accordance with aspects and embodiments, hair accessories are disclosed that can preserve a previous style or create a new hair style, for example, a curled hair style.

In accordance with aspects and embodiments, a hair accessory is provided for curling hair. The disclosed accessory comprises an elongated rope having a first end and a second end and at least one hair fastener. The accessory further includes a first stretchable loop at the first end of the rope and a second stretchable loop at the second end of the rope, and the first stretchable loop and the second stretchable loop each comprise an elastic encased by a first fabric.

The rope may comprise an elongated foam rubber core having a circular or ovular encased by a second fabric. Alternatively, the rope may comprise an elongated flexible casing stuffed with a flexible material, or the rope may be a flat piece of material comprising a fabric. The fasteners used in the accessory may be butterfly clips, spring clips, combs, or the like, and there may be a single fastener at the midpoint of the rope or more than one fastener, with each fastener spaced equidistantly from the midpoint.

In accordance with another embodiment, a hair accessory is provided comprising a first elongated rope and a second elongated rope fixed together by at least one hair fastener. Each rope has mating fasteners at their ends, and one of the ropes has stretchable loops at both of its ends, as well. The at least one hair fastener is positioned at the midpoint of the first and second ropes. The first stretchable loop and the second stretchable loop each comprise an elastic encased by a first fabric and the first elongated rope and the second elongated rope comprise a second fabric. The first elongated rope and the second elongated rope have the same cross. The mating fasteners at the end of the rope mate the ends of the rope together. The fasteners may be hooks and eyes, hook and loop tape, snaps, or magnets.

A user can fix the device to their crown and wrap their hair around the one or more ropes. Once hair is wrapped around the ropes, the ropes can be fixed into a bun and secured in place by the fabric encased elastics. The curling accessory can then be worn either overnight or for a predetermined period of time during the day until curls are set. When the accessory is removed, the user is left with perfectly styled hair.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a hair accessory in accordance with aspects and embodiments;

FIG. 2 shows a portion of a hair accessory in accordance with aspects and embodiments;

FIGS. 3A-3B show a portion of a hair accessory in accordance with aspects and embodiments; and

FIGS. 4A-4F show use of a hair accessory in accordance with aspects and embodiments.

FIG. 5 shows a curling hair accessory in accordance with aspects and embodiments; FIG. 6 shows a curling hair accessory in accordance with aspects and embodiments;

FIGS. 7A-7C show a portion of a curling hair accessory in accordance with aspects and embodiments; and

FIGS. 8A-8D show use of a curling hair accessory in accordance with aspects and embodiments; and

FIG. 9 shows a curling hair accessory in accordance with aspects and embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Many individuals spend a significant amount of time, effort, and money on their appearance to achieve a certain look and/or present a certain image to outward onlookers. This image/persona is usually reflective of one or more traits important to the individual’s identity, and may include characteristics like, “stylish,” “put together,” “professional,” “successful,” or any number of other qualities one may be able to convey through appearance.

Beyond dress, grooming and hygiene plays a significant role in how individuals are perceived. For this reason, many individuals engage in a regular personal hygiene and grooming routine to maintain an appearance that conforms with the physical image they wish to present. For many, maintaining well-styled hair is integral to this routine and central to their appearance.

Medium length and longer hair of all types may be styled and worn in a number of ways. A common hair style worn by those having hair of this length, where “medium length” is approximately shoulder length, is “down.” That is, the hair is not tied up, pulled back, or otherwise restricted by an accessory. Alternatively, the hair may be partially tied up, such that a some portion of the hair is pulled up and/or back away from the face, and secured behind an ear or at the back of the head, such that an upper- most layer of hair does not interfere with daily activities. Still further, hair may be secured in a ponytail, i.e., the entirety of the hair is fully pulled back and secured at the back of the head but allowed to hang freely from the accessory securing it. Other styles stem from ponytail-like configurations, including chignons, also referred to as “buns”. Other, more complicated styling like braiding, French braids, and French twists, though less common as an everyday style, can be seen in workplaces, in streetwear fashion, and in formal attire settings.

