When assessing the global appeal of a new-fangled fashion trend, the pages of British Vogue serve as an invaluable starting point. If it was big on the catwalk, it will be huge on its pages and then even more enormous on the high street. Such is the order of things on the ever evolving planet of fashion.
Of course, you probably already knew that. What may come as more of a surprise is the news that the most recent edition of Britain’s beloved style bible is a celebration of the hairbow in a host of shapes, styles and forms. So prominent is the humble bow — it features 27 times — that the February issue of the magazine is, in essence, a manifesto for a deliciously girlie breed of retro glamour which, if Vogue has its way, will have us all dressing as slightly awkward reincarnations of Minnie Mouse by the time spring is out.
Having made its name in the first half of the 20th century during a time when dressing like a 12-year-old did not mean rationing cash between Primark and Topshop, the bow’s return to form began last October. Specifically, with Marc Jacobs. At his latest show for Louis Vuitton, Jacobs — who has long enjoyed showboating his accessories offerings — included not one but 64 perfectly formed Alice bands in striking hues of lemon, white and black. Evoking Sixties glamour with a bold, contemporary twist, Jacobs reworked the beehive for today’s Vuitton customer with a flash of silk and a monochrome palette.
In its latest ad campaign, Chanel also puts hairbows back on the agenda. With a subtle nod to the eastern influence which occupied the last round of shows, Karl Lagerfeld included sharp, perfectly pressed bows in his cruise collection for the house.
But does Vogue really have this one right? Is a perfectly tied hairbow the answer to all our hair dilemmas next season? “The bow is incredibly classic,” confirms milliner Jessica Broas, who created a bespoke collection of supersized hairbands for a shoot styled by Lucinda Chambers which appeared in the latest edition of Vogue. But, she adds, not everyone can make one work. “On me, for instance, it could end up looking a bit Whatever Happened to Mary Jane?”.
However, that needn’t mean we should all shut our eyes and pray for this girlie moment to pass. Around 10 per cent of you (specifically the enviable section of society known as “the sort of girls who can carry off a bin bag”) should be able to execute this look with ease.
For the rest of us, the only way to approach the bow is with caution. While a Broas supersized creation may be a step too far, a subtle bow attached to a thin hairband is a wearable alternative.
Tomboys need not apply.
