Fashion's Bow Obsession Is Spilling Over Into Beauty
It's official: Bows are everywhere. Throughout the Fall 2023 season, we've spotted neatly tied ribbons everywhere from street style to ready-to-wear. But one fashion week category saw the crafty accessory more present than ever before: beauty.
It's no secret that ribbons have become a major trend in recent months, in large part thanks to the rise of aesthetics like balletcore, coquette-core, regency-core and other "cores" that rely heavily on hyper-femme motifs. Designers like Sandy Liang and Simone Rocha have brought these trends from the internet to the runway, and not just on clothing.
Photo: Imaxtree
During New York Fashion Week, Liang's models wore bows in their hair in a variety of ways: For some, the vibe was reminiscent of a 1980s Madonna look. They wore oversized tulle versions of the adornment pinned to the sides of their hair, an effect that lent extra texture and shape to some of the otherwise pin-straight hairstyles. Other models donned even larger tulle bows centered at the backs of their heads with long, flowing end pieces — creating a bridal veil-like accent (another runway trend from the season).
Photo: Stolenbesos/Courtesy of Sandy Liang
Perhaps the most cutesy and kitschy hair bow look on Liang's runway appeared on two models who wore mini ribbons scattered all over, which left plenty of show-goers itching to try the look for themselves. A handful of other Liang models sported bows at the backs of their heads, formed out of two micro-braided pieces of hair. And yet another variation of the hair decor included tied ribbons ironed flat, with their ends hanging below shoulder length, suggesting a simpler and more accessible way to try out the trend.
A week or so later in London, Simone Rocha debuted her Fall 2023 collection and made a splash with her own use of bows. In a look that High Fashion Twitter quickly dubbed "bow tears," tiny, tied ribbons were placed below models' eyes, with their ends "dripping" down to seemingly replicate the trajectory of a sorrowful stream. However, these bows certainly felt closer to happy tears than sad ones.
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Simone Rocha Fall 2023.
Photo: Imaxtree
Photo: Imaxtree
Bows made yet another appearance during London Fashion Week on Susan Fang's Fall 2023 runway, which presented perhaps the most hair bows ever seen within a single collection. Only six out of the 22 adult models were without a bow; many donned a simple, sleek headband with a bow at the crown, while others had bows knotted into braids at the crowns of their heads.
Photo: Imaxtree
A few days later in Milan, Max Mara debuted a collection filled with sophistication and crisp tailoring. Despite this ultra-polished aesthetic rooted in minimalism, creative director of the brand Ian Griffiths seemingly couldn't help but get on board with the bow trend, but in his own sleek interpretation: models wore slicked-back ponytails adorned with a simple flat black bow centered at the bump of the hairstyle.
Photos: Imaxtree
Looking to try the trend for yourself? There are plenty of options out there, but all you really need is a spool of ribbon from your local crafts store.
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