If there’s one thing I’ve learned from having a tween daughter, it’s that the smallest accessories can sometimes be the biggest deal.
Hair Accessories Tween Girls Are Wearing Right Now: 15 Cute Trends
You don’t necessarily need a completely new outfit to change up your look. Sometimes a cute bow, colorful claw clip, or fun headband is all it takes.
And when it comes to hair accessories tween girls are wearing right now, there are so many adorable options.
Hair accessories are also one of my favorite tween trends because they’re usually affordable. Girls can experiment with different styles and aesthetics without parents having to spend a fortune.
If you’re wondering what hair accessories tween girls are actually wearing, here are 15 hair trends to have on your radar right now.
1. Oversized Hair Bows
Oversized bows are one of the first accessories I’d add to this list.
Think big satin, velvet, or grosgrain bows clipped onto a ponytail or half-up hairstyle.
Black, white, pink, navy, and burgundy are especially easy to wear for fall and school.
Look for: Kitsch, Scünci, Target, Amazon, and Anthropologie-style bow clips.
2. Long-Tail Ribbon Bows
Along with oversized bows, we’re seeing pretty long-tail ribbon bows.
These look adorable clipped over a ponytail, braid, or half-up hairstyle. A simple white or black ribbon can make an everyday school hairstyle look instantly more polished.
3. Claw Clips
Claw clips aren’t going anywhere!
They’re one of the easiest hair accessories for tween girls because you can twist hair up in seconds.
Neutral tortoiseshell clips are always useful, but tween girls may gravitate toward pink, lavender, baby blue, checkerboard, floral, or other colorful designs.
Try: Kitsch Eco-Friendly Claw Clips or Scünci claw clips.
4. Mini Claw Clips
The mini version might be even more fun.
Use two mini claw clips to pull back the front pieces of hair or scatter several tiny clips throughout a hairstyle.
These are especially good for creating cute school hairstyles for tween girls.
5. Satin Scrunchies
Scrunchies are another accessory that continues to be incredibly useful.
I love satin scrunchies because they can be used for ponytails, buns, braids, or even worn around the wrist.
Specific find: Kitsch Satin Scrunchies.
Look for packs with pink, cream, brown, black, or pastel colors so girls can coordinate them with different outfits.
6. Skinny Scrunchies
Not every scrunchie has to be oversized.
Skinny scrunchies create a slightly more polished look and are perfect for low ponytails and braids.
Splurge option: Slip Silk Skinny Scrunchies.
7. Padded Headbands
The classic headband has gotten a makeover.
Padded headbands can make jeans and a sweatshirt look instantly more put together. They’re also an easy solution on mornings when there’s simply no time to do an elaborate hairstyle.
Velvet, gingham, satin, and knotted styles are all cute choices.
8. Sporty Headbands
For athletic tween girls, simple stretchy headbands are a must.
They’re great for soccer, volleyball, running, dance, and other activities, but girls are also wearing them casually.
Look for Nike, lululemon, Under Armour, and Athleta Girl headbands.
9. Preppy Grosgrain Ribbon
Here’s one of the easiest ways to recreate the preppy hair trend without spending much money.
Buy a roll of grosgrain ribbon!
Tie it around a ponytail or at the end of a braid. Navy, pink, white, red, plaid, and gingham ribbon all create that classic preppy look.
10. Pearl Hair Clips
Pearls aren’t just for adults.
Small pearl barrettes and clips are a pretty way to dress up a tween hairstyle for a party, school dance, family event, or holiday.
I’d stick with simple designs rather than anything overly formal.
11. Colorful Snap Clips
Remember snap clips?
They’re back in colorful, updated versions.
Tween girls can wear one on each side of a middle part or stack two or three clips together on one side.
They’re inexpensive, which makes them an easy trend to try.
12. Flower Hair Clips
Flower clips can add a fun pop of color to a simple hairstyle.
Look for smaller floral clips for school and larger flowers for vacations, summer outfits, or special occasions.
They look especially cute with braids and half-up hairstyles.
13. Tortoiseshell Barrettes
For girls who prefer something a little more neutral, tortoiseshell clips and barrettes are perfect.
They work with almost everything and can make a basic ponytail or half-up hairstyle look polished without feeling too grown-up.
14. Hair Scarf Scrunchies
These combine two accessories into one.
A scarf scrunchie gives you the ease of a regular scrunchie with a little fabric tail that looks like you’ve tied a scarf around your ponytail.
They’re especially cute with braids, low ponytails, and messy buns.
15. Fun Hair Tie Sets
Don’t overlook basic hair ties!
Tween girls always seem to need them, and sets in coordinated colors make an inexpensive addition to a beauty bag or backpack.
Look for Goody Ouchless hair ties, Scünci hair elastics, or Kitsch hair ties in neutrals, pastels, or school colors.
What Hair Accessories Are Tween Girls Wearing?
The biggest trend I’m seeing is that there’s no single style girls have to follow.
Some girls love the preppy aesthetic with bows, ribbon, pearls, and headbands. Others prefer sporty headbands, claw clips, and simple ponytails.
And that’s exactly why hair accessories are so much fun.
A tween can wear a giant pink bow one day and a simple claw clip the next.
Hair Accessories for School
If you’re shopping specifically for school hair accessories for tween girls, I’d start with:
- Claw clips
- Mini claw clips
- Satin scrunchies
- Grosgrain ribbon
- Simple bows
- Stretchy headbands
- Snap clips
- Basic hair ties
Put several inside a small pouch in her backpack, too. You never know when a ponytail holder is going to break or she’ll decide she wants her hair up halfway through the school day.
An Easy Gift Idea for Tween Girls
Hair accessories also make fantastic gifts for tween girls.
Grab a cute cosmetic pouch and fill it with a claw clip, satin scrunchies, mini clips, a bow, colorful hair ties, and a headband.
It’s an easy birthday or holiday gift that doesn’t require knowing clothing sizes.
Cute Hair Accessories Tween Girls Can Make Their Own
One of my favorite things about these hair accessories for tween girls is that they’re an easy way for girls to show off their personalities.
Whether your tween loves bows and everything preppy, plays sports every day, or just wants something to throw her hair up quickly before school, there’s an accessory that works.
And as a mom, I love that many of these trends don’t require a huge investment.
Sometimes a $5 bow or cute new claw clip is all it takes to make the same ponytail, braid, or bun feel completely new.
Let her experiment, have fun, and figure out which hair accessories feel the most like her.