Typically, medium length and longer hair is worn by women. However, some men also wear their hair at longer lengths. As referred to herein, “hair” means any head hair and may be head hair of any length able to be secured by the presently disclosed accessory. The disclosed accessory may be suitable for hair of a variety of lengths, including hair that is shorter than hair of “medium” length, and may for example, be suitable for hair having a length of “ear height/length.” Hair referred to in the present disclosure may be hair of any texture and of any thickness. For example, the hair referred to herein may be fine or thick, straight, or curly. The hair referred to in the present disclosure may be on the head of any individual regardless of sex, or gender. Moreover, the presently disclosed accessory may be suitable for the styling of synthetic hair worn as a prosthesis, worn for fashion, or worn for any other reason.

Many hair styles, regardless of length, begin the styling process with clean, blow-dried hair. Achieving clean, blow-dried hair generally involves wetting the hair completely, shampooing and applying detangling and/or conditioning treatments as desired, towel drying the hair, combing the wet hair to remove any knots and tangling, and using a blow dryer, usually with the aid of a brush, to then dry the hair. This process may vary depending on hair texture. For example, individuals with curly hair may use a diffuser and their fingers during blow-drying, rather than a brush, to achieve smooth, bouncy, curls, as the end product. Styling products may be introduced to the hair at any point in the process but are most generally applied after towel drying and after fully drying the hair.

Most individuals with medium length hair or longer who blow dry their hair as part of their grooming routine do so after taking a shower. The drying process can be time intensive, particularly if the hair is thick or long. For these reasons, some individuals elect to shower and blow dry their hair in the evening to save time in their morning routine. However, maintaining the blow-dried style achieved in the evening throughout the night can be challenging. This presents a conundrum: style the hair in the evening and risk waking up with messy hair or plan on waking up earlier than desired to perform the entire styling routine in the morning.

Another trendy style for those with medium length hair and longer, particularly with women, is loose curls, sometimes referred to as “beach waves.” This style can be achieved by setting wet hair in curlers or curling clean, dry hair with a hot tool, such as a curling iron or heated curlers. Curlers are cumbersome and sleeping with them in place is uncomfortable. Curling hair with a curling iron or other tool is time intensive. However, sleeping on curled hair is ill-advised and thus styling hair in this manner must typically be done in the morning, starting with clean, dry, hair. One of the complicating factors that contributes to maintaining hair styles overnight, such as blow-dried styles, is that individuals with longer hair lengths often prefer to sleep with their hair pulled up. This offers more comfort during sleep, ensuring that the hair does not brush across the face or wrap around the neck during sleep. In particular, those with longer hair often report that sleeping with their hair down causes them to become hot. However, pulling the hair up, which is typically done with some form of an elastic, often leaves a crease or dent in the hair. Creases and dents left in hair by elastics are difficult if not impossible to remove without complete restyling. Alternatively, even when hair is left down for sleeping, the friction of the hair on a pillow throughout the night can cause knotting, tangling, and crimping that can also prove to be irreversible in the morning.

In accordance with aspects and embodiments, a hair accessory is disclosed that advantageously allows a user to tie their blow-dried hair up in an accessory, leave the hair in the accessory for any amount of time, and when the accessory is removed, the hair will be as it was before it was tied into the accessory. That is, the disclosed accessory allows a user to secure their hair without causing creases, kinks, knots, or other imperfections that ruin their blow-dried styling. A user of the present invention can thus blow dry their hair in the evening, use the disclosed hair accessory for comfortable sleeping, awake, remove the accessory, and reveal perfectly blow-dried hair in the morning. The accessory advantageously saves precious morning time while preserving previously blow-dry styled hair. A user can then further style their hair as desired, or, if clean, fresh, blow-dried style was the end-style desired, simply move on with the rest of their morning routine.

