Ariana Grande Just Brought the Hair Bow Back to its Rightful Place: The Red Carpet
The accessory has come a long way from her Nickelodeon days.
Much like Ariana Grande's relationship with her boyfriend, Ricky Alvarez, which started in 2015 and resumed over a decade later, she has a history with hair bows. Yes, ponytails are the calling cards of her pop star persona, but bows have likewise played a part in her style evolution. Even now, while promoting her next acting project, Focker-In-Law, Grande still hasn't forgotten her (hair accessory) roots.
On November 11, Grande and Alvarez made their red carpet debut as a couple at the New York premiere of the fourth film in the Meet the Parents franchise. But they weren't alone: an ivory, satin-like hair bow third-wheeled the milestone. The feminine addition was the perfect match for her vintage, '90s-era Badgley Mischka gown, complete with a checked, rom-com-ready print.
Ariana Grande and Ricky Alvarez made their red carpet couple debut—with her iconic hair bow by their sides.
"The dress just reminded me of the '90s and early 2000s when, I think, the original Meet the Parents came out—it just felt of the era," Law Roach told Entertainment Tonight on the red carpet. "I perceive Ari in a way that is very feminine, ladylike, soft, and gentle, [and that] is reflected in the clothes."
The same could be said of the shoulder-sweeping ribbon, which exuded early-2000s nostalgia in an on-brand way for Grande. Her pearl-and-rhinestone hoop earrings from Swarovski also received Roach's soft, romantic memo.
Appreciate Grande's entire Focker-In-Law look, from the hair bow to the hem.
Grande has had a penchant for ponytail bows since 2012. While playing Cat Valentine in Nickelodeon's Victorious and Sam & Cat, she constantly secured her red hair with ribbons that complemented her costumes and red carpet dresses.
Back in 2012, Grande loved to match her hair bows to her red carpet looks.
She took a brief break while releasing music. The Grammy winner's next albums, My Everything and Dangerous Woman, made ponytails the star of the show. In place of ribbons, Grande wore cat-ear headbands—or no accessories at all. It wasn't until 2018, when Sweetener and Thank U, Next came out, that bows reclaimed their rightful place on her crown.
In 2018, she performed "No Tears Left to Cry" at the Billboard Music Awards in a little black babydoll dress, thigh-high boots, and a tulle, gravity-defying bow around her platinum blonde ponytail. She also attended the 2018 Met Gala in a custom Vera Wang ballgown and a beige tulle hair bow.
In 2018, Grande took center stage in one of her largest hair bows yet.
She brought the supersized style in beige to the 2018 Met Gala.
In 2021, ribbons returned to Grande's accessory rotation for the 1960s-inspired Positions era (and her one-season stint as a judge on The Voice). These bows weren't nearly as oversized as her circa-2018 renditions, but they preserved their slouchy silhouettes and neutral shades.
On The Voice, Grande wore hair bows with half-up, half-down looks.
Fast forward to the Wicked press tour in 2024, and Grande wore hair bows as often as the color pink (an homage to her character, Glinda the Good Witch). She doubled down on darling ribbons at the 2024 Paris Olympics, posing for photographers with an elongated, pale pink bow atop her ballet bun, which matched her drop-waist Thom Browne dress.
Two years ago, Grande attended the Olympics in a Parisian dress and bow.
This summer, hair bows were noticeably absent from Grande's Eternal Sunshine Tour costumes, curated by Roach, but Focker-In-Law brought them back—hopefully for good. On the eve of the NYC premiere, the actor wore (what seemed to be) the white premiere bow with a fuzzy, fur-trimmed jacket, stovepipe-slim jeans, and her beloved ballet pumps by Sandy Liang.
This week, Grande wore a surprisingly similar hair piece with a laid-back look.
Lucky for fans of the look, Grande never said "Thank u, next" to the elegant embellishment. Still, that's not to say they've stayed the same since 2012. Hair bows have evolved right alongside the star's red carpet and street style rotation, changing in shape, size, and color.
While you await Grande's next ponytail-and-bow pairing, add some similar styles to your accessory drawer. Take it from Grande: Hair bows have no expiration date.
Shop Hair Bows Inspired by Ariana Grande
