It was only a matter of time before this year's most notable hair accessory trend reached the elite style moguls. Perfectly timed for the Christmas season ahead, Alexa Chung turns to her ribbon draw for some certified cool-girl inspiration and I couldn't be more proud.
As someone who a.) Loves bows on practically anything and b.) Love’s Alexa Chung more than some family members, you can imagine my excitement when my fashion muse posted on Instagram yesterday sporting the coquette style.
© InstagramCaptioning the Instagram story with a quirky, “Note to self: Not to be trusted near Christmas ribbons” Alexa is seen posing in front of a mirror with two plaits tied up with tartan bows. It got me thinking about all the ways to style the inevitable hoard of Christmas ribbons set to descend come December 25th.
"I think big bows don’t scare anyone any more - they are like decoration and in my opinion the bigger the better, especially at this time of year," explains luxury brand strategist Alexandra Carello who has just released a collection of bow-tiful hair accessories with Milanese headwear label Marzoline, "I believe In big bow energy and when you are wearing the right bow you feel decorated and beautiful."
From tiny hair adornments to handbag accessories, here’s how I, Hello! Fashion's Fashion Features Writer - and a self-appointed 'bow aficionado' - bring "Big Bow Energy" into my own life.
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Bows all over
My latest bow venture was actually just last week where in a moment of genius ( if I do say so myself) I found myself creating one of my all-time favourite hair looks. Using a roll of thin velvet red ribbon and a few bobby pins, I clipped multiple dainty bows onto my slicked-back hairdo. Surprisingly easy, this look made me feel cuter than ever on hair-wash day.
Bows in buns
Another go-to style that I find myself repeating at least three times a week is matching space buns. Easier than ever to achieve, especially if you’re a lazy gal like moi, simply pop your hair into two low buns and finish with matching (or mismatching) bows.
Collar bows
Leaning into the cottage core phenomenon, I love adding a bow to a collared shirt as I think it’s the easiest way to tie an outfit's colour palette together. In this case, I opted for a red ribbon to match my boots and skirt.
Handbag Bows
Another easy way to tie an outfit together is by adding a loosely tied ribbon to your handbag. Simple, effective and super affordable, this little styling trick always makes me feel put together, even on those days when sweatpants are the main attraction.
Safety pin bows
By now you can probably already tell that I spend a lot of time on TikTok and this little hack was inspired by various videos from my favourite creators. If you have a skirt or dress that's lacking that special something, grab a safety pin and rouche it up on one side to make a textural scrunch, pop a ribbon of your choosing through the safety pin and you guessed it, tie it in a bow.
French braid Bows
Taking the hair bow trend perhaps a little bit too literally, this look is all about going big or going home. Put your hair into two French braids and thread as many ribbons and bows throughout the plaits as physically possible. Et voila, you’re ready to walk in a Sandy Liang catwalk.
Bows on jeans
If there’s one thing I know about fashion, it's that it’s experimental. In this look, I decided to listen to my intrusive thoughts and tie bows around the ankles of my jeans, because why not? I’m still unsure if I love it or hate it, but I guess that’s what fashion is all about.
