Cardi B Squeezes More Than 25 Coquette Bows Into Her Hair at Once

Coquette-core lives on.

cardi b
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Girlhood appreciation and the coquette-core trend that came with it reached a peak during the first half of the year. We were attaching pink ribbons to just about everything: napkins, sweaters, soup cans. Bows primarily found home in our hair—and it seems Cardi B is petitioning for the darling trend to become a permanent fixture in the beauty world.

On Friday, May 31, the singer shared a self-shot music video of “Wanna Be (Remix),” a collaboration between herself, GlorRilla, and Megan Thee Stallion, on Instagram. While the lyrics are certainly worth a listen, Cardi’s hair captured my full attention. Her long, black hair was quite literally covered in little blue and white bows. I counted well over 25 of the clips staggered throughout her hairstyle.

A post shared by Cardi B

A photo posted by iamcardib on

While Cardi’s current style puts an emphasis on the sheer number of bows, her hairstylist Mia, also known as Tokyo Stylez, wasn’t without plenty of inspiration. “Bows are back—and not just for the holidays,” 901 hairstylist Natty Jackson previously told Marie Claire while chatting about 2024’s hair trends. “You can really channel your inner coquette girl this year.”

Bows dominated the 2024 Spring/Summer Haute Couture runway circuit. They made appearances at Chanel, with large velvet ribbons perched atop ponytails, Dior, where hairstylist Guido Paolo secured dainty ribbons into braided bows, and Giambattista Valli, where each ponytail had not one—but two—bows staggered in the style.

hair bows at fashion week

Velvet bows were a Spring/Summer 2024 runway staple.

(Image credit: Launchmetrics)

Dainty ribbons don’t just find a home in hairstyling—they’re also ideal nail accessories. “Adding a sweet little bow can make any mani feel like a little girlie gift,” celebrity nail artist Miss Pop previously told Marie Claire. You can attempt freehanding the design or order tiny ribbon appliques. “Secure them with a dot of eyelash glue," Miss Pop added, "and you’ll be good to go.”

Cardi B's recent beauty hasn't otherwise included coquette bows or pearls. If she's this committed today, it might just be the start of a romantic new beauty era. Shop bows of all shapes and sizes to follow her lead, ahead.

Samantha Holender
Beauty Editor

Samantha Holender is the Beauty Editor at Marie Claire, where she reports on the best new launches, dives into the science behind skincare, and shares the breakdown on the latest and greatest trends in the beauty space. She's studied up on every ingredient you'll find on INCI list and is constantly in search of the world's glowiest makeup products. Prior to joining the team, she worked as Us Weekly’s Beauty and Style Editor, where she stayed on the pulse of pop culture and broke down celebrity beauty routines, hair transformations, and red carpet looks. Her words have also appeared on Popsugar, Makeup.com, Skincare.com, Delish.com, and Philadelphia Wedding. Samantha also serves as a board member for the American Society of Magazine Editors (ASME). She first joined the organization in 2018, when she worked as an editorial intern at Food Network Magazine and Pioneer Woman Magazine. Samantha has a degree in Journalism and Mass Communications from The George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs. While at GWU, she was a founding member of the school’s HerCampus chapter and served as its President for four years. When she’s not deep in the beauty closet or swatching eyeshadows, you can find her obsessing over Real Housewives and all things Bravo. Keep up with her on Instagram @samholender.