By Krissy Sexton, founder of The Hair Bow Company
Quick answer: A great starter hair bow collection is five to seven bows in one everyday size: a light neutral (white or ivory), a pink, a dark neutral (navy or black), one color from her school or favorite outfits, one seasonal color and one bigger statement bow. Add matching pairs if she wears pigtails, then grow the collection once you see what she actually reaches for.
"How many bows does she really need?" We hear this one a lot, usually from a mom looking at a page full of colors and wondering where to start. Honestly? Fewer than you'd think. The bows that get worn are the ones that go with the clothes already in her closet, in a size that works for her hair.
I've been designing hair bows since 2008, and as a mom of four, I've built (and over-built) more than one bow drawer. Here's the simple plan I'd give a friend.
The Starter Hair Bow Collection: 6 Bows to Begin With
Give every bow a job. Five to seven bows is a good starting range, but it's a guide, not a rule. A baby who wears a bow every day may need more headband options, and a big girl who only wears bows for pictures may need fewer.
| Bow | Colors to try | Why it's worth having |
|---|---|---|
| Light neutral | White, ivory or oatmeal | Goes with pastels, light prints, church clothes and most special-occasion dresses |
| Everyday pink | Light pink, pink or dusty rose | Picks up the pink in tons of girls' prints without needing an exact match |
| Dark neutral | Navy or black | Works with denim, school clothes, darker prints and fall and winter outfits |
| Wardrobe color | Her school, team or most-worn color | Ties her bows to clothes she already owns |
| Seasonal color | Red, maroon, hunter green or orange | One bow covers several holidays and school events |
| Statement bow | Her favorite color or most useful neutral, one size up | Adds a little extra for pictures, birthdays and dressy outfits |
Pigtail girl? Get two of her everyday size in the colors she'll wear most. A bow collection looks complete right up until the morning you need a matching pair.
Pick Her Everyday Bow Size First
Color is easy once you know what size she'll actually wear. Our classic grosgrain bows come in five sizes:
- 3" Original: small and lightweight. Great for babies, fine hair, pigtails and anyone who likes a smaller bow.
- 4" Essential: a slimmer medium bow for school days and everyday outfits.
- 4.5" Classic: our everyday favorite, with fuller loops but still not oversized.
- 5.5" Oversize: the full boutique look for thicker hair, photos and dressier outfits.
- 6.5" Texas Size: the big one, for ponytails, game day and girls who love a BIG bow.
Age is a good starting point, but her hair thickness, her hairstyle and her own opinion matter just as much. Our Hair Bow Size Guide breaks down every size by age.
Still stuck between sizes? That's exactly why we put together the Find Her Perfect Fit Bundle. It sends the 3", 4.5" and 5.5" bows in the same color, so she can try all three and you can see the size difference without color getting in the way.
How to Choose the Best Hair Bow Colors
Start with her closet, not the color chart
Before you order, look at the outfits she wears most: school clothes, leggings, dresses, even her shoes. Whatever colors keep showing up deserve a bow before that gorgeous shade that only goes with one dress.
A girl who lives in navy, denim, red and white needs a different set than a girl who wears lavender, blush and ivory. The right basics are the ones that make her mornings easier.
Pick three core colors
- A light neutral. White is crisp. Ivory or oatmeal blends better with cream-based prints.
- A pink. Choose the pink that shows up most in her clothes. You don't need four pinks right away (even if they're all cute).
- A dark neutral. Navy is great with denim and classic kids' clothes. Black works with black leggings, uniforms and bold, high-contrast outfits.
If she rarely wears pink, swap it for lavender, red, aqua or whatever color she grabs again and again.
Add school and activity colors
Uniforms, spirit days, dance class and team events can make one color way more useful than another neutral. Check her clothes in daylight before you pick a shade, because navy and royal blue look very different side by side. If her school or team has bow rules, check those first. Ribbon and fabric colors vary by brand and dye lot, so the same color name isn't always an exact match.
Add seasonal colors that work more than once
You don't need a solid bow for every holiday. These colors pull double (or triple) duty:
- Red: game day, Christmas, Valentine's Day and the Fourth of July
- Hunter green: fall, Christmas and winter
- Orange: school spirit, pumpkin patch pictures and Halloween
- Maroon: school colors, fall and deeper holiday looks
- Hot pink: birthdays, Valentine's Day and everyday
Once the hardworking solids are covered, printed, embroidered and holiday bows are the fun part.
