A Definitive Guide To Wearing Bows This Season

The trend that is set to rule more than any other this spring is one of the prettiest and most romantic we can think of: bows. From the catwalk to the red carpet, worn in hair, decorating shoes and adorning frocks, the beautiful bow seems to be set to be the standout trend – the leopard print if you like – of the new season.

Although bows have a reputation for being best suited to evening wear, there are actually plenty of ways to bring the trend into your wardrobe, whether you want to be bold or keep it subtle.

Here's how to make the trend work for you.

For The Evening

If you are all about the after-dark bow, then look to the award-season red carpet and the recent couture shows for inspiration. Designers have been embracing satin, colour and oversized bows – and it has been just as head-turning as you would imagine.

In Paris, Balmain, Giambattista Valli and Alexandre Vauthier added bow details to already opulent and bedazzling gowns, while Valentino and Givenchy embraced bow back detail, the latter in the form of couture backpacks.

On the red carpet, the Golden Globes saw bows as the standout trend, with Julianne Moore, Gemma Chan, Constance Wu and Danai Gurira among those to wear it. Meanwhile, Alison Brie landed on every best dressed list going after the SAG Awards with her oversized Miu Miu bow – and Candice Swanepoel kicked off New York Fashion Week wearing a beautiful monochrome Rasario dress with an enormous bow.

Day To Day

While bows have certainly been a bigger red-carpet hit than street style so far, there is no reason why you can't bring the trend into your day-to-day wardrobe. Bows were all over the catwalk during the spring/summer 2019 ready-to-wear shows (particularly in London) in many incarnations, including in more subtle daytime and even workwear-appropriate ways.

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If you want to bring the bow trend into the office, look to Burberry and Andrew Gn's more subtle offerings. Gucci should, as ever, be your go to if you want to embrace maximalism, while  Emilia Wickstead, Rodarte (for both SS19 and the recently unveiled AW19) and Erdem were all about the romance.

Alternatively, if you have a more grungy look and don't do girly, look to Preen. The British brand showed delicate skinny bows on floral dresses and paired them with hiking boots.

In Your Hair

Of course, there are more subtle ways to embrace the beautiful bow trend too. This can be done through making it work with your accessories, particularly in your hair.

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Emilia Wickstead was all about the bow for spring/summer 2019, from giant, colourful bows on dresses to more subtle decorations in ponytails. Meanwhile on the Miu Miu and Prada catwalks, there were bow-adorned headbands.

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Both Poppy Delevingne and Nicole Kidman have opted for this low-key way of wearing bows on the red carpet too, with the former in Emilia Wickstead and the latter complimenting her sparkly Golden Globes gown with a subtle bow in her hair. And it has not just made it way onto the red carpet, but also into the style rulebook of the Duchess of Cambridge, who has worn a sweet ribbon in her hair on several engagements this year.

This article originally appeared in Harper's BAZAAR UK