The disclosed accessory also finds use in situations other than sleeping and for example, when blow-dried styling is desired but the gap in time between when blow-drying is performed and when the styling is desired for wear is a long period of time. As an example, many brides and bridesmaids are asked to arrive to hair, nails, and makeup with freshly blow-dried hair. However, the time when they are asked to arrive and the time when their hair is styled (or the time when which they wear their hair down, i.e., when walking down the aisle) is often hours later than their arrival time for hair, nails, and makeup. It is often inconvenient for them to wear their hair down for the entire duration of makeup and other preparations. The present accessory offers individuals in these and similar situations with a solution that allows the hair to be pulled up while fully preserving the blow-dried style. In accordance with embodiments, the disclosed accessory collects hair loosely in a smooth, fabric encased circular elastic, such that the hair does not become creased by pressure exerted on the hair by the elastic. The circular elastic has a semi-rigid U-shaped bridge, i.e., an arc, having a circular cross section. The arc is connected perpendicularly to the circular elastic. Hair passed through the elastic is wrapped around the arc in a circular motion until the entirety of the hair is wrapped around it. The circular elastic is then pulled in a direction perpendicular to the arc and twisted, such that a figure eight is formed and an empty loop is created. The empty loop is then stretched up and over the arc to secure the hair and accessory in place. The concentric wrapping of the hair around the arc ensures that the hair does not crease while in the accessory. The accessory, including the arc, is further sized to ensure that the hair wrapped around the arc does not gain a curl when held in the accessory. When removed, the hair is returned to the state in which it was prior to being placed into the accessory.

An accessory in accordance with aspects and embodiments is shown in Fig. 1. Accessory 100 has scrunchie 10 and arc 20. Arc 20 has first end 21 connected to scrunchie 10 at 11 and second end 22 connected to scrunchie 10 at 12. Arc 20 extends perpendicularly from scrunchie 10 and has an apex 24 having a height 23 from scrunchie 10.

Referring also to Fig 2, scrunchie 10 is circular, forming loop 15. Scrunchie 10 has casing 13 surrounding elastic 14. Casing 13 may be made of any fabric and is preferably made of a smooth fabric over which hair glides easily, like a silk or satin. Referring also to Figs. 3A-3B, arc 20 has circular foam core 26 with semi-rigid wire 27 at its center. Wire 27 aids foam core 27 in maintaining its shape. In some embodiments, wire 27 may be omitted. In other embodiments, foam core 27 may have a shape other than circular, and may for example, be oval. Foam core 26 having wire 27 therein is encased by casing 25. Casing 25 is made of fabric and may be made of the same or different fabric as scrunchie casing 13 but is also preferably made of fabric over which hair glides easily, like a silk or satin. The same type of material may be used for both portions of the accessory, but different prints may be employed for scrunchie 10 and arc 20 for an aesthetically interesting and pleasing product. Arc 20 is securely connected to scrunchie 10 by stitching the free ends of casing 25 surrounding core 27 to casing 13 of scrunchie 10. Suitable fabrics for casings 13 and 25, elastic for scrunchie 10, and materials for the core of arc 20 will be readily ascertained by those of skill in the art. Referring now to Figs. 4A-4F, use of accessory 100 will be discussed. User 200 with hair 210 pulls hair 210 back and through loop 15 of scrunchie 10 of accessory 100. User 200’s free hair 210A hangs from scrunchie 10 as if in a ponytail, but the hair is not tightly bound by scrunchie 10. Loop 15 is loose around hair 210. User 200 then wraps free hair 210A around arc 20 of accessory 100 repeatedly until the full length of free hair 210A is wrapped around arc 20. After hair 210A has been wrapped around arc 20, scrunchie 10 is pulled outward, perpendicularly to arc 20. Scrunchie 10 is pulled at a location between the connection points of arc 20, i.e., between points 11 and 12 of scrunchie 10, to create a larger opening 16 around the hair in scrunchie 10. Scrunchie 10 is then twisted at the bases 21 and 22 of arc 20 to create a second loop 17 in addition to loop in addition to hair-containing loop 15. Empty loop 17 is then stretched up and over arc 20 to secure accessory 100 in hair 210. After a night’s sleep or when the user 200 is ready to access their hair, scrunchie 10 may be un-looped off of arc 20. Hair 210 can then be uncoiled off arc 20 and accessory 100 may be removed from hair 210 to reveal defect- free hair.

