Hair Accessories

Matching hair accessories to fine, thick and curly hair

We would start with the hair, then the design. Fine or slippery hair holds a light clip better than a heavy one, so a slim slide or a mini clip often grips best on a fringe or a side parting. Thick or curly hair needs a clip that opens wider and takes a bigger section, and it suits a larger piece worn at the back of a half-up style. On a ponytail or a plait, a decorated clip looks neat pinned just over the band. If you are buying for someone else, look at how they wear their hair on an ordinary day, and remember that someone growing out a fringe will be glad of anything that holds it back.

How hair clips open, close and grip

Hair clips tend to work in one of a few ways. A snap clip is a sprung strip of metal that clicks between two positions: press it to open, slide it in close to the scalp, then press the centre until it clicks flat. A crocodile clip opens on a hinge when you squeeze one end and closes again on its spring. A slide fastens with a clasp along its length and keeps a side section neat. Snap clips are quick to put in and take out, so they are a good place to start if a child likes to do their own hair.

What metal, acrylic and felt bring to a clip

Many of our hair accessories are made with metal, which gives a clip its spring and lets it sit close to the head. Some use acrylic, a light, rigid material that keeps its shine, and some use felt, which is soft to the touch and adds texture without weight. Many are plastic, and some are made with recycled material, which is worth knowing if that matters to the person you are buying for. Where a piece mixes materials, the metal usually does the holding and the rest does the decorating.

Kids' hair accessories a child will want to wear

Let the child lead, because a piece they chose themselves is the one that actually gets worn on a school morning. Among our pieces are fairies for a child who lives in stories and a cat or a dog for an animal lover, while a star goes with a party outfit or a plain jumper. A few are mini, which suits a short fringe or a younger sibling who wants to match an older one. You will also find pieces for teens and for her, so a big sister, a mum or a godmother can join in too.

Stocking fillers, party bags and pairs to share

Christmas is when many of our hair accessories come into their own, whether as a stocking filler or an extra slipped under the ribbon on a wrapped present. Some come as a set of two, which makes them easy to share between siblings or to wear as a pair, one either side of a parting. A few suit a party and fit neatly into a party bag, and a few suit Halloween, where a clip can finish off a costume. To round off a gift, add a hand mirror or a trinket box, so the pieces have somewhere to live once the paper comes off.

Looking after metal, felt and glitter

Metal lasts longest when it is kept dry, so take clips out before a bath or a swim, and dry them if they get wet. Wipe acrylic and plastic with a soft, damp cloth, and keep nail polish remover and other harsh cleaners away from them, since those can cloud or mark the surface. Felt picks up fluff, which a gentle brush or a lint roller lifts. Glitter wears with rubbing, so store glittery pieces where they will not knock against other clips, and give pairs a home of their own, such as a lidded dish or a jewellery box, so neither half of a set goes missing.