Black hair bows ruled on the Met Gala red carpet

When it came to accessories, celebrities chose to honour Karl Lagerfeld’s legacy with black hair bows at the Met Gala 2023. It makes sense, as black bows were a popular motif for Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, alongside pearls and camellias, and her successor went on to not only popularise them, but put them firmly back on the fashion agenda.

Beauty nostalgia has played its part again, too, as hair bows are a throwback to retro glamour. As if proof were needed, the red carpet shrugged off its schoolgirl connotations and showcased bows in various sophisticated iterations that leant more than a touch of French-Girl cool to the proceedings. Case in point, Emily Ratajkowski, who sported an oversized bow, wavy extensions and a new short choppy fringe.

And, while bows may seem prissy, they’re actually surprisingly versatile as these celebrities proved…

Sydney Sweeney

Sydney Sweeney’s kittenish take on the look is reminiscent of Claudia Schiffer’s iconic ’90s Chanel runway look but with a touch of Madonna thrown in for good measure courtesy of the organza texture and placement.

Camila Cabello

The Daisy Jones & The Six star’s soft waves, half-up half-down hair and velvet bow is textbook Chanel.

Aubrey Plaza

With her curtain bangs and bun adorned with a black bow, The White Lotus star Aubrey Plaza is channelling a modern day Audrey Hepburn.