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A good hair accessory tells a story. It communicates if the look is elegant and sophisticated, cool and casual, retro or costume, or something completely original. Accessories are the finishing touch that gives any hairstyle its character. And the best part? There’s no learning curve. Hair accessories are a language that requires no studying effort. They’re a quick addition that anyone can turn to. Below, we’ve rounded 30 hair accessory ideas to inspire your next ‘do.
01 of 30
Muted Beads
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Braids are such a practical hairstyle. The addition of these beads— a ’70s accessory trend— in muted, earth-toned colors make it feel casual and natural. This effortless, heat-free style is chic and laid back all at once.
02 of 30
A Classic Claw
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The claw clip is a classic accessory that you can find in any drugstore. The style of your clip can be jazzed up or pared down, but the styling itself stays simple. Twist the longer lengths of hair, flip it up like a French twist, and let the clip do the rest.
03 of 30
Single Barrette
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A single barrette will really stand out against hairstyles that are equally as simple. A straight, smooth look really lets the one barrette take center stage. To play with just one accessory like this, try switching up your part before placing the barrette where you want it.
04 of 30
Delicate Details
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A style like micro braids is a delicate detail in and of itself, so adding a delicate accessory is a fitting move. These small snap clips essentially serve no purpose other than drawing attention to what's already there. If you have a subtlety in your hairstyle that you want to put a spotlight on, add an accessory of equal size to keep things noticeable but still subdued.
05 of 30
Chunky Beads
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This classic style of beaded braids has a more youthful approach. Beads that are chunkier and more colorful give the braids a more playful style. No matter how you wear your braids, if you have beads like this, your hairstyle is bound to take a fun approach.
06 of 30
A Puff Piece
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Blair Waldorf may be a fictional character from Gossip Girl, but her influence was very real. Ever since the mid-2000s, these puffy headbands have had a major resurgence. You could do absolutely nothing to style your hair, but throw one of these headbands on and the vibe is prim, proper, and poised.
07 of 30
Bright Accent
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Bright accessories use color as their statement. For a monochromatic wardrobe ensemble or a pop of color in your makeup, this would be a great way to go with hair. It's minimal effort and ties everything together seamlessly.
08 of 30
Cool as a Scrunchi
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Everything about this look is feminine while still holding onto that cool factor. Scrunchies are the best accessories for these types of efforts. The color or print of your scrunchi can bounce off the color palette you’re sporting and give it that feminine feel. Like any good top knot, scrunchies are inherently cool.
09 of 30
Unexpected Edge
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When it comes to hairstyles and accessories, try to keep in mind that some of the best looks result as a happy accident. For example, say you're using an accessory, like duck bill clips, as a practical means of keeping your hair off your face while doing makeup. Pay attention to how that accessory is helping to frame the face. It might just give your look an unexpected edge.
10 of 30
Embellished Fine Print
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A tortoise color claw clip may be characterized as classic, sleek and minimal. But when it has an embellishment like rhinestone-studded text, it adds a flair of pop culture and provokes more interest. Using this clip in a half-up style of braids makes the choice purposeful and provocative.
11 of 30
Floral Spine
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Three-strand braids are a fun and easy hairstyle to achieve in under two minutes. They’re also a great palette for statement accessories simply by offering a spine of hair to easily weave into. For extra hold, spray the completed braid with a texture or volumizing spray for added grit to hold the comb or pins on your accessories.
12 of 30
Blooming Bun
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If you’re busy and bustling around all the time, a simple bun might be the single style in your repertoire. But when you want to throw on that dress or make your favorite hairstyle work for a special occasion, let the accessories come to your rescue. Adding a floral clip, like seen above, will quickly bring new life to your basic bun.
13 of 30
Baby Rainbows
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Who said butterfly clips were the only baby claw clips on the block? This rainbow assortment of baby flower clips are a fun, fantastic addition to any basic style. But what really gives colorful accessories like these their playful pop is pairing them with a vibrant hair color, like this shade of red.
14 of 30
Charmed Clips
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Hair accessories can easily take on an extension of one's jewelry. These charmed snap clips around the hairline appear to almost create a circle between the earrings, nose rings, and necklace. Sometimes a hair accessory can be a thing that stands out and other times it's all about blending in.
15 of 30
Stack of Pearls
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Thankfully, there are plenty of clips and barrettes that get sold in a set of two or three styles. These pearl pins can be used individually, or together, exactly the way they're sold in their packaging. The variety of three versus one amps up the interest and character to any hair 'do.
