The Return of the Bow

Bows are all the way back! At the 73rd edition of the Berlinale film festival in Berlin recently, Anne Hathaway wore a dress from Valentino’s 2023 couture collection that featured a beautiful bow. The collection makes extensive use of bows, ranging from waistbands to entire tops, and from accents on the shoulders to outfits composed almost entirely of tiny bows.

Hair and Make-up styles with Bow

Small bows are also increasingly seen in hair styles and makeup looks. For example, small bows are pasted scattered on the hair (Sandy Liang Fall 2023), or as a kind of concealer under the eyes (Simone Rocha Fall 2023). Bows with long ribbons are also seen in Simone Rocha’s collection, such as in lingerie-style dresses, in the place where traditionally a modest bow would be worn with a bra.

Viktor & Rolf

Then there are the Dutch masters of bows: Viktor and Rolf. In all their collections you will find at least one dress, suit or skirt with a bow detail. Sometimes it’s a large tulle bow, sometimes a subtle bow of a satin ribbon. Their most recent bridal collection is also full of bows. This is nothing new, of course, because anyone who says “Viktor and Rolf” and “bridal” immediately thinks of Princess Mabel’s wedding dress. On this dress, with a train of 2.75 meters long, no less than 248 handmade bows are applied that start small at the neckline and get larger at the end of the train.

It’s understandable if you look at these examples and wonder: is this for me? But of course! You can make bows as big, small, eye-catching or everyday as you like. For example, choose a bow in your hair to tie your hair in a ponytail, or a blouse with a bow detail at the neckline. There is bound to be something that fits within your picture.

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Thanks to Nikki for gathering inspiration and writing the basis of this blog!