Honoring Moments That Matter: Finding Peace in Movement
Before the barbecues start. Before the traffic builds and the playlists shuffle and the day fills with noise, there is a window on Memorial Day morning that belongs entirely to you. It is quiet in a way that feels deliberate, as if the morning itself is holding space for something heavier than a holiday.
That weight is worth sitting with. Memorial Day exists because people gave their lives so that we could live ours fully. Honoring that is not a passive thing. It does not only happen at a podium or a graveside ceremony. It can happen on a trail at dawn, in a yoga class, at a lakeside with your family, in the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other and being completely, intentionally present.
This is what finding peace in movement means. Not escaping the weight of the day, but carrying it with you into the open air, letting your body become the memorial. And yes, we want your hair to be the absolute last thing on your mind while you do it.
"The legacy of heroes is the memory of a great name and the inheritance of a great example."
Benjamin DisraeliThe Most Honest Forms of Remembrance
There is something that happens when you take your grief, your gratitude, or your reverence outside. The body processes what the mind cannot always hold. Research from the American Psychological Association consistently links time in nature with reduced stress, improved mood, and a greater sense of connection to something larger than ourselves. On a day that asks us to connect with something larger than ourselves, that matters.
Moving with intention is not the same as staying busy. It is the opposite. It is choosing a practice, a walk, a stretch, a paddle, and giving it your full attention in honor of someone who is no longer with us. That is presence. That is remembrance made physical.
Three Ways to Find Peace in Movement This Memorial Day
Practice One
Sunrise Yoga and Breathwork
There is a reason warriors have always used breath as a tool. Intentional breathwork and yoga ground the nervous system, quiet the thinking mind, and bring you fully into your body, which is exactly where Memorial Day deserves to be experienced. Many yoga studios and community organizations host free or donation-based sunrise sessions in parks on Memorial Day morning. Search for one near you, or simply unroll a mat in your backyard, face east, and begin.
Some poses to consider holding as intentional acts of remembrance: Warrior I, Warrior II, and Mountain Pose. Not for their names alone, but for what they ask of your body. Stability. Strength. The willingness to stay exactly where you are.
Move with intention, remember with your whole body.
Practice Two
The Memory Walk
You do not need a trail map or a fitness goal for this one. You need twenty minutes, comfortable shoes, and a name.
Before you leave the house, think of one person who served. A relative, a neighbor, a name from your town's veterans memorial, a face from a photograph. Carry them with you on your walk. Let each step be a thought you would want them to hear. Gratitude. Admiration. A piece of a life they helped protect.
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs encourages all Americans to observe the National Moment of Remembrance at 3:00 PM local time on Memorial Day, one minute of silence wherever you are. If you are on your memory walk at that hour, stop. Breathe. And then keep going.
When you get home, write their name down. Say it aloud to someone you love. That name is why today exists.
One step at a time. One name at a time. This is what remembrance looks like in motion.
Practice Three
Gathering with the People You Love
Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do on Memorial Day is exactly this: be present with the living people in your life. Put the phones down. Go outside. Let the kids run barefoot. Sit in the grass. Watch the light change. Cook something together. Tell the old stories.
The National Park Service and local parks departments often extend free or reduced-admission days around Memorial Day weekend. A family hike, a lakeside picnic, or even a slow afternoon in your backyard can be a profound act of gratitude for the freedoms we often forget to notice.
If you have children, this is also one of the most natural moments to begin a conversation about what Memorial Day means, not in a heavy way, but in a human one. Who in your family served? What do you know about them? What do you want your children to remember?
Being present with the people you love is not a small thing. On Memorial Day, it is everything.
Outdoor Hairstyles Built for a Day Spent Being Present
Whether you are moving through yoga flows, walking a trail, or chasing kids at the park, your hairstyle should disappear from your awareness the moment you leave the mirror. These are the styles that hold all day, without fussing, pulling, or rethinking.
High Ponytail: Simple, elevated, and completely reliable. Wrap a red Rip Tie twice at the base and press the closure to lock it in. It will not slip during inversions, not budge in the wind, and not leave a crease when you finally take it out at the end of the day. This is the everyday Memorial Day hair tie moment.