The combination of first pulling the hair through the loose scrunchie and wrapping it around a strategically sized circular core before wrapping the scrunchie into place ensures that the hair does not become dented as would be the case if a traditional hair elastic were used. The silkiness of the fabric casings on both the scrunchie and the arc further facilitate the maintenance of the original style by allowing hair to glide freely over the fabric without holding strands too rigidly in place. The accessory is also readily adaptable for different hair lengths by, for example, sizing both the scrunchie and arc accordingly. Longer hair may, for example, require a taller and thicker arc, whereas shorter hair may require a thinner, shorter arc. Hair thickness and texture may also factor into the selection of an appropriate arc core thickness to ensure a smooth end result.

For example and in accordance with aspects and embodiments, accessory 100 may be sized to accommodate hair of different lengths. Arc 20 may be enlarged, either in apex height 23, circumference of core 26, or both, for longer hair. Arc 20 may be reduced in size by the same metrics to accommodate shorter hair. Different hair textures may also benefit from different sized arcs to ensure that the hair coiled around the arc does not retain an undesirable curl. In accordance with embodiments, the size of scrunchie 10 may also be adjusted in accordance with adjustments made to the size of arc 20. In some embodiments, a first sized accessory may be used to ensure hair remains straight and a second accessory may be used to provide a curl or wave to hair. Alternatively, hair may remain straight when the accessory is placed in dry hair but may fix a curl into hair if the accessory is placed into slightly damp hair or if a hair spray or gel is applied to hair before or during the wearing of the accessory. The accessory may be provided with instructions on how to use the accessory to achieve curls, such as “beach waves,” and how to use the accessory to maintain a blow-dried style.

In accordance with aspects and embodiments, the disclosed accessories may be provided in a hair styling kit. The kits may include one or more accessories, and may for example, include a first accessory having a first size and a second accessory having a second size. Kits may further include styling products intended to be used with a particular accessory to enhance the results achieved when using the accessory. For example, when an accessory is selected to maintain a straight style, the kit may include instructions that direct the use of an included straightening and/or smoothing product prior to putting hair in the accessory. Alternatively, if an accessory is selected to maintain or achieve a wave or curl style, the kit may include instructions that direct the use of a light hold hair spray product after the accessory is placed in the hair. The kit may further include scrunchies having smooth casings of the type used in the accessory to assist users in maintaining indent-free hair should hair need to be placed up during the day.

In accordance with aspects and embodiments, a curling hair accessory is disclosed that facilitates achieving a curled hair style. The disclosed curling accessory advantageously allows a user to wrap their hair into the accessory, leave the accessory in place for a requisite amount of time, and when the accessory is removed, the hair is styled into desirable curls. The curling accessory may be used with damp hair or with dry hair that has a styling product applied to it and the accessory may thus be used by a user in the evening, after showering, and can be comfortably slept on. Upon waking, the user removes the curling accessory to reveal perfectly styled hair. The curling accessory advantageously saves precious morning time while achieving a curled style without the application of heat, which can cause damage to hair.

In accordance with aspects and embodiments, the disclosed curling accessory includes a curling rope that is fixed at its midpoint the crown of the head, such that rope hangs on both sides of the user’s face. Hair may be damp, or hair may be dry with a styling product designed to hold a curl applied to it. The rope, which may be wrapped in a fabric in a fashion similar to the elastic and arc of accessory 100, terminates on each side in a fabric encased elastic similar to scrunchie 10 of accessory 100. Sections of hair are wrapped around the rope in a corkscrew pattern. This process is repeated until all hair is around the rope. The rope on each side of the user’s face is wrapped concentrically against the user’s head in a traditional “bun,” and the elastic on the end of the rope is wrapped around the rope bun to secure it in place. When removed, the hair wrapped around the rope is unwrapped to reveal a loose curl.

