Wuthering Heights tells a story of pain, revenge, and the Yorkshire moors as a metaphor for poor life decisions. But if Emerald Fennell’s upcoming adaptation is any indication, it’s also about bows.
In the two-minute trailer, Cathy is seen in red, black, navy, and pink bows. Bows adorn garden pots and even encircle the neck of the villainous Edgar Linton. Some flutter in the wind, while others are quickly untied. One standout scene, reminiscent of Jilly Cooper’s romantic tension, features a delicate white bow being cut from Cathy’s dress with a laborer’s knife—a moment that could have been overly dramatic but instead feels intensely compelling. Though Emily Brontë hardly mentions bows in her novel, here they become a central plot device.
Bows are nothing new. They’ve been worn by Victorian children, Marie Antoinette, Jojo Siwa, and Minnie Mouse. But today, they often carry deeper meaning. Consider Welsh rugby player Georgia Evans, who faced online abuse for wearing pink hair bows during a match. This sparked a volunteer-led “ribbon station” and over 1,000 supporters wearing bows in solidarity at a game against Fiji. Evans told the BBC, “As a professional athlete, you accept scrutiny of your performance, but this is bigger than a bow, bigger than the game, and bigger than myself.”
In 2025, bows are bold, flashy, and impossible to ignore. They’re no longer just accessories but the focal point of an outfit. Take Lily Allen’s gold Marc Jacobs dress with an oversized bow at the bust, worn to her album launch. Modern bows also showcase versatility: they can be elegant and understated, like Amanda Seyfried’s Prada ensemble at the Venice Film Festival, or dark and gothic, like Cynthia Erivo’s large green velvet bow at the Oscars.
This trend isn’t limited to celebrities. On UK high streets, Next offers nine different bow-covered cardigans, while M&S has two little black dresses adorned with bows for Christmas—one with small white bows at the bust, the other featuring a large bow as the centerpiece. Joseph sells a white cotton tuxedo shirt with a detachable grosgrain bow, and stores like Oliver Bonas and Damson Madder are stocked with bow-shaped earrings and hair accessories. At Jonathan Anderson’s debut womenswear collection for Dior—the most anticipated high-fashion event recently—the show opened with a white dress accentuated by two large organza bows. It’s no surprise the internet has dubbed 2025 the year of the “bow-pocalypse.”
Of course, it’s possible to overanalyze this trend. Bows are simple to tie and an easy way to add flair, especially during the festive Christmas season. Yet there’s a broader cultural shift at play. From the pandemic-era cottagecore microtrend to the tradwife movement, recent women’s fashion has embraced a strangely idyllic vision of femininity. The way women dress, or the concept of it, has evolved, and bows have become a straightforward way to express femininity.
Elisa De Wyngaert, a curator at Antwerp’s Momu fashion museum, notes, “There has been a gradual shift from women no longer feeling they have to dress like men to be taken seriously.” Her current exhibition, Girls, explores the influence of girlhood on culture. She observes that the resurgence of bows coincides with a renewed appreciation for other traditionally girly items, such as Mary Jane shoes and white socks, which are now seen not as signs of weakness or lack of intellect, but as something to be celebrated.Lily Allen at her album launch party in October. Photograph: Dave Benett/Getty Images for Perfect Magazine
Young designers like Sandy Liang, Chopova Lowena, and Simone Rocha have all made bows their signature, adding them to adult handbags, grungy slips, and even wedding dresses. “For these designers, a bow has become a kind of code or identity,” says fashion historian Valerie Steele. “They symbolize femininity, but with a touch of irony.” A delicate bow placed in an unexpected setting can be quite rebellious.
Danish designer Cecilie Bahnsen understands this well. She creates voluminous dresses for all body types, using bows instead of zippers or buttons, and even positioning them at the shoulder to hold a dress together. “I appreciate that a bow can be feminine yet playful, and mostly not overtly sexual,” she explains. “It’s about women dressing for themselves.” De Wyngaert concurs: “Today, bows are often used to contrast with something darker, adding a joyful touch in difficult times. They’re really not meant for the male gaze.”
