
The Hair Clip Style Guide: How to Get the Look

By Julia Wohlers, Brand of People Magazine
When it first came to my attention thatΒ hair clipsΒ wereΒ comingΒ back in, two significant points were immediately obvious. The first was thatΒ social mediaΒ influencers led the charge on this style, dictating the look and placement of little details and showing us how to imitate them. The second point was that the re–emergence of this iconic late-90s trend is not Spice Girls 2.0, but an up-leveled, understated application of pretty and practical hair accessories.Β Where twenty-somethingΒ Sarah Michelle GellarΒ gaveΒ us a rainbow ofΒ colorfulΒ oversizedΒ butterflies securing conspicuous chunks of hair at 30–degree intervals, the new hair clip aesthetic is closer to the minimalist approach that has grown to redefine jewelry over the past six to seven years.Β
TrendingΒ Hair Clip Sets for Women
Once you begin browsing hair clip sets,Β youβllΒ find thereβs no shortage of options across all hair types.Β SpecificΒ designs are best suited to different types of hair.Β SmallerΒ pieces like bobby pins and barrettes wonβt have the same capacity to restrain volume as crocodile andΒ clawΒ clipsΒ can.Β But whether curly or straight, short or long, styled or au natural, clip solutions abound to tame your tresses. Keep an eye outΒ forΒ the followingΒ trendsΒ and themes definingΒ todayβsΒ hair clip resurgence.Β

Pearls and Beads
Topping the charts of the hair clip trendΒ at the momentΒ are snap clips and barrettes embellished withΒ pearls, bothΒ spareΒ and baroque, and smallΒ pearlyΒ beads covering the surface of the clip in a palette of ivory, white and gold hues. Not onlyΒ isΒ this look perfect for the holidays, but the pearl effect (whether genuine or faux) makes it timeless and elegant without dominating your outfit.
CelestialΒ MotifsΒ
As sun, moon and star elements expanded their presence across rings, bracelets, necklaces and earringsΒ recently, it was only a matter of time before they completed their journey northward and took on our hairstyles as well! Celestial-themed hair clips tend to consist of delicate metal bars enhanced with shimmery rhinestones or small pearl accents. Multi-point starlets are particularly pretty and eye-catching, while zodiac constellation hairpins allow you to celebrate your sign.


Dainty andΒ MinimalistΒ FormsΒ
Simple geometric forms have also made the leap from jewelry to hair accessories, and just because the look is daintyΒ doesnβtΒ mean the hardware isnβt sturdy. Delicate solid-plated metal shapes in narrow widths orΒ geometricΒ forms contribute to a modernistΒ effectΒ while providingΒ sleek styling.Β Β
Marbled andΒ OrganicΒ PatternsΒ
Not everything on the market is delicate and minimalist; chunky resin and acrylic clips with iridescent sheens are also a big part of todayβs hair clip trend. TortoiseΒ shell, terrazzo effects, andΒ marbled multi-color barrettes and snaps are more casual than their bedazzled counterparts; these alternatives make for a great, practical daywear application. Other acrylic patterns might imitate organic materials, like stone or wood patterns.Β


Coins andΒ MedallionsΒ
If you stocked up on coin necklaces when the trend struck last year, you can now transition the aesthetic from your dΓ©colletage to your crown. Pins and hair clips withΒ coinΒ and medallion ornamentation, typically in gold or gold-plated zinc, are making a strong appearance inΒ fashionableΒ hairdos.Β
Glitter andΒ Micro–SequinΒ EmbellishmentsΒ
Nothing stands out on your scalp quite like aΒ shimmering accessory. IfΒ youβreΒ worried a princess vibe feels like something a little girl would wear rather than a grown woman, fear not: sophisticated glitter-embellished clips distinguish themselves from more junior versions through sleeker shapes and a calmer color palette. Think neutrals, metallics like gold, silver and rose gold, and subdued shades like pale lilacs, mint greens and sky blues rather than saturated brightΒ colors.Β


Claws inΒ UnexpectedΒ ShapesΒ
Claw hair clips are so practical for restraining hair thatΒ theyβveΒ never gone out of style, particularlyΒ thoseΒ in hair color tones, tortoise-shell variations, andΒ matteΒ finishings. The contemporary twist on this classic is found in non-standard clip shapes,Β withΒ scalloped edges, wavy spines, curvy art deco inspirations andΒ unusually-shapedΒ prongs.Β
How toΒ Wear & STYLE YOUR CLIPSΒ
Β Thereβs no one-size-fits-all methodology to placing and styling hair clips;Β itβsΒ important to know what tends to work best for you given the shape of your face, the natural texture of your hair, and the context in which youβll be wearing the clips.Β Here are someΒ usefulΒ tips to selecting a hair clip based on your needs and purposes:
TamingΒ FlyawaysΒ
If hair pins and clips were invented for the purpose of managing errantΒ flyawaysΒ and shorterΒ hairs, they are still critical to this important cause! Use one or two snap clips below your ponytail to hold pieces in place thatΒ donβtΒ quiteΒ reachΒ or attach a barrette to the front of your hairline Γ laΒ preppyΒ Margot TenenbaumΒ (ofΒ the Wes AndersonΒ film, The Royal Tenenbaums)Β to keep fringe off your forehead. Wherever yourΒ flyawaysΒ make their departure, a hair clip or pin can control the appearance of frizz and streamline your styling.Β
AESTHETIC STACKING
Stacked bobby pins and hair clips are of course the natural descendants of stacked rings and necklaces, all the rage in recent years. To achieve this look in your hair, select your clips carefully: larger, brighter or eye-catching clips are best used in moderation, so limit yourself to just two or three. More subtle or minimalist hair clips can be used in greater quantity,Β even up toΒ fiveΒ or more. Decide whether you want to place them on the shallow or deep side of your part, and secure them across small, evenly spaced intervals. Maintain them in parallel for an extraΒ βcontrolledβΒ lookΒ or allowΒ forΒ slight indents as you proceed downwards,Β so that lower clips are farther back from your face than higher clips.

Holding aΒ Half-up inΒ PlaceΒ
Larger or sturdier hair clips β especially those that stand out β are great options for securing half-up hairdos. Simply create a circle of hair starting from the front of your hairline all the way around the top of your crown and secure the gathered hair at the back of your head with a statement clip, a claw or a series of decorative pins.Β
SecuringΒ BraidsΒ
French braids, symmetrically braided pigtails, and mermaid-style fishtail braids can all be completed with a clip at the bottom of the braid, provided the clip is strong enough to secure theΒ remainingΒ strand. This is also an ideal place to use yourΒ 90βs throwbackΒ butterfly hairΒ clips.Β
TheΒ Finishing TouchΒ onΒ aΒ Completed HairdoΒ
Embellished hair clips can be an excellent way to add a final touch of opulence to your hairstyle without going overboard. Top knots, buns, chignons and simple ponytails become more polished with a well-placed baroque pearl pin or a celestial-themed clip. Even long, loose un-styled tresses gain an extra air of romance with pretty pieces near the front of the hairline, symmetrically placed on either side ofΒ yourΒ part-line, if this works for the shape of your face, or on just one side, which is universally flattering.Β
Test out a new way to style your hairΒ usingΒ hair clipsΒ orΒ recreate a look you used to love!