A curling accessory in accordance with aspects and embodiments is shown in Fig. 5. Curling accessory 300 has rope 320 with fastener 310 at its midpoint. Fastener 310 may be a butterfly clip, a snap clip, a sectioning clip, a barrette, a comb, or any other hair fastener. Suitable hair fasteners will be readily selected by those of skill in the art. In some embodiments, and as shown in Fig. 5, rope 320 may traverse through clip 310 such that clip 310 divides rope 320 into two portions, portion 320A and portion 320B. In other embodiments, rope 320 may comprise two separate pieces 320A and 320B fastened at either side of clip 310. Each end of rope 320 terminates in a scrunchie, i.e., a fabric encased elastic, 330. Scrunchies 33OA and 33OB may be semicircular. That is, scrunchies 330 may not form complete circles and their endpoints may terminate on portions of rope 320A and 320B, respectively. Rope 320 may be a rectangular, relatively flat piece of flexible material, and may be a fabric, or one or more fabrics. For example, rope 320 may be a thick elongated rectangular microfiber rope, similar to a belt. Microfiber may be particularly suitable when accessory 300 is being used with wet or damp hair because microfiber is highly absorbent. Microfiber may speed up hair drying time, and thus the time it takes to achieve the desired style.

In some embodiments, and as shown in Fig. 6, curling accessory 300 may have rope 325 with a three-dimensional cross-section. Further, in some embodiments, regardless of rope crosssection, accessory 300 may have more than one fastener 315. In accordance with aspects and embodiments, a single length of rope may have one or more fasteners positioned either at the midpoint of the rope or, as shown in Fig. 5, two or more fasteners, shown as combs 315, may positioned equidistant from the midpoint of rope 325. Combs 325 may have elongated cylindrical tops embedded within a channel of rope 325. The tops of combs 315 embedded into rope 325 may act as hinges, allowing the teeth of combs 315 to freely rotate about the top of the comb, enabling the teeth of combs 315 to be rotated backwards and pushed into the hair to fix accessory 300 to a user’s head such that only the rope projects upward. This may make sleeping with accessory 300 more comfortable. As shown in Fig. 6, scrunchies 335A and 335B are positioned at the endpoints of rope 325 and, in contrast to scrunchies 33OA and 33OB, form complete circles. Any shape of scrunchie may be used with any curling accessory 300. In some embodiments, curling accessory 300 may have on its rope textured surfaces that assist in holding sections of hair in place. For example, and referring to Fig. 6, rope 325 has on its surface textured surfaces 340. Textured surfaces 340 may be hook tape and may assist in holding hairs that are wrapped around the curling accessory rope. In some embodiments, one or more strips of hook tape may extend the entire length of the rope of the curling accessory. Hook tape 340 may further assist in ensuring the resultant curls achieved from using curling accessory 300 are defined and free from frizz. Other suitable textured strips and surfaces will be readily selected by those of skill in the art. Some curling accessories 300 may be sold with textured surfaces 340 and some may be sold without textured surfaces 340, and different curling accessories 300 having different surfaces may be recommended for different hair types.

Similarly, different curling accessories 300 having different rope shapes, i.e., different cross sections, may be offered to achieve different types of curls. When the rope has a three- dimensional shape, the core may be made from a flexible core. The core may be constructed from any materials, including but not limited to being an outer casing stuffed with an inner material such as batting, an elongated roll of material, such as an elongated strip of microfiber rolled into a rope shape, or an elongated piece of flexible foam encased in a suitable fabric. The use of at least an outer fabric for the rope is preferred, as it enables the scrunchies on the ends of the rope to be fixed to the rope be an easy sewing operation, i.e., by stitching the rope fabric to the outer fabric casing of the scrunchie. Suitable rope materials, including fabrics, will be readily selected by those of skill in the art. As discussed, the best material for a given rope may vary depending on the user’ s hair type, how they intend to use the product, i.e., on wet/damp hair or on dry hair, and on their desired end result.

In a preferred embodiment, when a three-dimensional rope is used in curling accessory 300, the rope has a foam core encased in fabric. The foam used in the ropes of the disclosed curling accessories must be able to withstand repeated flexing and may, in some embodiments, be a foam rubber. As shown in Fig. 7A, a rope 325 may have a circular foam rubber cross-section 327 encased in an outer fabric 326. Alternatively, and as shown in Fig. 7B, a rope 325 may have an ovular cross section foam rubber cross-section 328 encased in an outer fabric 326. Fabric 326 may be a microfiber, a terrycloth, a silky fabric, or any other fabric. Suitable fabrics will be readily selected by those of skill in the art. Referring to Fig. 7C, in some embodiments, the rope of accessory 300 may be flat. Rope 320 may be an elongated rectangular piece of fabric, or other material. Each of the rope shapes shown in Figs. 7A-7C will produce different curl shapes. The shapes produced may also vary depending on hair length and texture.

