They're fluttering on the Yorkshire moors in Emerald Fennell's forthcoming Wuthering Heights adaptation and making statements on Welsh rugby pitches. Oversized bows have become the defining fashion accessory of 2025, appearing everywhere from high fashion catwalks to the British high street.
From Cathy to the Catwalk: Bows Take Centre Stage
In the two-minute trailer for Fennell's Wuthering Heights, Cathy appears adorned with multiple bows - red, black, navy and pink versions accessorising her wardrobe. The film features bows around garden pots and even around Edgar Linton's throat, transforming Emily Brontë's classic into what some are calling a bow-filled spectacle.
The trend has exploded beyond period dramas. Lily Allen wore a dramatic gold Marc Jacobs dress with a giant bust bow to her album launch party, while Amanda Seyfried appeared wrapped like a gift in Prada at the Venice film festival. Cynthia Erivo opted for a gothic-inspired huge green velvet bow at the Oscars, demonstrating the accessory's remarkable range.
High Street Embrace and Cultural Significance
British retailers have fully embraced the trend. Next currently sells nine different bow-covered cardigans, while Marks & Spencer offers two bow-festooned little black dresses for the Christmas season. At Joseph, a white cotton tuxedo shirt comes with a detachable grosgrain bow, and Oliver Bonas features at least five pairs of bow-shaped earrings.
According to Elisa De Wyngaert, curator at Antwerp's Momu fashion museum, this bow revival coincides with a cultural shift. "Women no longer feel they have to dress like men to be taken seriously," she explains, noting that traditionally girly items are being reclaimed as symbols of pride rather than weakness.
Subversion, Solidarity and the Male Gaze
The trend took a political turn when Welsh rugby player Georgia Evans faced online attacks for wearing pink hair bows during a game. The controversy sparked a powerful response: more than 1,000 bows were worn in solidarity at a subsequent match against Fiji, with volunteers creating a "ribbon station" for supporters.
Fashion historian Valerie Steele observes that contemporary bow usage often carries ironic subversion. "A pretty bow worn in an unexpected context is subversive," she notes, pointing to designers like Sandy Liang and Simone Rocha who have made bows their trademark.
Danish designer Cecilie Bahnsen, who uses bows in place of zips and buttons, explains their appeal: "I like that a bow can be feminine, but frivolous, but mostly not overtly sexual. It's about women dressing for women."
Historical Context and Gender Fluidity
Bows actually have masculine origins. Croatian soldiers first popularised knotted scarves that inspired aristocratic men in Louis XIV's court to wear bows. Later, Marie Antoinette became what Dr Sarah Grant of the V&A calls "history's peak bow," deploying them strategically on typically feminine areas.
Today, men are rediscovering bows on red carpets, with Andrew Garfield, Harry Styles and Ncuti Gatwa (who wore a large detachable bow with his Ozwald Boateng suit to the Met Gala) embracing the accessory. Flouting gender binaries has become an alpha move in itself within contemporary fashion.
As the trend continues to dominate 2025, bows demonstrate that even the most traditionally feminine accessories can carry multiple meanings - from solidarity and subversion to pure decorative joy in challenging times.