16 of 30
Spandex Band
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Spandex headbands have a ton of perks. They’re great for breaking up larger foreheads, smoothing down stubborn roots, keeping the hair back off the face, and showcasing larger focal points like these standout sculptural earrings. Of course, this single hair accessory has the power to do all of the above at once.
17 of 30
Designer Pins
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Leave it to designer brands to make hair pins that are far from low-profile. Repping a brand's logo is a statement all its own. Whether pairing with matching earrings and sunglasses or flaunting entirely on their own, designer pins are meant to showcase loyalty.
18 of 30
Back Brooch
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Placing a brooch in the back of any hairstyle is a pleasant surprise to find. A brooch can be purchased specifically for the hair, or pulled from your grandmother's closet. With a safety-pin style backing, its insertion is self-explanatory. You might want to employ a friend to help place this accessory to ensure it's straight and has a good hold in the hair.
19 of 30
The VIP
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No-crease clips have a VIP allure to them. As an often used tool in any professional stylist’s kit, these clips are frequently seen on celebrities and backstage at fashion week shows. To wear them as an intentional accessory gives a very chic, VIP vibe. These accessories are great to rely upon for a cool look while discreetly growing out your bangs.
20 of 30
Cross-Hatch Pins
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Adding a cross-hatch of bobby pins couldn’t be simpler. The placement really doesn’t need to follow any specifications, other than just ensuring it’s holding back the hair where you want it to. Choosing bobby pins that have a contrasting color to the hair is the key to making this accessory stand out.
21 of 30
Black Ribboned Bubbles
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A trendy hairstyle like this bubble ponytail deserves an equally trendy accessory like the ribbon. No bows aren’t required here, although that’s always an option. These short single ties give her structured ‘do an undone, cool aesthetic that’s even easier to replicate due to its lack of precision.
22 of 30
Adorned Chignon
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The chignon is a clean, classic hairstyle and the bow is a perfect accessory to match. The braided texture and double bow allow this formal ‘do to have a very trend-forward approach. To adorn your chignon with something similar, but a pre-made bow clip to size up your bun for any event.
23 of 30
Natural Accents
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When your natural hair texture has a lot of personality on its own, think about the hair accessory as nothing more than an accent. It can be used to hold the shape you’ve created, as these pearl pins have. Gently peeking out from within, these accessories play a strictly supportive role.
24 of 30
Designer Brooch
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Length and texture play an important role in selecting your hair accessory. Using larger designer brooch pins, like this one from Chanel, will pair well with longer lengths due to its size. This may be a simple half-up hairstyle, but the softly brushed-out beach waves give it something low-key to rest on without getting lost.
25 of 30
Twist and Tie
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By creating a french twist with perfectly tousled strands surrounding it, the hair alone is a mix of classic shapes with modern textures. This leaves a lot of room for playful accessories. Similar to braids, the french twist is an excellent spine of teased hair for any clip or comb to nestle into.
26 of 30
Feminine Flip
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Retro hair ‘dos usually veer toward a classic or modern interpretation and any added accessory is usually going to follow suit. Here, this very classic flipped-out half-up is made even more feminine with a bow clip. The over-directed side parting and snatched ponytail placement are gentle nudges that make the retro choices fresh and approachable.
27 of 30
Y2K Everything
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The early 2000s had a very distinct ensemble, hair included. From stick straight ends to space buns, this was a futuristic feel in every way. When paired with metallic eyeshadow and heavily lined nude lip colors, this look is Y2K in a nutshell.
28 of 30
Clipped Wings
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A blowout this bouncy is easy to get lost in. Instead of swimming against the tide of voluminous curtain bangs, consider using a hair clip to bring each side back off the face. As you can see, opening up the face doesn’t need to flatten out all that volume in those bangs by any means.
29 of 30
Clean and Casual
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Accessories may be decorative, but they can also be extremely practical. Headbands and silk scarfs are great for pushing the hair back off the face while putting makeup on in the morning or washing it off at night. They're also extremely easy to match to your outfit for a more cohesive look that can serve you AM to PM.
30 of 30
Ornate Jewelry
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Ornate hair accessories like the one seen here are best on thicker, heavier-density hair types. Pieces this heavy can easily pull out hair that is too thin, frail, or fragile. For added hold, crisscross two bobby pins as a base to stick the backing of your hair jewelry into.
