My Mom, My Hairstylist, and a 4-Year-Old Weigh In on the Hair Clip Trend

hair-clip-trend-opinions-276666-1548876520337-main

(Image credit: @meganadelaide)

You've seen them splattered across your Instagram feed for weeks now, layered up and down the tresses of your favorite influencers, pinned atop the heads of your most stylish friends, and maybe even in your own accessory drawer. At this point, there's no denying that the hair clip trend has reached a fever pitch in all manner of styles—from itty-bitty claws to large acrylic barrettes—taking over as the It accessory to wear and be seen wearing.

My take? The nostalgic factor definitely plays a role in their popularity. I mean, who doesn't secretly want to dress as they did in kindergarten? With the recent revival of things like scrunchies, bucket hats, and headbands, it seems everyone's game to re-create their grade-school accessory game with a modern spin. Sure, I've been inspired by all the #hairfies from my favorite fashion girls' feeds, but it's not like this trend came out of nowhere. I wanted to know what OG hair clip enthusiasts really think about 2019's clipmania and how they suggest styling the clips to achieve a winning look.

I spoke with hairstylist Chad Kenyon of the celeb-adored Ramirez Tran Salon, who's seen dozens of hair trends come and go; two preschool-aged girls who represent the key demographic of a hair clip market; and my very own mother, whose barrette collection I've admired for years now. Keep reading to see what each "expert" has to say about styling the clips, and then shop my current favorite styles.

My Hairstylist

A photo posted by on

"As a colorist, the color and texture of the hair clip are key because, like hair color, hair accessories can help make you look and feel your best when they complement your skin tone, eye color, and hair color.

"The ideal hair clip placement—and the angles the placement moves your hair to—can be the difference between becoming and not so much. Choose angles that uplift and showcase your eyes and cheekbones. I love a low side part where the hair is tucked behind the ear and secured with the fantastic hair clip. This is one of my go-to hairstyles for my clients' color reveals and my salon photo shoots.

"A row or pattern placement of hair clips can be aesthetically stunning and functionally gentler on your hair (and the clip) than forcing an oversized section of hair into a single clip." Chad Kenyon, Ramirez Tran Salon

My Mom

A photo posted by on

"I wore clips as a teenager around ages 12 to 13 and have been wearing them ever since. I'm so happy to see the current trend of wearing multiple hair clips at once come back since I have been wearing clips and styling my hair like this just to keep it in place for a while now. I think it's a fun and unique look and definitely not overly trendy. It reminds me of an era gone by that is recapturing itself in today's day.

"My favorite clips were the tortoiseshell ones that were really thin, which I wore on one side close to my forehead. I still wear clips almost every day, but instead, I wear it styled with all my hair gathered in a large clip or half up with hair down using three clips in back." — My very own mother

Preschoolers

A photo posted by on

"My favorite color clips are blue and the clip with the rhinestones. I wear my hair with one clip on one side of my head and the other clip on the other side." — Sarah, age 4

"I love these clips! I would wear them everywhere—on the back, on the sides, on the top, and on the bottom of my hair." — April, age 4

More hair clip styling ideas:

A photo posted by on

A photo posted by on

A photo posted by on

A photo posted by on

A photo posted by on

A photo posted by on

Shop the trend:

Next, the 2019 spring fashion trends my 95-year-old grandma wore first.

Editor

Anna is an editor on the fashion team at Who What Wear and has been at the company for over five years, having begun her career in the Los Angeles office before relocating to New York, where she's currently based. Having always been passionate about pursuing a career in fashion, she built up her experience interning at the likes of Michael Kors, A.L.C., and College Fashionista before joining the team as a post-graduate assistant editor. Anna has penned a number of interviews with Who What Wear's cover stars over the years, including A-listers Megan Fox, Issa Rae, and Emma Chamberlain. She's earned a reputation for scouting new and emerging brands from across the globe and championing them to our audience of millions. While fashion is her main wheelhouse, Anna led the launch of WWW Travels last year, a new lifestyle vertical that highlights all things travel through a fashion-person lens. She is passionate about shopping vintage, whether it be at a favorite local outpost or an on-the-road discovery, and has amassed a wardrobe full of unique finds. When she's not writing, you can find her shooting street imagery on her film camera, attempting to learn a fourth or fifth language, or planning her next trip across the globe.