17 Bow Hairstyles That Prove the Accessory Can Elevate Any Look

Incorporate a Classic Bow

You cannot go wrong with a simple, classic bow. This look is perfect for curly or textured hair: Secure your hair in a curly-safe pineapple and add your ribbon accent to elevate your protective style.

Braid a Frida Kahlo-Inspired Crown

Frida Kahlo—one of the original braid crown icons—was famously pictured with ribbons incorporated into her intricately braided updos. Morales credits Kahlo as an originator of the trend. "I am sure Frida Kahlo has to do something with it," she says. "She had fun with her beautiful hair and created this trademark over the years. I am almost sure this trend comes from her."

A proper crown braid can be tough to master on your own, so an easy dupe is to form two separate braids and pin them to the crown of your head. You can emulate Frida by integrating a ribbon throughout your braids before pulling them up into a crown.

Supersize Your Bow

We love the drama of this oversized bow, which offers a fresh take on the bow hairstyle. Sticking with a monochrome and muted color palette (like this all-black take) will help keep the oversized style from looking costumey. Follow Kiernan Shipka's lead and pair this style with a dramatic winged eyeshadow look for maximum impact.

Quadruple the Ribbons

Why stop at just one ribbon? Multiple small ribbons are an easy way to incorporate the accessory throughout a hairstyle with ease. This quadruple ribbon look on Hailey Bieber is a great way to accent standard braids with multiple mini bows.

Elevate Your Ponytail

Take your ponytail to the next level with an elegant satin ribbon. Once your hair is up in a high ponytail, tie a piece of ribbon into a bow around the base. "I like to incorporate ribbons into the hair [with] braids, buns, and ponytails," says Morales. "I love the way it changes the look and makes it more fun."

Add a Dramatically Long Ribbon

One surefire way to add some drama to an everyday hairstyle? Add an extra long ribbon. A cascade of ribbon extending past the length of your hair is sure to turn heads and give off an almost Rapunzel vibe.

When selecting a ribbon for this style, longer is better—especially if you're creating a bow. We love Ariana's use of transparent ribbon in this look, which adds to the ethereal nature of the whole ensemble.

Use Solid Ribbons to Complement Patterns

Ribbons in solid statement colors are a great complement to pattern-heavy looks. You can use this method to bring out more subtle colors in a busy design: The key is choosing one color from the pattern and playing off its tones. For example, this gorgeous gold ribbon brings out the neutral tones in the cheetah print dress and helps to brighten the whole look, despite the darker colors being more prominent.

Use Textured Ribbon for Contrast

This now-iconic Met Gala look relied on a ribbon to raise a basic ponytail to red carpet-ready glamor. Ribbon fabrics vary, so try using something with texture to add intrigue and definition to your look.

When attempting a sleek hairstyle like this one, Morales recommends using a leave-in conditioner to smooth and control your hair, like Garnier’s Miracle Frizz Tamer 10-in-1 Leave-In Treatment ($10).

Coordinate Your Whole Look

Finding a similarly patterned ribbon is a great way to tie your hair into your outfit. Here, a simple low ponytail is instantly elevated by a hair ribbon that coordinates with the striped pants. Keeping a neutral color, like a white top, in between will help you avoid looking too matchy-matchy.

Accessorize Your Ribbon

Ribbon hairstyles can be further elevated when paired with other clips and accessories. In this look, the bow is placed smack dab in the middle of a sea of bejeweled barrettes. You can replicate this with any hair clips (or even brooches) you have on hand.

Add a Bow to Your Braid

"There are so many ways you can incorporate a ribbon into your hair, but some of my favorite ways to do it are weaving it into a loose braid or tying it at the end of your braid," says Kim. "The fun part is choosing [from] the different materials you can use, from thick satin ribbons to printed scarves."

For a braided bun, start by braiding your hair and incorporating the ribbon of your choice into the braid. Once finished, wrap the braid into a bun and secure it in place. Make sure to tease the braid a bit before pulling it into a bun and again once it's secure to ensure the ribbon pops.

Serve Serious Sparkle

If a simple ribbon isn't delivering your desired effect, consider swapping in a bedazzled bow or adding rhinestones to a ribbon you already have. We love how the sparkles on this dark-colored bow accentuate the center and create a starburst effect.

Upgrade Your Elastic

Short hair looks great when pulled back into a low pony at the nape of the neck—especially when you swap your elastic for a small, chic bow. The black bow beautifully complements the black coat and light hair in this look. Kim suggests beginners "start with a messier look so that imperfections are less noticeable and actually look good with them."

Create a Bubble Braid Using Bows

With the rise in Y2K hairstyles, why not combine the bow trend with one of the easiest early aughts styles to recreate, the bubble braid? Start by pulling your hair into a low ponytail, then use small pieces of ribbon to create the bubble braid sections. Feel free to alternate colors or even span the whole rainbow with your ribbon color choices.

Secure a Half-Up Hairdo

A half-up hairdo is an effortless style that can take you from work to happy hour. This half-up look is made even more chic by the addition of a black satin ribbon. When you secure your half-up hairstyle with a ribbon, you make it more sophisticated—instantly leveling up this classic 'do.

Use Ribbon as a Headband

Whether leaving your hair down or whipping up a quick messy bun, a ribbon headband is a great way to make a last-minute hairstyle look more intentional. A bonus: Ribbon headbands may be more comfortable than traditional headbands since you can customize how tightly they fit.

Max Out on Mini Bows

Why wear one bow when you can wear many? This maximalist approach to incorporating bows takes minimal effort to execute. To try this runway look at home, we recommend using mini clip-in bows and staggering them throughout the length of your hair. To avoid doing too much with this already over-the-top style, keep your strands simple.