If you’re a girl with any form of social media, you know ribbons are booming everywhere and will likely be the accessory of 2024. Bows are a symbol of femininity. Some of the greatest women figures, whether made-up like Minnie Mouse or celebrities on the red carpet including Sydney Sweeney on the 2023 Met Gala, had laced ribbons as a part of their look, featured in their hair or clothing. But they weren’t always tied to the same group of people that love them now.

The European Origins of Hair Bows

However, ribbons were not always seen as feminine. According to Anna Purna Kambhampty, a Time Magazine author, in the 16th to 17th centuries, European adult men predominantly wore hair ribbons to demonstrate their wealth. They were attached to a ‘lovelock’, or a long section of hair. At this time, ribbons were more of a masculine symbol and made its surge in popularity for men in the 1700s.

This was until the near end of the 18th century, when men began cutting their hair for war, leaving no hair for ribbons to tie. The 19th century, including the Victorian era, was when men left this accessory behind and continued having shorter hair. They left the hair bows to women of all classes, which eventually was used to classify gender and were added to the expectations of girls, like the color pink. This standard has continued throughout the 1900s and can be considered the same way in the present, depending on your beliefs.

So if it’s so stereotypical, why do teenage girls enjoy wearing ribbons now?

Popular TikTok “aesthetics” rebranded the hair bows and ribbons to express womanhood in style, and with confidence. These styles are called ‘coquette’ or ‘balletcore’, which highlight soft and hyper-feminine features without being meant for male validation. This new look influenced many girls and gave it a go. Needless to say, they were immediately obsessed with them, putting them on anything and everything, not just hair. You can find three-dimensional bows tied to random objects such as a mug or a pink ribbon graphic on a sweater. Bows are currently a statement piece rather than a gender norm.

On the other hand, girls may use this hair accessory solely for their flirtatious and elegant look, not bothering about its trendiness. Bows and ribbons are an eye-catching way to tie anyone’s look together. Of course, any option is completely valid. Always remember that there is no right or wrong method of wearing clothing.

As time goes by, the group of people who use hair ribbons is constantly changing. This trend will fluctuate between different ages and genders. Now we contemplate who will be the next victim of the stylish hair ribbon (if there shall be another).

Work Cited 

“From Marie Antoinette to JoJo Siwa, Hair Bows Have a Surprisingly Meaningful History.” Time, Edited 14 Aug. 2019

 time.com/5642621/jojo-bows-history/.

rrrubyredstone. “Tied up in a Bow: A Brief History of the Hair Ribbon.” Documenting Fashion, 18 Dec. 2020, sites.courtauld.ac.uk/documentingfashion/2020/12/18/tied-up-in-a-bow-a-brief-history-of-the-hair-ribbon/.

Bateman, Kristen. “The Rise and Fall—and Rise Again—of the Fashion Bow.” Harper’s BAZAAR, 2 Dec. 2021, www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion/trends/a38390932/bows-in-fashion/.

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