The Best Chic Hair Barrettes to Elevate Your Look

Buying Guide

Trends in hair clips and barrettes have come and gone over the decades. But even when they aren’t the biggest fashion trend, a good pair of barrettes can come in handy. You can use them to hold your hair in place while you style your hair or wash your face. They can also be useful for keeping your hair out of your face while you’re doing household chores or working on an important project.

One of the biggest challenges in finding hair barrettes is getting the right fit. Hair can vary in thickness, and the barrette that works great for your friend or relative might be too tight or slide around when you put it in your own hair. You might try dozens of hair barrettes before you find the right ones for your hair type.

But it doesn’t have to be that difficult. Some barrettes now come with removable inner bars that let you customize the fit of your barrette. That means one barrette can work for clipping small sections of hair or an entire ponytail, giving you more bang for your buck. But if you’re buying a barrette for ponytails, you’ll likely look for different features than you would with a barrette you’re wearing for smaller sections.

The look of your barrette will play an important role in your selections, too. But as you’re dazzled by flashier barrettes, keep the colors of your wardrobe in mind. You’re more likely to regularly wear a barrette in neutral colors that matches more of your clothing than one in brilliant, bright hues. If you do opt for a barrette with a flashier pattern, make sure you have items in your closet that will pair with it.

As you choose barrettes that appeal to your tastes, also keep materials and fit in mind. For best results, choose a barrette that will hold up over the months and be comfortable during the hours you spend wearing it.

• The best barrettes feature clasps made from metal. The upper side will likely be plastic, but the mechanism that holds the barrette in place needs to be made from a durable material.
• Chances are, you won’t need a metal that can withstand excessive moisture. If you routinely insert your barrettes in wet hair, this can corrode certain metals over time, but for the most part, you should be able to get plenty of use out of a barrette even if the metal isn’t made to endure water exposure.
• The weight of your barrette is an important consideration. Over the course of the hours you’ll be wearing it, a heavier barrette could become uncomfortable. It might even cause headaches. Even a couple of ounces can make a big difference when you’re wearing something for hours at a time.
• If you’re looking for barrettes you can gift to someone else, attractive packaging can make a big difference. Sure, you’ll likely want to wrap it up anyway, but having barrettes that are attached to an attractive paper backing can enhance the presentation.
• Some barrettes feature a removable inner bar for those occasions when you want to use your barrette as a ponytail holder. This gives a barrette versatility.
• Having a barrette that slides around can be a pain. You’ll want a barrette with a snug fit so it stays in place once you’ve clipped it into your hair.
• Consider how a barrette will look in your hair. A flashy, bulky barrette might appear attractive in its packaging, but you might prefer something that sits closer to the scalp when you’re wearing it.