Do you remember a time before every surface appeared to be fastened with a bow? I do, I think. It seems everything now comes tied with a ribbon, be it champagne flutes, cherry stems or sports socks. Nothing is complete without a ribbon in 2024, not even a turn at the Paris Olympics.
Athletes from across the sporting catalogue have been tying them into their hair to match their country's colours — be it Team GB rugby player Ellie Boatman or American tennis superstar Coco Gauff, who balanced her functional hairband with a decorative white bow for matches at Roland Garros.
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Bows might now be ubiquitous, bordering on the obvious amongst the street-style set or on the catwalk, but at the Olympics, they take on a new meaning. Female athletes have always had to subscribe to a masculine precedent and here a simple length of ribbon works to reclaim something they might have been told to put aside.
'It's a sign to my younger self,' Boatman tells ELLE UK. 'I used to be embarrassed to say I played rugby, whereas now I feel proud of who I am and that I can be feminine and play rugby and the bow does acknowledge that.'
What Boatman proves is that the girly connotations of the bow are not redundant but instead take on an additional point of feminine strength for elite female athletes at the Games. You have to wonder if these hair accessories then prove distracting in competition. Boatman says otherwise. 'We’re encouraged to show our personalities and be ourselves and this is who I am and how I express myself on the pitch in what is deemed a more "masculine" sport,' she says.
Pre-game rituals often define an athletes' experience during which time even the smallest action can be considered a good luck charm. No doubt then that these conveniently en vogue finishing touches do the same. 'It’s become a part of my "uniform" and I don't like playing without it,' Boatman confirms. 'It represents my feminine side but also is a sign of acknowledging my close circle at home who always spot me on the TV by my bow.'
Female athletes have long brought their personality into their competitions (think Serena Williams and her Nike x Off-White tennis tutus, for instance) but the Olympics and its country kit rules have often meant that these fashion-first outfits have been reserved for other occasions. Bows though offer the chance for just the right amount of flair for these female athletes who are looking to reclaim their femininity while also performing at the top of their game. And, of course, it's at the Paris Olympics where the bow has broken through.
Jennifer Behr Bow Hair Clip
Free People Red Ribbon Bow
H&M Bow Hair Tie