Referring now to Figs. 8A-8D, use of curling accessory 300 will now be discussed. A user 200 is instructed to start with either wet, damp, or straight, dry hair. When using dry or damp, or even with wet hair, a styling product may be recommended. Suitable styling products may include products designed to retain hold, as well as products designed to tame frizz. Suitable products will be readily selected by those of skill in the art. Referring to Fig. 8D, a user 200 fastens accessory 300 to hair 210 at the crown of their head using fastener 310, which is shown in Fig. 8A as a butterfly clip. As discussed, other fasteners, including combs, may be used. Rope 320 is bisected by fastener 310 such that portion 320A falls to one side of the user’s face and portion 320B falls to other side of the user’s face. Curling accessory 300 may be offered with ropes in several different lengths to accommodate hair of different lengths.

Referring now to Fig. 8B, the user divides hair 210 on the side of rope 320A into sections 210B and wraps individual sections 210B around portion of rope 320A. User 200 wraps a section 210AB around portion of rope 310A, starting as close to the root of section 210B and as close to clip 310 as is possible. The user wraps section 210B around rope 320A in a circular, downward, direction, towards scrunchie 33OA. Once the entirety of section 210B is wrapped around rope 33OA, the user moves on to the next section 210B. The user leaves the ends of sections 210B unsecured, though one or more textured strips on rope 320A may aid in securing sections 210B as the user works.

Turning now to Fig. 8C, once all of sections 210B are wrapped around rope 320A, user 200 coils rope 320A with sections 210A wrapped thereon into a bun on the side of their head. They use scrunchie 33OA to secure the bun in place. User 200 then repeats the process of wrapping the hair on the other side of the head and coiling rope 320B with hair wrapped thereon into a secured bun. Referring to Fig. 8D, when finished, the user has two buns on the sides of their head, sometimes referred to as “space buns,” or “Princess Leia” buns, referencing the style worn by the character in the Star Wars films. Application of an additional styling product, for example, a light hold hair spray, a shine product, or a hair-texture or hair-type specific product may be recommended at this stage for optimal results.

The user may sleep with the hair accessory in place or simply wait for a given period of time, as recommended by included instructions. Upon removing the curling accessory, the user is left with curled hair. Application of an additional styling product, for example, a light hold hair spray, a shine product, or a hair-texture or hair-type specific product may be recommended for maintaining the achieved style for the longest period of time possible.

In accordance with aspects and embodiments, the disclosed hair accessories may have a plurality of curling ropes. For example, and referring to Fig. 9, curling accessory 400 has fastener 410 that bisects ropes 420 and 425 at their midpoints. The ends of rope 420 have loop tape patch 435A and the ends of rope 430 have hook tape patch 435B. That is, the ends of rope 420 and 430 have corresponding mating features that connect the ends of the ropes so that they effectively can operate as a single rope. Rope 425 also has on each of its ends scrunchies 430.

Curling accessory 400 is used in much the same way as curling accessory 300 but provides a second rope for a user to wrap hair sections. Because ropes 420 and 425 are connected only at fastener 410 on first placing accessory 400 in the hair, a user has more flexibility in the way they wrap their hair around the ropes of accessory 400. In particular, some users with thick and/or long hair may find having a second rope helpful when wrapping sections of hair located towards the back of their head and/or towards the nape. When hair on one side of the head is wrapped on the corresponding sides of ropes 420 and 425, ropes 420 and 425 and be fixed together by hook and loop fasteners 435A and 435B, effectively making ropes 420 and 425 a single rope. Ropes 420 and 425, now fixed together, can be wrapped into a bun, and secured with scrunchie 430 in the identical manner as is done with accessory 300. Though hook and loop tape is shown for connecting ropes 420 and 425 together, any appropriate fasteners may be used, including but not limited to hook and eyes, magnets, and snaps. Suitable fasteners will be readily selected by those of skill in the art.

