The Corset Top Trend Is Coming for Your Hair

Meet the coolest new way to wear a hair bow.

My favorite part about New York Fashion Week is the people-watching. If you attended, then you probably arrived in what I like to call your "Runway Best" (like Sunday Best), or outfits where every last detail was probably planned in advance. Sometimes, you can find more trends and outfit inspo when people-watching (and celeb-watching) than from watching models walk in shows. This year however, there was one beauty trend we spotted on everyone, both on and off the runway: corset hair.

While "corset braids" sounds like a medieval torture device, don't worry, it's harmless—and very chic. Think of it as the next evolution of the hair bow. If you're ready to take your ribbons to the next level, here's everything you need to know about the corset hair trend.

The Look

At Christian Siriano’s Spring/Summer 24 show, hairstylist Lacy Redway created the most obvious rendition of the trend, which were two Dutch braids laced together with pale pink ribbon. The lacing was reminiscent of the lacing in a boned corset, and Redway aptly named the style “braided corset.” Redway noted that she was inspired by Siriano’s tulle details and said, “I knew to best support the looks, I had to keep the hair feeling soft with [a] clean girl aesthetic but put-together like you would expect to see a ballerina fairy who twirls down the runway.”

The Trend

The key word Redway mentioned is "ballerina," considering that balletcore is the root of pretty much every major trend right now—from classic flats to the girly goth aesthetic. Bows are a core part of the look, and have become without a doubt the biggest hair accessory trend of the year, and can be spotted tied at the ends of braids and the base of ponies, or clipped into a half-up.

For fall, the "dark ballerina" trend is here, and the bows are coming undone—at the same Christian Siriano show, models also wore “ribbon highlights"—strands of ribbons clipped into pin-straight hair—and models at Mirror Palais waltzed down the runway while wearing ribbon choker necklaces wrapped around both their necks and hair, finished off with a droopy bow. On the streets (and on TikTok), I noticed more than a few people treating satin ribbon as a fourth strand in their braids, creating a corseted effect.

But where do corsets tie (I had to) into all of this? Much like Y2K or '90s minimalism, there’s something about the corset that simply won’t give up. Corsets started popping up as a style staple during the beginning of the pandemic, and years later, brands like Miaou, House of CB, and Selkie still haven’t quit creating corset tops and dresses. With all this loose ribbon lying around, it was inevitable that a corset-style lacing would make its way to our hair.

How to Get the Look

We’re not saying it’s impossible to achieve a hair corset at home—you’ll just need either tons of patience or upper arm strength. Redway first prepped models' hair with the Tresemmé Extra Hold Mousse ($11) for extra grip, and then parted the hair down the middle to create two Dutch braids towards the nape of the neck. After that, she secured the two braids together and created one large loop braid. Finally—this is where the patience/arm strength comes in—she looped satin ribbons through the braids, starting at the crown of the head and weaving downward, the same way you would a corset.

For a less labor-intensive take, channel the hair at the 3.1 Phillip Lim show where hairstylist Mustafa Yanaz created a single-strand corset by wrapping string across low ponytails. Another method is simply weaving a ribbon or two through your favorite style of braid for a criss-cross effect, or make like the Mirror Palais model with a lackadaisical ribbon wrapped around your neck and hair.

The look worked perfectly with the ultra-feminine outfits on the runway, but feel free to have fun with it. Just as you would pair a corset with baggy jeans, don't be afraid to mix and match with any grungy or bloke-core outfit you've been saving for fall.

Up Next: "Dark Ballerina" Beauty Is the Thesis Statement of New York Fashion Week

Read the original article on Byrdie.