Hair Accessories Are the Ultimate Low-Maintenance Fall Beauty Trend

We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we love. Promise.Getty ImagesFor my fellow maximalists who have been thrilled with the recent rise in playful hair accessories, I have good news: They aren’t going anywhere this fall and winter. Headscarves, headbands, French pins, claw clips—whatever your preferred way to keep your hair off your face, chances are it’s trending again this season.“Hair accessories are becoming part of the outfit again, and I’m so excited about it,” says hairstylist Mia Santiago. “The hair itself can be effortless (low bun, a loose braid, a simple pony) then you add one really intentional accessory that gives the whole look personality.” That’s right: Hair accessories are actually the ultimate in lazy girl hairstyling. I couldn’t even begin to count the number of times I’ve faked being put together by throwing my hair up into a big scrunchie or fancy-looking hair clip.Looking to update your own hair accessory wardrobe for the fall? Ahead, get expert tips for picking out and pulling off the latest trends, plus some recommendations for what to add to your styling stash.Head Scarves & BonnetsChristian Vierig//Getty ImagesJeremy Moeller//Getty ImagesAtsuko Tanaka//Getty ImagesIt was a head scarf spring and summer and Santiago doesn’t see that changing anytime soon. “I think the head scarf is one of those trends that can transition really beautifully into the fall,” she says. To make it feel less summery, “reach for silk, velvet, or a slightly heavier fabric in chocolate, burgundy, olive, navy, or a beautiful vintage print.”Hairstylist Matt Newman predicts people will be reaching for even cozier options as the temperatures drop. “Why not work a scarf into your look for winter?” Newman says. “When you’re out and about, it’s nice to be warm.” He thinks we’ll be using more “actual, warm scarves to cover ourselves up without ruining our hair.”If you, like me, find that scarves slip off the instant you tie them on, Santiago has one tip: “Cheat! I use tiny bobby pins underneath the scarf, usually behind the ears, and a little texture spray at the roots,” she says. “The goal is to give the fabric something to grab onto without making your hair crunchy.”Shop Scarves & BonnetsDecorated BraidsChristian Vierig//Getty ImagesValentina Frugiuele//Getty ImagesBraids are getting to have all the fun this season, as people decorate them with flowers, big scrunchies, sparkly clips, and, it seems, just about anything else they can find.Newman says this is great for days when you want a break from heat styling. “If you just add little tchotchkes into your loose braid, you now have a super polished, super fun look,” he says. “You could go out at night, day, anytime, people will compliment your hair.” He loves the idea of weaving in dried flowers for autumn. “If you don't want to really tchotchke it up, just a straight up pony cuff ... looks really polished,” Newman says.Santiago is also a fan of the trend “when it’s done with a little restraint.” “A few tiny gold cuffs, pearls, charms or pieces of ribbon can be really beautiful,” she says. “One of my favorite versions for real life is a slightly undone braid with a thin velvet ribbon woven through it and just a few metallic details.” In other words, no need to buy any new braid decor—you can make just about anything you have on hand work.Artful Claw ClipsValentina Frugiuele//Getty ImagesEdward Berthelot//Getty ImagesWhen I first started reporting this story, I feared my beloved claw clip was waning in its trendiness, but both Santiago and hairstylist Matt Newman reassured me that that’s not the case. “I don’t think claw clips are going anywhere,” Santiago says, though she thinks the style is changing. “The basic oversized neutral claw clip that we’ve all been living in feels a little less fresh, and I’m seeing more clips that feel like an actual accessory or piece of jewelry.” Santiago notes that she’s particularly loving tortoiseshell, sculptural pieces, metallic finishes, and vintage-inspired clips this season.Shop Claw ClipsSleek French PinsDaniel Zuchnik//Getty ImagesMoritz Scholz//Getty ImagesIf there’s anything that threatens to take claw clips’ place, it’s the French pin, which both Santiago and Newman are very into right now. “They’re less utility looking clips that we’re going to use for the same style [as a claw clip] but they disappear a little more,” Newman says.However, I know from experience that they’re much harder to use—even when I get the twist exactly right, half my hair has slipped out by lunch time. Newman recommends starting your style with a hair tie. “Do a low, loose pony” before you twist the rest of your hair up, he says. “If you have everything gathered and held in an elastic, the other accessories have to do less work,” Newman explains. “They’ll be more of a finishing touch that brings it all together in a really beautiful way.”Shop French PinsBig Barrettes & Statement ClipsValentina Frugiuele//Getty ImagesEdward Berthelot//Getty ImagesBarrettes are back, baby. “You can make a very simple hairstyle instantly look expensive with the right barrette,” Santiago says. This is not the time for dainty pins: Go big and bold with oversized clips, fun colors, and pretty patterns.A word of warning from Newman: Like the French pin, some of these clips are more for decoration than function. “The one utility purpose they can have is [taming] flyaways,” he says. “When you need to control those front pieces, any little star clip or rhinestone is perfect to ... secure down flyaways without smashing your hair.”Shop Big Barrettes & Statement ClipsChunky HeadbandsFrazer Harrison//Getty ImagesChristian Vierig//Getty ImagesNewman says stretchy headbands, which have been back in a big way for a minute, are particularly good for the fall and winter: If you’re wearing a headband under your hat, it holds your hairstyle in place. “When you take [the hat] off, you’re still intact beneath,” he explains. “Your hairline doesn’t get smushed down.”Santiago is also into headbands as a fashion accessory. “I’m seeing a lot of padded, rounded and structured shapes, along with velvet, satin, tortoiseshell and leather,” she says. “I especially love a wide headband with smooth hair tucked behind the ears. It has that very polished, slightly ’60s feeling without looking dated.”Plus: “It’s also one of the easiest trends for someone who doesn’t want to spend 45 minutes styling their hair,” Santiago continues. “Put on a great headband and suddenly it looks like you did.”Shop HeadbandsBow (If You Want To)Edward Berthelot//Getty ImagesValentina Frugiuele//Getty ImagesAtsuko Tanaka//Getty Images”I never like to say something’s in or out, because I believe all these things are cyclical and timeless,” Newman says. “But I kind of think that the bow had such a huge presence in the last few years that I do believe we’ve sort of tiptoed away from it.” He sees current hair trends as more glam and polished than traditional hyperfemininity—more metal pins, fewer velvet ribbons. “The bow is what we’ve lost to that.”But Santiago says they’re still having their moment. “I think they’re getting more sophisticated. We’ve moved past the tiny bow attached to absolutely everything.” She loves a velvet bow on a low bun or a long ribbon attached to a pony. “If you’re going oversized with the bow, I’d keep the hairstyle really simple,” Santiago says. “A sleek bun with one gorgeous oversized bow is much cooler than pairing a giant bow with an equally complicated hairstyle.”All that’s to say: If there’s a hair accessory you like this fall, wear it.Shop BowsWhy trust Cosmopolitan?Kara McGrath is a writer and editor with over 15 years of experience covering the beauty space. That job includes testing as many hair products as possible, interviewing hairstylists, and having an overflowing hair accessory drawer.Kara McGrath is a writer and editor with over 17 years of experience covering the beauty industry, women’s health, and a wide range of other lifestyle and wellness topics. After most recently serving as content director at Allure (2019-2025) and executive editor at Bustle (2014-2019), she is now fully freelance. In addition to Cosmo, her writing has appeared in Allure, The New York Times, Marie Claire, Business of Fashion, Playboy, NH Magazine, and more. Kara lives in New Hampshire with her dog, four cats, and a rotating cast of foster animals. You can find more of her work at karamcgrath.com.