The headscarf was both a glamorous accessory and a practical item of headgear worn by everyone during the 1950s from filmstars like Marilyn Monroe to housewives. Usually square, it was often worn tied underneath the chin.

Firms began to capitalise on the advertising potential of the scarf in the late 1940s. The name of a product or title of a film printed onto this prominently worn garment ensured free publicity. This example features brand names and attractions which are still well-known such as Haig's Scotch Whisky and Butlin's. The eye-catching colours and American-influenced imagery represent the increased prosperity of a society which had recovered from the deprivations of war and now manufactured a vast range of consumer goods.