Low Bun at the Nape: Perfect for yoga, meditation, or a quiet walk. A low bun sits below the head rest if you stop to sit or lie down, and stays out of your face during any forward-fold movement. Secure with a white Rip Tie for a clean, intentional look that pairs beautifully with patriotic colors in your outfit.
Braided Crown or Single Braid: A braid keeps every strand accounted for during hours of outdoor movement, looks thoughtful and put-together for ceremonies or gatherings, and works across all hair textures. Finish the end of a single braid with a blue Rip Tie for a natural patriotic touch that feels earned, not costumey. For more braid styles built for all-day hold, see our full guide on outdoor and workout hairstyles.
The Rip Tie Colors for Memorial Day
Choosing a red, white, or blue hair tie on Memorial Day is a small and quiet thing. It does not announce itself. It just lives there in your braid or your bun all day long, a tiny piece of intention woven into an ordinary moment. These are the Rip Tie colors made for honoring the red, white, and blue.
Every color above links directly to the pack it lives in. The Freedom Trail 3 Pack is the one built for today: red, white, and navy in one set, tangle-free and waterproof for everything the holiday throws at you.
Freedom Trail 3 Pack
Red, white, and navy. Three tangle-free, waterproof Rip Tie hair ties made for every outdoor adventure on Memorial Day and beyond. Patented no-snag closure. Works on all hair types.
Shop the Freedom Trail PackCarry the Day with You
There is no single right way to observe Memorial Day. Some people stand at attention at 3:00 PM. Some people look through old photographs. Some people cook their grandmother's recipe and talk about the uncle who did not make it home. Some people take a second to go outside and breathe.
All of it is right. All of it is enough. What matters is that the day does not pass unnoticed, that somewhere in the middle of the long weekend you pause, turn toward something larger than your to-do list, and let yourself feel the weight and the gratitude of living in a country built on that kind of sacrifice.
Move with intention. Be where your feet are. And if you need a hair tie that will stay exactly where you put it so you never have to think about it again, you know where to find us.
Red. White. Blue. Three colors, three hair ties, one tangle-free Memorial Day.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best Memorial Day hair tie for outdoor activities?
The best Memorial Day hair tie is one that holds all day without readjusting, does not damage your hair, and survives heat, sweat, and wind. Rip Tie hair ties use a patented wrap-and-press hook-and-loop closure that stays exactly where you put it through yoga, hiking, family gatherings, and hours in the sun. The Freedom Trail 3 Pack comes in red, white, and navy so you can honor the day right down to your ponytail.
Do you have red, white, and blue hair ties for Memorial Day?
Yes. Our Freedom Trail 3 Pack includes red, white, and navy blue tangle-free hair ties. Shop it before Memorial Day weekend as patriotic colors tend to sell out quickly.
What outdoor hairstyles work best for a full Memorial Day?
High ponytails, low buns, and braids are all excellent choices for long outdoor days. The key is using a hair tie that does not loosen, stretch out, or slip when your hair gets humid or sweaty. With a Rip Tie, you can wrap and press once in the morning and not think about your hair again until evening.
What is the National Moment of Remembrance on Memorial Day?
Congress established the National Moment of Remembrance in 2000, asking all Americans to pause for one minute of silence at 3:00 PM local time on Memorial Day to honor those who gave their lives in military service. You can observe it anywhere, on a trail, at a park, in your backyard, or at a community ceremony. It is one of the simplest and most powerful things you can do today.
Are Rip Tie hair ties good for all hair types including thick or coily hair?
Yes. Because Rip Tie wraps around your hair rather than looping an elastic that has to stretch, it accommodates all hair types including thick, coily, natural, and fine hair. You control the tension by wrapping once or twice, and the closure holds without digging in or causing breakage. For a full breakdown of our sizing by hair type, see the infographic on our product pages.
Did this post move you?
We would love to hear how you are honoring Memorial Day this year. Are you planning a sunrise yoga session, a family hike, or a quiet memory walk? Is there someone specific you will be thinking about?
Drop a comment below and share your story with the Rip Tie community.