Hair accessories overload: is it the trend that's gone too far?

It's the fashion trend that slowly crept its way onto our high streets and Instagram feed after taking the catwalks of the major cities Spring/Summer 2018 shows. Since last February no style seems to be complete without hair accessories present to finish a look. But has this trend gotten entirely out of hand? Barrettes, slides, scrunchies, headbands, clips, claws and grips, nowadays clients have so much choice to adorn their hair the trend has gone into overdrive.

Why Has This Trend Taken Off?

Every season we see accessory trends hit the runways of the major shows that are simply admired from afar. Clients might flip through a mag or swipe through Pinterest and love a look but rarely delve into the trend themselves. However, this accessories trend is entirely different because everybody can buy into it in some way, no matter what age, face shape or budget. "In recent years, hair accessories have gone from a schoolgirl staple to a runway fashion look and now, a high street mainstay. This resurgence is thanks, in part, to session stylists like Guido and Sam McKnight's use of accessories and also thanks to designers providing a budget buy-in to their brand," says The Hair Historian Rachael Gibson. In the same way that people use makeup to buy into the luxury of designer without spending thousands of pounds, the same could be said with hair accessories. "They allow consumers to own a Gucci or Chanel piece at a fraction of the price. The high street inevitably caught on, and now we are spoilt for choice with headbands, clips and scrunchies in countless colours, fabrics and finishes," remarks Rachael.

Blair Waldorf-style alice bands and claw clips are fair game for clients now

Like all trends, this one has circled back from it's popularity in the 1990s where big, brash and bold was the style du jour. Rachael name drops a few key influences such as, "shampoo, and other fun, irreverent women like Baby Spice, Courtney Love, Cher from Clueless and Drew Barrymore." The little girls that looked up to these style icons have grown to become the 20 and 30 something clients that are obsessing over this It trend, filling your Instagram feed with diamantes, faux pearls and velvet. Culturally, Rachael believes more people obsessing over hair accessories could be tied to the turbulent times we are currently experiencing politically and economically, acting as an inexpensive way to get your shopping fix and purchase something shiny and new. "Hair accessories are a cheap and cheerful retail fix that brighten up a style and allow us to feel like individuals," she remarks. But if clients are all buying into the same trend in droves doesn't that same individuality people crave get lost quickly? And with one accessory no longer being enough we are seeing the trend that was lapped up for it's wearability becoming increasingly unwearable as people pose 'for the 'gram'. https://www.instagram.com/p/B0Tl_3ug0iZ/

Clients ❤️ Hair Accessories

Despite the overexposure of accessories, the trend doesn't seem to be slowing, as hair wear from the aughts creep back into fashion. Blair Waldorf-style alice bands and claw clips are fair game for clients now. "Using hair accessories is something that clients can do themselves to make themselves look great regardless of their hairstyling skills. Bad roots? Wear a Prada-inspired jumbo velvet headband. Second-day hair? Use sparkly clips to make it look intentionally grunge," says Rachael. While accessories look great on clients, they can cause pulling, snagging and breakage if worn too often, too tightly or if the accessory is too heavy for your hair type. Darcie Harvey, advanced stylist at Brooks & Brooks advises clients, "It’s important to always remove them carefully and don’t pull at your hair when removing slides or grips." She continues: "Always use a hair tie, ribbon or covered band when tying up the hair. Never use an elastic band as this break the strands and causes damage." It's not clear yet whether the accessories bubble will pop or become a part of the hairstyling everyday like certain colours and styles but it's showing no sign of stopping. "Every beauty trend reaches its peak eventually, be it balayage, beards or the Rachel cut," comments Rachael. "That doesn't mean the look is inherently bad, and doesn't mean it'll never come back – it often just means it has passed into normality and becomes a staple in our arsenal of looks to choose from."