In accordance with aspects and embodiments, the disclosed curling accessories may be provided in a hair styling kit. The kits may include one or more curling accessories, and may for example, include optional hook tape that can be applied to the rope for additional hold. Kits may further include styling products intended to be used with a particular accessory to enhance the results achieved when using the accessory. For example, when a curling accessory is selected for use with dry hair, the kit may include instructions that direct the use of an included stronger hold product to apply to the hair prior to using the curling accessory. The kit may further include hair products designed to maintain the achieved style throughout the day /night. In some embodiments, more than one curling accessory may be included in a given kit. For example, a first curling accessory having a rope of a first cross section for achieving a first type of curl may be included, and a second curling accessory having a rope of a second cross section for achieving a second type of curl may be also included. Alternatively, two curling accessories may be included, each comprised of different materials. For example, one may be designed for use with wet hair, and the other may be another designed for use with dry hair.

While several variations of the present disclosure have been illustrated by way of example in preferred or particular embodiments, it is apparent that further embodiments could be developed within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, or the novel concept thereof. However, it is to be expressly understood that such modifications and adaptations are within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, and are inclusive, but not limited to the following appended claims as set forth.

What is claimed is:

Claims

CLAIMS A hair accessory comprising: an elongated rope having a first end and a second end; at least one hair fastener; a first stretchable loop at the first end of the rope and a second stretchable loop at the second end of the rope. The accessory of claim 1, wherein the first stretchable loop and the second stretchable loop each comprise an elastic encased by a first fabric. The accessory of claim 2, wherein the rope comprises an elongated foam rubber core having a circular cross-section encased by a second fabric. The accessory of claim 2, wherein the rope comprises an elongated foam rubber core having an ovular cross-section encased by a second fabric. The accessory of claim 2, wherein the rope comprises an elongated flexible casing stuffed with a flexible material. The accessory of claim 2, wherein the second fabric is selected from the group consisting of microfiber, terrycloth, a silk, and a satin. The accessory of claim 6, wherein the first fabric and the second fabric are the same fabric. The accessory of claim 2, wherein the at least one fastener is selected from the group consisting of a butterfly clip, a spring clip, and a comb. The accessory of claim 8, wherein the at least one fastener is fixed to the midpoint of the rope. The accessory of claim 8, comprising at least two fasteners, positioned equidistantly from the midpoint of the rope. The accessory of claim 10, wherein the fasteners are combs. The accessory of claim 1, wherein the rope comprises a fabric and at least one textured surface on the fabric. The accessory of claim 13, wherein the textured surface is hook tape. A hair accessory comprising: a first elongated rope and a second elongated rope, each having a first end and a second end, wherein the first elongated rope and the second elongated rope are fixed together by at least one hair fastener; a first mating fastener positioned on the first end of the first elongated rope and on the second end of the first elongated rope; a second mating fastener positioned on the first end of the second elongated rope and on the second end of the second elongated rope; and a first stretchable loop fixed to the first end of the first elongated rope and a second stretchable loop fixed to the second end of the first elongated rope. The hair accessory of claim 14, wherein the at least one hair fastener is positioned at the midpoint of the first and second ropes. The hair accessory of claim 14, wherein the first stretchable loop and the second stretchable loop each comprise an elastic encased by a first fabric. The hair accessory of claim 14, wherein the first elongated rope and the second elongated rope comprise a second fabric. The hair accessory of claim 17, wherein the first elongated rope and the second elongated rope have the same cross section and the cross section is selected from the group consisting of a circle, an oval, and a flat rectangle. The hair accessory of claim 15, wherein the first mating fastener and the second mating fastener mate the first end of the first elongated rope with the first end of the second elongated rope and mate the second end of the first elongated rope with the second end of the second elongated rope. The hair accessory of claim 16, wherein the first mating fastener and the second mating fastener are selected from the group consisting of hooks and eyes, hook and loop tape, snaps, and magnets.