I was asked to write a post about hair bows. While thinking about what to write, I realized I did not really know much about the history of bows. So I pulled out my inner school self and did some light research. I was surprised by what I found. So may I enlighten you with a brief history of hair bows.
A brief history of hair bows:
- Hair bows have been around since ancient civilization, with some made of gold.
- Bows were predominantly worn by men until their hair styles became shorter around the 17th century. They had for the most part only a practical use of holding back hair.
- In the early 1600s, men and women would braid their hair and tie a bow at the end over their hearts to show devotion to their loved one. This was called a love lock.
- In France during the 1680s the popularity of bows for women came to be because of Marquise de Fontange. She was one of Louis XIV’s mistresses, who had a popularity compared to one of today’s influencers. While riding a horse, she lost her hat. To fix the immodesty that she now had, she took a ribbon from her dress and tied up her hair. This became a popular trend very quickly across France.
- By the 20th century, women predominantly wore hair bows with the popularity coming from Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, and Minnie Mouse.
Today at the Craft Gallery you can find bows in every color and size imaginable. Bows for every season or occasion. If you have a cheerleader or dancer in your home, we have bows for them as well! Come on in and check out our large selections!
For information about the history of bows, check out these websites.