A few years ago, when the wide elastic hair tie came into vogue, I was skeptical.  It seemed unlikely that the wider band was better than the thin, brown Goody hair ties that I used.  It also seemed unlikely that I would ever agree to give Shopbop $45 to own 18 of them.  

That’s $2.25 for a hair elastic.  Basically, you can either buy a hair tie or a Frappuccino.

Obviously, the only way I was going to try one of these new fangled hair elastics was if someone else gave me one.  So when my August Birchbox included a wide elastic, I decided that I should see what all the fuss was about.

The first thing that I noticed about the wider bands is that they don’t pinch as much as the thin ones do.  As a result, the post-ponytail hair crease is less pronounced and can usually be brushed away in moments.  I also notices that I have less breakage with the wider ties vs. the thinner ones.

Additionally, I think the ponytail looks a little nicer when I use the wide elastic.  And the tie also looks a little nicer on my wrist than a traditional hair tie.

But while I like the wider hair ties, I don’t think I’m going to be spending money on them.  I’ll probably just ask my Mom to make a run to Jo-Ann’s Fabrics and buy me a spool of brown elastic so that I can make my own.  Because, judging from this DIY, they are exactly as easy to make as it looks like they would be.

If push came to shove and I did decide to pay someone for them, I would buy them from one of the many Etsy sellers who offer them at more palatable prices.  Instead of $2.25 a pop, this seller has them for a little more than a dollar each.  Because, honestly, if I’m going to overpay someone for something that I can make at home, I’d like it to be a college student trying to make a little money on the side.

Bottom line, these hair ties are better than the thin elastics, but their not so much better that I can justify paying more than two-dollars a piece for them.  I’d rather make them myself or buy them on Etsy.