The Best Hair Accessories

Buying Guide

From the moment human hair first grew past the shoulder, women (and men) have been looking for ways to tame it. If you’ve got long locks, there’s only so much you can do with brushing and braids. Eventually you’re going to need some hair accessories to keep it in place.

“Hair accessory” is a blanket term that encompasses a dizzying array of clips, combs and wraps. Basically, anything that you can use to style your hair is an accessory, and not all of them work with all types of hair. Some are made to be seen, others stay hidden and some are created for very specific hairstyles. Knowing your style is the first step to finding the right accessory.

Sometimes, of course, style isn’t the primary concern. There are mornings when your first and only goal is to get hair into a ponytail and out of your eyes as quickly as possible, and elastics are perfect for that. When you’re talking about elastics, you could mean anything from tiny rubber bands to poofy statement pieces like scrunchies. These are usually fairly cheap, but you’ll want to make sure the elastic portion is covered with some type of fabric. Otherwise, taking them on and off can be difficult and even painful.

An even easier option are headbands. These can be wide plastic bands or cloth wraps. If you’re going with the former, make sure it can hold your hair. The thicker your hair is, the longer the little “teeth” on the inside of the band should be. Cloth wraps can be a versatile accessory. You can use them to simply tie your hair back, but they can also serve as a full head scarf if unwrapped or anything in between.

If you’ve got big hair to put into a bun, you need a big accessory and they don’t come any bigger than claw clips or banana clips. Typically made of plastic, these two clip styles are essentially made up of interlocking teeth. Both go on easily, and have a firm hold.

For thinner hair, there’s always the classic barrette. These can come in a wide variety of shapes, colors and sizes, not to mention locking mechanisms. You can go with a simple snap clip or a classic French barrette with its metal fastener. Whichever you choose, the sky is the limit when it comes to styling. You can pin your hair off to the side with a single barrette or use several to make a statement. It’s good to buy these in packs so that you have different colors and patterns to work with. Used correctly, barrettes aren’t just a hair accessory — they’re a fashion accessory.

From French combs to the humble bobby pin, there are more types of hair accessory out there than we can possibly round up here. The good news is that most of them are inexpensive, so it’s easy to build up a collection and find what works for you.

• Banana clips take a little getting used to, but the more you use them the more possibilities you’ll see. The curve of this clip means you’re obligated to use it near the front or back, but other than that, nearly anything goes. It works wonders securing quick ponytails, but you can also use it for most kinds of updos or buns.
• Simply brush your hair up on top of your head, then catch it underneath with the teeth of your banana clip. Wrap the hair around before clipping and voila — you’ve got a secure bun that’s suitable anywhere.
• When wearing a claw clip or banana clip, the trick is choosing one that matches your outfit, since they’re impossible to hide.
• You also want to make sure the clip itself doesn’t weigh your hair down too much, especially if you’re going to be wearing it throughout the day.