Build Her Collection by Age
Babies
Start with soft headbands and small bows. Our Interchangeable Nylon Headband Bundle comes with a white, pink and black Add-a-Bow headband (bows sold separately). Clip an alligator-clip bow onto the band now, then move that same bow into her hair once it grows in. If you'd rather have the bow already attached, many of our solid bows also come on a soft satin headband.
A good baby starter set is three headbands, two or three 3" bows and one fuller bow for pictures. Comfort matters more than hitting a number. Always supervise little ones wearing hair accessories, and take them off for naps and bedtime.
Toddlers
Toddlers usually do best with a mix: a smaller bow for fine hair or pigtails, plus a medium bow for ponytails and dressier days. Build around the hairstyles she'll actually sit still for. A drawer full of big bows doesn't help if she always asks for the little 3" one.
School-age girls
Start with one medium size she can wear every school day, then add a bigger bow for pictures, game day and special occasions. Let school colors, uniform colors and her favorite weekend outfits guide the palette, and buy pairs if she's a pigtail girl.
Should Every Bow Be the Same Size?
No, but most of them can be. Sticking with one everyday size keeps things simple, and adding one smaller and one bigger option gives you range. A balanced collection looks something like this:
- Three or four bows in her everyday size
- One smaller bow, or a matching pair for pigtails
- One Oversize or Texas Size bow for photos and big moments
Once you know which size she wears most, add new colors in that size instead of buying a little of everything.
Common Starter Collection Mistakes
- Buying several almost-identical colors first. Give each bow a different job before you double up.
- Only buying statement bows. Big bows are fun, but she needs one she can wear on a regular Tuesday.
- Forgetting pigtail pairs. One bow doesn't do much for two pigtails.
- Assuming every blue matches. Navy, royal, aqua and sky blue are all "blue." Hold the bow up to the outfit when it matters.
- Ignoring the clip. The attachment decides how she can wear the bow. Our hair bow clip guide compares alligator clips, French clips, Pony-Os and headbands.
- Shopping for an imaginary wardrobe. Fill the gaps for clothes she already wears before buying for once-a-year occasions.
A 3-Step Plan for Growing Her Collection
- Build the base. One everyday size in a light neutral, a pink (or her favorite color) and a dark neutral.
- Fill the real gaps. Add a school color, a pigtail pair or baby headbands based on what her week looks like.
- Add personality. Finish with a statement bow, a seasonal print or an embroidered style for a specific outfit.
After a few weeks you'll know whether the next bow should be another color in her favorite size, a different clip or something bigger.
Start With Bows She'll Actually Wear
The best bow collection isn't the biggest one. It's the one that makes getting dressed easier. Start with her everyday size and a few colors that go with her clothes, then let it grow around the hairstyles and occasions that keep coming up.
Shop solid color hair bows in every size
Hair Bow Collection FAQs
How many hair bows should be in a starter collection?
Five to seven is a good starting point for most families: three core colors, one school or wardrobe color, one seasonal color and one statement bow. Add more if she wears pigtails, wears a bow every day or needs baby headbands.
What hair bow color should I buy first?
The color that goes with the most outfits she already owns. White, light pink, navy and black are the most common first picks, but her closet might make ivory, red or lavender the better choice.
Do hair bows need to match an outfit exactly?
No. A bow can pick up one color from a print or just coordinate with the overall look. Exact matching matters most for uniforms, teams and matching photo outfits.
Should I buy two of every bow for pigtails?
Only in the colors and sizes she'll actually wear in pigtails. Everyday neutrals, school colors and her favorite shades are the best place to start.
What's the easiest way to choose a hair bow size?
Think about her hair, her hairstyle and the look you want. Our Hair Bow Size Guide shows every size by age, and the Find Her Perfect Fit Bundle lets you try the 3-inch, 4.5-inch and 5.5-inch bows in the same color.
What should I buy for a baby with little or no hair?
A soft headband and a small, lightweight bow. An Add-a-Bow nylon headband lets you clip on an alligator-clip bow now and move it into her hair later. You can also choose a bow that comes already attached to a satin headband.
About the author: Krissy Sexton founded The Hair Bow Company in 2008. A mom of four, she has spent more than 15 years designing hair bows and helping families find the right bow for every age, hairstyle and occasion.