Hair bows are this season's must-have accessory

Undeniably, when it comes to accessories, we're deep in our hair bows era. And we're seemingly not along as we've seen them all over the red carpet, all over social and all over the hair of our favourite celebrities and influencers.

If you want to level-up an outfit with some extra style kudos, a hair bow is everything. And as Lupita Nyong'o proved, you don't have to settle for just one. At the Chanel Cruise 2026, her long-time hairstylist Vernon Francois dressed her elaborate up-do with not one, not two, but three hair bows that cascaded down the back from her crown to the nape of her neck.

The pretty fan-like effect is giving modern Marie Antoinette, sitting somewhere between coquettecore and Riviera chic.

TikTok has a little something to do with it. The “preppy” and “expensive hair” movements collided to reignite the boom of hair bows. And ultra-feminine aesthetics such as balletcore continue to recruit new fans, including Elsa Hosk and Blackpink's Rosie.

Not your bag? Goth-girls are leaning into the Victoriana vibe with black velvet bows or silky black ribbons. Whatever your mood, we're here for velvet, silk and organza hair bows added to ponytails and updos.

Of course, the hair bow obsession has been building for a while. Celebrities like Hailey Bieber have been riding the bow trend particularly hard for the past few years, and designers have kept the accessory front and centre for several seasons.

Celebrity hairstylist Gregory Russell — the man behind Anya Taylor-Joy’s signature hair looks — says he loves bows as an easy way to dress up hair and add a ’60s feel. He recommends a bow paired with a half-updo, a ponytail, or a low messy style to contrast the bow.

“If you’re worried about looking too styled, I would make sure there is a messy, effortless texture to your style to balance the femme feeling of a bow,” Gregory says. Try Moroccanoil's Dry Texture Spray to add body and shine without crunch and Ouai's Matte Pomade for a medium hold that adds texture and depth to the look. As far as bows go, Russell recommends brands like Lelet and Jennifer Behr, since they're easy to use. But, if you want something more affordable, simple haberdashery ribbon will do the job.

Here's some of our favourite ways to wear the hair bow trend…

Bow and brooch braids

Polished blow-dry & bow

Side-part bow

Red velvet bow

Sparkly bow

Dinky baby braid bow

Double bow

Supersized but sheer

Silky red bow

Velvet bow

Curls and bow

Silky ponytail bow

Wide bow

Half-up hair with bow

Bob & bow

Braid & bow

Mid height black bow

Sparkly bow clips

Preppy bow ponytail

Multi-bow

Low pony bow

Half-up bunches bow

Skinny red bows

Wavy ponytail bow

XXL plait bow

Braided ponytail bow

Bob with red velvet bow

Red silky pigtail bow

Silky green bow

Bow, braids & baby hairs

Sky high bow

Side-part bow and lob

Bow sculpted hair

Bow sculpted bun

Bow bobble braid

Temple bows

Bow bun

Gift-wrapped hair

Hair bow and curly ponytail

Pearl studded velvet bow

Bow and pigtails

Pink velvet bow

Skinny ribbon bow

Bow at the bottom of buns

High pigtails with low bows

Silky pink bow

Half up hair and white bow

Black organza bow

Balletcore bow

Marie Antoinette-style bows

Bow bubble braid

Half up half down bow

Old Hollywood bow

Rainbow

Cutesy bow

Pigtail bow

Tonal

Side-parted

Modern ballerina bun

Pink claw clip bow

Half-up and retro

Tinkerbell topknot

Oversized bow

MEGA

Camila Cabello

The Daisy Jones & The Six star's soft waves, half-up half-down hair and velvet bow is classic.

Noam Galai/GA

Aubrey Plaza

With her curtain bangs and bun adorned with a black bow, The White Lotus star Aubrey Plaza chanelled a modern day Audrey Hepburn.

Jamie McCarthy

Billy Eilish

Billie Eilish previously bedazzled her raven black hair with hair slides and a long black bow that was plaited into her waist-length hair.

Theo Wargo

Nicole Kidman

Nicole Kidman gave us a boho take on the black ribbon trend. Her half-up, half-down style was tied with a loose bow, while large sections of the hair framing her face were left free.

John Shearer

Karlie Kloss

Karlie Kloss chose to accessorise her sleek high ponytail with a black satin bow. It's pretty, polished and feels like a fun update to a classic.

Theo Wargo

Priyanka Chopra

Priyanka Chopra twisted a black satin ribbon through her structural updo.

Theo Wargo