Bows are everywhere these days. One scroll on TikTok will show you bows in hair, on clothes, on wine glasses and even on nails. My personal favorite? Accessorizing with dainty bows in my hair.
It may seem like the current bow trend, or “bowcore,” came out of nowhere, but it has actually been around for a while. Fashion designer Sandy Liang pioneered “bowcore” and has done so since 2014. Bows are a staple piece of her designs and are featured in her most recent collection. While some might want to move on, I think “bowcore” is here to stay.
One TikTok user, Samantha Moisa, first noticed the trend when she was at New York Bridal Fashion Week.
“I was working on a ‘trends to watch’ video and noticed that a lot of the designers were incorporating modern takes on bows in their latest collections,” says Moisa.
We even see “bowcore” on the runway at the Giambattista Valli Spring/Summer 2024 haute couture show.
“Bowcore” is also popular among celebrities such as Gracie Abrams. She frequently wears bows at her concerts and her fans partake in the trend as well.
“Bowcore” was sparked by the “balletcore” aesthetic that we saw emerge last year. An overall theme connecting these trends is girlhood, which has evolved to empower women to embrace their femininity.
“Balletcore” and “bowcore” have become popular among women in their 20s. This is interesting as women are reverting to trends inspired by their childhood while young girls seem to be wanting to grow up too fast.
Meanwhile, there has been outrage sparked on social media criticizing middle school-aged girls taking over Sephora. Many are purchasing skincare products such as Drunk Elephant, which is marketed for more mature skin.
One user, Amanda Bravender, a licensed cosmetologist and makeup artist, says there should be a different approach to addressing the young girls shopping at makeup stores.
“Instead of being mean to them or making them feel alienated at Ulta and Sephora, I have a challenge for you. Tell them they are beautiful,” says Bravender.
I remember being a young girl wanting to follow the trends set by older girls. A notable influence on me was Bethany Mota. Her clothing line came out at Aéropostale when I was in middle school. I ran to the store to get as many items in her line as I could along with all the girls in my class. Today, these young girls are just trying to be what they see on social media.
Girls in their 20s are trying to connect with their inner child through the “bowcore” trend as they miss the simplicity of being a young girl. I hope that the younger generation will take inspiration from this trend and enjoy the short years of girlhood.