Bows are the most recent trend to take over the fashion world, but how did this modern ultra feminine accessory come to be?

Bows can be dated as far back as ancient times when many people would use hair ribbons to tie back and decorate their hair.

The metropolitan Museum of Art has a set of gold Sumerian hair ribbons from around 2600-2500 BCE.

Bows held a primarily utilitarian purpose for most centuries because they were easy knots to tie and untie on garments and around hair.

According to Sarah Collins, professor of fashion at Savannah College of Art and Design, “Bows as we think of them today came around the Middle Ages with the introduction of the ribbon, made possible with the invention of the horizontal loom.”

While we see them as symbols of femininity today, they were used a lot by men throughout the early years.

Photo of Jennifer Lopez wearing a bow. (Contributed/instyle.com)

The lovelock hairstyle was worn by French men during the late 16th century, and it consisted of a braid that was stied off at the end with a bow or ribbon that hung over the chest or heart.

Women began heavily using them during the 17th century with the creation of the fontage hairstyle or a decorative cap of linen and ribbon.

Hair bows for men fell out of style during this time, but the bow tie soon gained popularity.

The cravat or bow tie can be traced back to Croatian mercenaries during the Thirty Years’ War, and it was soon adopted by French high society.

Women began to wear the Robe à la Française, which had a bodice adorned with bows, inspired by Marie Antoinette.

The 1940s saw young girls wearing hair bows to denote details of their love lives, and the placement of the bow could reveal whether she was very interested or deeply in love.

They no longer serve much of a utilitarian purpose, but they do retain much of their aesthetic and romantic appeal today.

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