What is a Durag and How do I Tie and Wear one?

If you’re from another planet you’d be wondering what the heck is a durag? A durag, also spelled do-rag, and sometimes called a silky, wave cap, or tie-down, is simply a piece of cloth, with tails. And an atty-tude. The name, be it durag or do rag, is a rag to protect your hairdo. Or was, before it became a famous headscarf.

The modern durag is a hair covering with a long history. Originally worn by field workers in Southern plantations, in the 1990’s it became the signature look of the hip-hop culture. From there it was quickly embraced by African American men in professional sports and entertainment. These stars are the style leaders in the culture, and soon every bro in and out of the hood was sporting a durag.

Not to be left out, the ladies took to the all-purpose durag. It went mainstream in 2020, when Rihanna wore a durag on the cover of Vogue. If you don’t know who she is, stop reading right now. There’s no hope for you. The purpose, and yes there is one, of a durag is to protect your hard-earned hair style while you sleep. More on style later. For now lets focus on our very own durags. sewn from the smoothest, silky-softest microfibers. You’ll hardly know it’s there, if not for the eyeballs and compliments as you cruise the streets.

Our durags come in many colors, so you’ll never have to worry about matching your threads when you step off the curb, and into your ride. Order a three-pack today. If you’re flash for cash then grab a dozen, and share the love.

How to Tie a Durag

Also called a wave cap, because it is worn to protect your wave. A hairstyle created by brushing the hair in waves, from the crown. A durag preserves the brushing while you sleep. It also works for cornrows.

The subject at hand is these soft durags you ordered on the internet. You open the package and slide one out. Say what? It looks like a shower cap, with long, long flat strings.

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Now that you know what it is for, let’s get to it. First off, turn it inside out, so the center seam is on the outside. If you don’t, it will put a line through your hair. That defeats the purpose of all that brushing.

Now that it is on your head it is time to tie those flaps. Grab the flaps on either side of your head, and pull them back. Make sure you keep them flat, so they don’t get knotty.

How to Tie a Durag

Cross the flaps at the back of your head, and bring them around to the front. A mirror help with this in the beginning. Later, you will be able to tie your durag as easily as tying your shoes. Those flaps, or strings, are like shoe laces, and if you can tie a bow you can wear a durag.

Cross them again, in the front. Keep the strings flat, and once more take them to the back of your head. That’s where you will tie it, like a shoe. And you’re lit.

How To Put On A Durag

How To Put On A Durag

You work hard, spend a lot of time, styling your hair. So, you don’t want to lose all that effort when your head hits the pillow. You could just wear a shower cap to bed, but if you do, then be ready to wake up with a sweaty head.

Grab a selection of our durags, instead. Twelve is four times better than three. Don’t be cheating your waves. Put on a fresh one every morning, for daytime, and another one at night, for preservation. Our microfiber durags are breathable, and easy to hand wash in the sink.

As we said, the seam goes on the outside, and down the middle of your head. Be sure to keep it tight and flat, without wrinkles. Back in the ’80’s Sade sang about a Smooth Operator. That’s you, in your durag, when it’s tied tight.

After you have done the criss-cross moves, as shown above, and bow-tied the ends of the strings in the back, then it is time to work those straps. Get any kinks or folds out. Make your straps are tight and flat above your ears, and across your forehead.

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Another way to do the rag is pull the front down over your eyes, to your nose. Then fold it up to your forehead. This will give your hair the compression it needs. Smooth the flaps, tie it tight. 

Keep in mind you want compression, to keep your hair pressed down, to keep all those-hard-earned waves in place day and night. When you’re ready for the Red Carpet moment in the spotlight, and you take your durag off, the do is perfect, be it 180, 360, or a half-moon, with waves. Eyes and flashbulbs will pop.

What Does a Durag Do

What Does a Durag Do
How do I Tie a Wave Cap
How to Wear a Do rag

Your do, as in hairdo, needs a durag to do its thing, so you can do yours. We have touched on waves, and how a durag worn day and night can keep those hours of brushing, greasing, and shampooing looking fly. You can’t afford to take two steps forward, then one step back.

If you are into cornrows instead, you still need to wear a durag at night, to keep those braids tight. Nobody wants to see a field of corn with the rows wandering every which way. All that work, and then you have to plow it up, and start over. Because you forgot to wear your durag to sleep. The same holds true for an old school afro. All that pickin’ needs protectin’. Nobody wants their hair to suffer from friction, frizz, and flyaways.

You need protection between you and your pillow. Hair and cotton will battle all night. Cotton fibers latch onto your hair. In the morning you will see dead soldiers layin’ on the battle field. A satin or silk pillowslip helps, but for the best protection, also wear a durag.

You only keep your hair out when you are doing the social scene, when it is time to see, and be seen. Otherwise, day and night, you keep it tight. Preservation is the answer to what does a durag do. Like bling, it only does its thing, when you are out and about. Just chillin around the house, wear the durag to protect all that time and money spent you in the salon.  Or if lucky, the work put in by your lady.

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How to Wear a Du rag

How to Wear a Doorag

There is no right way to wear it or tie it. Some ppl tie the strings to the side, some leave the cape out, some tuck the cape in, some leave the strings untied and the cape out, with the durag sitting loosely over the head. Rihanna inspired people to wearing durags for fashion—not even tied right, but just to fit in with the culture. When you are famous you can do what you want, and others will copy it.

The rapper Memphis Bleek wore his untied under a fitted baseball cap. Jay-Z used to wear his with the strings tied to the back. Cam’ron wore his strings tied to the back but laid flat on his forehead, to avoid leaving the marks when he removed it. Will you get  checked out when you’re out and about rocking your durag with the cape out? It is possible. Someone said it’s a Superman cape.

While you are waiting for your durag order to arrive, you can protect your hair style with one of our bandanas. The ones you ordered when you first visited the website. “I like the polyester ones because they are more durable,” says Jean Robert Rene, famous waver. Fold a corner of the bandana down so it points to the opposite corner. If you have big hair, just a small fold.

Hold the two far corners of the bandana, the same way you will hold your durag strings, when they arrive. Put the bandana on your forehead, and pull the two ends around back, and tie them off. Then take the corner on top of your head, pull it back toward the knot. Tuck it under the knot, and you done.