Kate Garraway in a bow-adorned T-shirt, and Joe Marler in Celebrity Traitors. Photograph: PHOTOGRAPHER:/CREDIT LINE:BBC/Studio Lambert/Euan Cherry
Interestingly, men were the first to wear bows. Croatian soldiers, whose uniforms featured knotted scarves, inspired a trend in Louis XIV’s court where aristocratic men adorned their clothing with bows. Later, Marie Antoinette popularized the bow as a fashion statement, according to Dr. Sarah Grant, a V&A curator specializing in 18th and 19th-century design. Grant calls Antoinette “history’s peak bow,” noting she wore them in her hair, on gowns, and even on her bust, with bows woven into cushions and furniture. Back then, it was about showcasing the finest French silks, but their placement was also strategic—drawing attention to traditionally feminine areas.
Queen of the bows … Marie Antoinette. Photograph: Christophe Fouin/© Château de Versailles, Dist. Grand Palais RMN
Nowadays, it’s rare to see a red carpet without a few men fully accessorized with bows, such as Andrew Garfield, Harry Styles, and Ncuti Gatwa at the Met Gala in an Ozwald Boateng suit with a large, detachable bow. In the 18th-century court, men wore bows to display status, while today, challenging gender norms has become a powerful statement in fashion.
Of course, not all bows are created equal. In the compelling TV show All’s Fair, Sarah Paulson’s uptight lawyer character wears an oversized bow around her neck that obstructs her view—fitting for someone stifled by her desire to fit in with the girls.
Then there’s Kate Garraway. While not typically seen as a style icon, her strategic use of bows on Celebrity Traitors—a red beret covered in pink bows and a white jumper with delicate black ones—stood out among Claudia Winkleman’s gothic knits and Jonathan Ross’s chaotic prints. Sharp-eyed viewers noted the jumper was from Debenhams and the hat from H&M, giving off an everywoman vibe. But others interpreted it differently: on a show where forming strong alliances is key, Garraway seemed to be using one of fashion’s most symbolic accessories to soften her image. De Wyngaert suggests the bow implied Garraway “does have a softness—we’ve just overlooked it.”
Ncuti Gatwa in Ozwald Boateng at this year’s Met Gala. Photograph: Gilbert Flores/Variety/Getty Images
Amid all this, it’s easy to forget that bows are simply a way to tie something. “Bows have always been decorative and feminine,” says Bahnsen. “Personally, I use them as an adjustment system to alter the shape or size of something.”The Danish designer always prefers a bow over buttons or zippers: “A large bow at the waist can completely transform an outfit.”
But even that ties back to sexuality. “Yes, they’re a way to fasten or unfasten something, but depending on where the bow is placed, you can’t ignore the idea that you’re wrapping yourself up as a present for someone,” Steele explains. “It’s a marker of gender as well as an erotic symbol—a bow practically invites: ‘Untie me!'”
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of helpful and concise FAQs about the trend of oversized bows
General Questions
What is the Set me free oversized bow trend
Its a fashion trend where people wear very large often dramatic bows in their hair or on their clothing Its seen as a way to express a fun feminine and bold personal style
Why are oversized bows so popular right now
Theyve become a major trend for three main reasons they add a touch of playful femininity they make a strong fashion statement and they feel surprisingly rebellious in a world of minimalist fashion
Arent oversized bows a bit childish
They can be but thats part of the charm The key is styling When paired with modern edgy or minimalist outfits the bow becomes a cool intentional statement rather than a childish accessory
Styling Wearing Oversized Bows
Where do you even wear an oversized bow
The most common places are in your hair or attached to your clothing
What kind of outfits do oversized bows go with
They are incredibly versatile They look great with everything from jeans and a tshirt to elegant dresses The contrast is often what makes it worktry a bow with a structured blazer a slip dress or a simple sweater
How do you keep a big bow from looking tacky
Focus on balance If your bow is very large and detailed keep the rest of your outfit and accessories simple Let the bow be the star of the show Also opt for quality fabrics like velvet satin or structured taffeta
I have fine hair Will a big bow just slip out
Not if you secure it properly Use a strong clear elastic to create your ponytail or bun first Then attach the bow using its builtin clip or by sliding the elastic through a clipless bow You can also use bobby pins to discreetly anchor it to your hair
Deeper Questions
You said its rebellious How is a bow rebellious
Its rebellious because it boldly embraces hyperfemininity and playfulness in a way that def
