Best Hair Bows to Wear This Fall

Chanel's Fall 2024 couture show opened on June 25, 2024 with Vittoria Ceretti in a black taffeta opera cape and a grosgrain bow pulling back her hair. The contrast of a formal cape and a simple hair gesture is the part I keep borrowing.

Hair bows bring a deliberate shape to fall clothes: a ribbon at the nape can sharpen a wool coat, while a soft bow with a knit keeps a half-up style from reading too precious. I like them with leather jackets too, especially when the rest of the outfit is plain. A bow can feel formal or slightly undone, depending on whether it sits in a French twist, ponytail, or loose half-up hair.

Try the bow with your hair in its usual low bun, then step into your coat. If the ribbon vanishes into the collar, move it higher; if it competes with the coat's lapel, choose a narrower shape or let the hair do less.

Jennifer Behr's Wide silk-velvet bow hairclip is black velvet with a broad bow shape, the most direct nod to Chanel's grosgrain moment without copying it. Sophie Buhai's black satin bow hair clip has a quieter finish, good when the bow should sit in a low bun and not fight a coat collar. Roger Vivier's Broche Vivier crystal-embellished grosgrain hair clip brings crystal embellishment to black grosgrain, while Vivienne Westwood's white Julia bow-detailed embellished twill hair clip gives the row its sharp contrast. Hair bows can be dramatic without taking over the outfit. I would wear one with a black wool coat and a clean French twist, or let a half-up style keep it softer. What I would skip is adding another statement at the neckline.

Lovers and Friends' Betty Bow, petit moments' Bella Bow, and petit moments' X Scott King Hair Madonna Bow Clip all work in a lighter register than the black bows. The white pieces give a crisp point against a brown or charcoal knit, while the cream shade of the Madonna bow reads softer beside a wool coat. For hair bows with an everyday feel, I would place one at the end of a ponytail when I want the ribbon to show, or wear it with a half-up style and a leather jacket for a little contrast. The names give each bow its own personality, but I would keep the rest of the hair simple. A single ribbon can do enough when a scarf is already in the mix.

Lovers and Friends' Crest Bow is a black bow, and Vivetta's Polka Print Bow, Brooch And Hair Clip brings a champagne blue print into the same small edit. I like the contrast because the first can disappear into a dark ponytail while the second makes the accessory itself part of the outfit. With a leather jacket, keep the bow near the nape and leave the ends loose; with a fine knit and wool coat, a French twist gives the shape a cleaner frame. Hair bows do not have to be sweet: a black ribbon can feel graphic, and a printed one can read like a tiny piece of pattern. I would skip piling both on at once.

Completedworks' Gold-plated bow hair comb gives the gold grid a sculptural shape, while 8 Other Reasons' Lacey Ribbon Hair Tie brings gold into a more relaxed tie. One can sit into a French twist; the other can gather a ponytail without adding a second piece of jewelry. I would pair either with a black knit or a brown leather jacket, then let the metal tone repeat in a small earring if that is already part of the outfit. For a low bun, keep the comb visible rather than burying it under the twist. The useful difference is in the names: a comb for a pinned style, a tie for a ponytail.

Lele Sadoughi's Bardot Headband brings an espresso color into a group otherwise built around bows, while Zimmermann's Printed Silk Tie Scrunchie makes the tie and scrunchie part of the name do the styling work. Lovers and Friends' Angela Bow Clip rounds out the trio in natural. I would use the headband when a half-up style needs a frame, the printed silk tie for a ponytail, and the bow clip with a low bun and soft knit. There is room for a leather jacket too, especially if the accessory is the only patterned piece. The trick is choosing one point of interest, not matching every hair detail to every other one.

My rule is to match the bow's presence to the hair, not the outfit. A wide clip can hold its own against a wool coat, while a small tie or comb suits a low bun or ponytail that is already doing its job. For a half-up style, choose a bow with a clear outline and keep the neckline quiet. If the coat has a big collar or the knit has a lot of texture, let the bow be the only extra detail. What I would skip is treating every ribbon like a special-occasion piece; fall clothes make it feel easy to wear on an ordinary day.