Deciding on the right size and type of hair bow for your daughter can seem tricky if she's your first and you haven't navigated the world of little girls fashion before.
But never fear, it's not as confusing as it seems.
And a bow is so important, you really will get at least twice the compliments on how cute your daughter is when she has a matching bow in her hair!So to get started, you just need to find the right size for her initially, and you'll know when she's ready to move up to the next size.
When shopping online, basically let the size description be your guide.
Start with "Teeny Tiny" if she's an infant and lucky enough to have some hair!That's a good size for newborn on up to a year.
Next comes "Small", which will work for an infant with good hair on up to a two year old, in most cases.
After "Small" comes, you guessed it, "Medium".
That works for two year olds on up.
After that is "Large", which can be worn on a child that's anywhere from 2 to a teenager.
And after that is the really big "Jumbo" size, very popular in the deep south where smocked dresses and French-hand-sewn clothes are the norm.
"Jumbo" works on a good head of hair on usually a 4 year old on up.
So now that you've got an idea about size, what color(s) do you pick?If she doesn't have any bows, the most popular basic colors are:White, Light Pink, Pink, & Red.
She'll also most likely need:Blue, Brown, Light Orchid, Apple Green, and Hot Pink.
Those will work with most any outfit.
But of course, you can't stop there.
Polka Dot bows are sooo adorable when worn with an outfit that has both colors in it.
One of the most popular is the "Hot Pink w/Apple Green" polka dots.
You can get a bow to match every single outfit, if you want, but sticking to those basics should have you covered for most outfits.
Grosgrain is the type of ribbon most often used to make hair bows.
Traditionally, especially in the south, you only wear Satin or solid Organza for a special outfit.
Easter, Christmas, Baptism, etc.
Attachments:There are two basic attachments you find on most bows, either the clippie, it's also called the alligator clippie, and the barrette.
The Clippie has a spring on one side, you pinch the end, the "mouth" opens, you slide the bow in and the clippie clamps down.
This attachment is great for fine hair or if you like to pull the hair back with a rubber band and then slide the bow in just in front of the band.
IMPORTANT!The clippie is also the preferred attachment of dads, who time and again have told me they can't figure out how to open a barrette!The French-style barrette has a clasp that snaps in place, it's good for girls with a lot of hair.
Often moms just find they have a preference for one style or another, so you'll figure it out.
The smaller bows traditionally come only attached to a clippie, and then as you move up in size you'll have the option of still getting the bows on a clippie, or changing to a barrette.
You'll know by then what you want.
So if you've just been blessed with a new baby girl, start with some Teeny Tinies in a few basic colors, and then move up to Smalls and get a few more fun colors.
You'll have the hang of it by then!Just remember to stick with it, and start from the beginning!If she's used to having a bow in her hair as a baby chances are she won't pull it out when she gets to be a toddler or little girl.
And always remember to add the bow, it just MAKES the outfit!That point can't be stressed enough!Have fun shopping!