International Bow Day Date in the current year: August 19, 2024

In the most general sense of the term, a bow is an ornamental knot made of ribbon. The exact history of ribbon bows is somewhat murky, but it is believed that they have been around since ancient times. There is evidence that bows were used in ancient Greece and Rome as hair accessories.

Hair bows became widespread in Europe and European colonies in the 18th century. Interestingly, it was mostly men who used bows to adorn their hair; women who wore extravagant hairstyles typically preferred other accessories. As fashion trends changed, women began to wear bows, and men stopped wearing the accessory. Hair bows are sometimes associated with youthfulness and carelessness, but they come in many styles and can be worn in different situations regardless of your age.

Bows can also be worn in the form of a tie. The bow tie developed from a type of fashionable neck scarf called cravat around the 18th or 19th century. Originally worn exclusively by men, bow ties briefly crossed over to womenswear in the 1920s and 1930s thanks to Marlene Dietrich. Although they are still viewed as a primarily male accessory, a lot of women find ways to incorporate them into their style.

The female version of the bow tie is known as a lavallière, pussycat bow, or pussybow. The main difference between the two is that the pussybow has a larger knot and drooping ends. Pussybows are commonly associated with femininity, and some women politicians, including Margaret Thatcher and Kamala Harris, have combined pussybow blouses with pantsuits to create a sharp and professional yet feminine look. Catherine, Princes of Wales has also worn quite a few pussybow blouses during her royal engagements.

Hair bows, bow ties, pussybows, and other types of bows have been in and out of fashion throughout their history, but if you truly love bows, you can wear them whenever you want regardless of whether they are fashionable at the moment or not. There are celebrities who have made hair bows or bow ties an integral part of their style and are lauded for it.

International Bow Day was created in 2017 by Claire’s, an American retailer of toys, jewelry, and accessories primarily aimed at tween and teen girls. The main goal of the holiday is to celebrate this versatile but often misunderstood accessory and encourage people to incorporate bows in their looks, be it hair bows, pussybows, or bow ties.

There are many ways to celebrate International Bow Day. You can wear you favorite bow accessories (don’t forget to take a picture and post it on social media with the hashtags #InternationalBowDay and #BowDay), think about fun new ways to incorporate bows into your style, learn how to tie a bow tie, give someone you love a wrapped gift with a bow, cosplay a fictional character known for wearing a hair bow or a bow tie, such as Minnie Mouse or the Eleventh Doctor, or even host a bow-themed party.