headband

thumb|Bahram II|Iranian king wearing headband right|thumb|A hard plastic headband, or Alice band thumb|Baby wearing a headband

A headband (also called a hairband or sweatband) is a clothing accessory worn in the hair or around the forehead, usually to hold hair away from the face or eyes, or to help control forehead sweat or (rarely) to provide some protection to the head during physical activity. Headbands generally consist of a textile loop of elasticised and sometimes absorptive or padded material, or a horseshoe-shaped piece of flexible plastic or metal. They come in assorted shapes and sizes and are used for a variety of purposes: aesthetic (fashion); practical (holding back hair); protective; utilitarian (absorbing sweat); or for combinations of these reasons.