The Asta Flower Hair Clip Colour Guide: Dating, Styling, and Collecting

Hold an Asta flower hair clip in your hand, and the colour tells you everything. Not just whether it's pretty — but whether it's from the 1950s, the 1970s, or a later revival. These small sculpted blooms, usually no bigger than a two-pence coin, were made in Britain from the late 1940s through the 1980s by Asta Ltd., a Birmingham company that specialised in pressed-metal and resin accessories. The colour palette shifted dramatically over those decades, and understanding those shifts is the key to dating a clip, styling it correctly, and building a coherent collection.

The earliest Asta flower clips, from the late 1940s and early 1950s, were solid brass or silver-plated metal with hand-painted enamel petals. The colours were restrained: deep navy, forest green, and a single shade of creamy white. These clips were often sold in sets of two or three, meant to be pinned into a victory roll or a chignon. The enamel was fired at high temperature, giving it a glass-like depth that still holds its lustre today — if you find one with chipped enamel, the underlying metal is usually a warm brass tone.

The 1960s: Pastels and Pearlescence

By the early 1960s, the Asta flower clip had become a staple of the British high street. The company introduced a new line made from a lightweight resin — a cellulose acetate blend that could be moulded into more intricate petal shapes. The colour palette expanded into pastels: baby pink, powder blue, mint green, and a soft butter yellow. These were often given a pearlescent finish by adding fine mica powder to the resin before moulding. The effect is subtle — the clip catches the light differently from every angle, never garish, always soft.

Collectors today prize the pearlescent pastels above almost all other Asta colours because they are the most fragile. The resin can yellow with age, especially if stored near sunlight or heat, and the pearlescent layer can delaminate. If you are considering a pastel Asta clip from the 1960s, check the back of the petal: uniform colour with no cloudy patches is a good sign. A clip that has turned a uniform honey colour is not ruined — it has simply aged gracefully, and many stylists actually seek out that warm patina for autumnal looks.

The 1970s: Earth Tones and Tortoiseshell

The 1970s saw a complete reversal in Asta’s colour direction. The company responded to the fashion for natural, earthy looks by producing flower clips in deep brown, olive green, burnt orange, and — most famously — a tortoiseshell effect achieved by layering two colours of resin. The tortoiseshell Asta flower clip is often mistaken for a later reproduction, but genuine 1970s examples have a distinct seam where the two colour layers meet, visible under a loupe. The brown base is a dark espresso, and the amber overlay is translucent, giving the clip a warm, almost glowing quality when backlit.

If you are drawn to the tortoiseshell Asta, you may also appreciate the Anika Tortoiseshell Hair Clip: A Collector’s Guide to a British Vintage Icon, which shares a similar resin composition but a different silhouette. The Anika clip is a solid bar shape, while the Asta flower is a bloom — but both pieces were manufactured in the same Birmingham factory during the same period, and the colour recipes are identical. Owning both lets you see how the same tortoiseshell resin behaves on a flat surface versus a curved, three-dimensional petal.

How to Choose an Asta Flower Colour for Your Hair

Vintage dealers often give this advice: match the clip’s colour to the undertone of your hair, not the exact shade. For ash-toned blonde or grey hair, the 1950s enamel navy and forest green provide a crisp, cool contrast. For warm brunettes and redheads, the 1970s tortoiseshell and burnt orange are almost universally flattering. For anyone with silver or platinum hair, the pearlescent pastels from the 1960s create a monochromatic, ethereal look that feels both vintage and contemporary.

Colour is about era too. A single Asta flower clip in a 1970s earth tone pinned into a modern chignon instantly signals a retro touch without needing a full vintage outfit. A set of three 1950s enamel clips worn on a side-swept ponytail can anchor a whole 1940s-inspired look. The small size of the flower means it never overwhelms the hairstyle — the colour does the heavy lifting of the period reference.

Care and Preservation of Asta Flower Clip Colours

The colour of an Asta clip is its most vulnerable feature. Enamel can chip, resin can fade, and the metal prongs (almost always steel or brass) can rust and stain the clip if stored in a damp bathroom. A few practical rules will keep the colours intact:

• Store clips flat, not stacked. The petals of resin Asta flowers can press against each other and leave permanent indentations if stored in a pile. Use a felt-lined tray or a compartmentalised box.
• Keep away from direct sunlight. Ultraviolet light accelerates yellowing in resin and fading in enamel. A drawer or a fabric pouch is safer than a windowsill display.
• Clean with a dry, soft cloth only. Water can seep into the gap between the metal clip and the resin flower, causing corrosion. If you must remove hairspray residue, use a barely damp cotton bud and dry immediately.
• Do not polish enamel. Enamel is glass-hard but brittle; polishing compounds can scratch the surface and dull the colour. A gentle wipe with a microfibre cloth is sufficient.

Where the Colours Lead

One of the most rewarding aspects of collecting Asta flower clips is that the colour palette tells a small story of British manufacturing and changing tastes. The 1950s enamel clips reflect post-war austerity giving way to restrained optimism. The 1960s pastels mirror the blossoming of youth culture and the popularity of plastic as a modern material. The 1970s earth tones speak to a back-to-nature movement that also valued craftsmanship and longevity. None of these clips were expensive when new — they were everyday accessories sold in department stores and chemist shops — but their survival in good colour condition is a testament to the quality of the materials and the care of their owners.

If you are just starting a collection, begin with one colour family that appeals to you. A set of three matching 1960s pastels is easier to find than a full rainbow, and it will give you a cohesive look when worn together. Then, as you encounter single clips in other colours, you can expand gradually. The Fresh Finds: The Magic of New Arrivals in a Vintage Hair Accessory Collection page on this blog regularly features Asta flower clips in colours that are harder to find — such as the rare 1950s cream white or the late-1970s amber with gold flecks. Checking that page every few weeks is the most reliable way to spot a colour you have not seen before.

When you do find a clip in an unfamiliar colour, examine it under a good light. Is the colour consistent across all petals? Is there a maker’s mark on the back of the metal clip? (Genuine Asta flowers usually have “ASTA” stamped in tiny letters on the spring hinge.) And most importantly, does the colour make you want to wear it tomorrow? That is the only rule that truly matters in a collection built for joy, not for investment.