10 Bow Hairstyles With Tutorials

Tie hair in a high ponytail, but stop short of pulling all the way through, and leave at least a few inches of ends loose, pointing towards your forehead instead of the nape of your neck. Next, fan the folded portion of hair so that it divides into two equal portions. Grab the loose end of your ponytail, and fold back in between the parted sections of hair that are looped into the ponytail. Finally, secure with pins, and make slight adjustments to get your perfect bow shape.

This half up style is great for a more low key, casual day. Begin by tying hair from the ears up in a ponytail that sits at the back of the head, leaving some hair in a loop instead of pulling all the way through. Part this loop in half and use the loose portion of the ponytail to wrap around and in between, then pin into place. At this point you’ll have a rather limp looking bow, and you’ll need to pin each end of the bow to the back of your head to really bring the style together.

For this big bow style, start by creating a ponytail at the back of your head, then use a piece of hair to wrap around and conceal the elastic. Next, pick up about one quarter of the ponytail, and use an elastic to tie it into a loop. Use a similar sized piece to create a second loop next to it, and pin each loop down against the head. Take a thin piece from the remaining loose section of the ponytail, and wrap it between the two loops, securing with pins.

This messy bow style looks especially great on long, thick hair. Tie hair fairly high on the head, securing into a large folded bun that leaves only a few inches of hair loose at the top of the head. Divide your folded bun in half, and use the loose piece to complete the bow.

For french braid enthusiasts who are crazy about bows, this style puts the two together. Begin by creating a french braid from the nape of the neck towards a crown. This part can be difficult, and will take some practice to be able to do on your own. Once you or a friend have finished the braid, secure all hair in a ponytail, without pulling all the way through. Part the looped portion of hair in half, and use a section of loose hair to wrap in between, defining the bow. Use the remaining loose hair to wrap around the base of the bow for added definition, and pin into place as needed.

This look is inspired by Gaga’s iconic hair bow, but is more of an updo than the singer’s “Poker Face” era style. Like most bow styles, it’s formed from a folded bun that gets parted in half, then wrapped and secured with the remaining loose hair. By leaving some loose bangs in the front, this bow style comes across as a bit softer and more casual.

This style puts a little twist on the classic bow hairstyle by setting the originating ponytail off to the side. Create a fairly small loop in your pony so that the sides of your bow don’t flop over, and wrap the long end of your ponytail around to complete your bow.

We love how this half up bow style leaves a long piece trailing to look like the ends of a festive ribbon! Begin by parting hair from the ears up, and tying into a ponytail, but stop with hair only a few inches pulled through. Unlike most bow styles, you’ll want to leave a longer piece trailing loose at the end. Fan apart and divide the looped portion of hair in half, pinning each side down to the back of the head. Finally, wrap the longer piece around the middle, letting the ends fall loose underneath your bow.

Instead of using all of your hair to make the bow, this style ends up looking like a bun with a neat little hair bow holding it in place. Start by tying hair in a high ponytail, then create a loop with the top section, and fan it out to create your bun. Use remaining loose hair to create a second loop, leaving some hair loose at the ends as well. This second loop will be used to create your bow: fan apart and divide the loop in half, then use the remaining loose piece of hair to wrap between, and pin everything in place. You may need to experiment with different sizes of ponytails in this style to find what works best for your specific hair length!

The most complicated style on our list, you’ll need to start this one out by creating a diagonal french braid on one side of the head, securing with pins or an elastic for extra hold. To begin creating bows, take a section of loose hair from the other side of your head, and create a loop, securing with the closed end of a bobby pin. Use the pin to pull this loop of hair underneath the braid, while using your other hand to keep one loop on the side you started on. Continue this method to loop as many bows as you’d like through your french braid, and keep in mind that a tighter french braid will do a better job at keeping bows securely in place.