Vintage Hair Accessories: How to Collect by Product, Wave, and Colour

You're at a British flea market, sifting through a tray of hair clips. A tortoiseshell comb with a hand-painted rose catches your eye. Next to it, a velvet bow the shade of dried blood. Underneath, a plastic barrette in a coral that hasn't been made since 1958. For collectors, the thrill is in the details: the curve of a clip, the depth of a dye, the way a piece's design mirrors the decade it came from. This article breaks down three pillars of vintage hair accessory collecting — products, waves, and colours — and gives you practical ways to evaluate, style, and care for each.

Products: Decoding the Silhouette

Every era produced distinct hair accessory silhouettes. Knowing them helps you date a piece and understand its original purpose. The 1920s favoured long, decorative combs worn low at the nape, often made of celluloid or French jet. By the 1940s, practicality ruled: alligator clips and small metal barrettes held victory rolls and pinned curls. The 1950s introduced the classic banana clip — a spring-loaded arch that could hold a ponytail without crushing it. The 1960s brought the plastic snap clip (often with a decorative top) and the iconic tortoiseshell claw. The 1980s? Big, bold, and often colourful — oversized bows on metal clips and chunky plastic combs with geometric patterns.

When you're evaluating a product, look at the hinge mechanism. A well-made alligator clip from the 1940s will have a tight, even spring that still holds firm. A 1960s snap clip should close with a clean click — if it's loose, the plastic may have warped. For combs, check the teeth: they should be uniform, unbroken, and free of rough edges that could snag hair. If a piece is missing its original padding or felt lining (common on metal clips from the 1930s–1950s), a jeweller can replace it, but original linings add value.

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The Cult of the Alligator Clip

One of the most enduring vintage products is the alligator clip — a small, spring-loaded metal clip with a toothed grip. British manufacturers like Betts & Co. produced thousands of them in the mid-20th century, often with a decorative front plate. These clips were designed to hold small sections of hair for pin curls or to secure a flower or ribbon. Today, they're prized for their versatility: a single clip can dress up a half-up style or anchor a vintage scarf. The Mini Daisy Alligator Clip is a perfect example of how a simple silhouette can become a collector's favourite — its daisy motif is both playful and historically accurate to the 1950s.

Waves: The Shape of Style

Beyond the product type, the wave — or curve — of a hair accessory matters enormously. A flat barrette behaves differently from a domed one. A curved comb follows the contour of the head, while a straight comb is meant for decoration, not grip. In vintage terms, “wave” can refer to both the physical shape of the accessory and the hairstyle it was meant to create.

For example, the 1930s wave clip was designed to hold a finger wave in place. These clips were long, narrow, and gently curved to match the S-shape of the hair. They were often sold in sets of four or six, each with a different decorative motif — a tiny flower, a geometric line. If you find a single wave clip at a market, don't pass it up: it can be worn alone as a statement piece, clipped into a side part.

The 1970s introduced the “wave comb” — a wide, flexible plastic comb with a pronounced curve, meant to be worn at the crown to create volume. These combs are often found in brown, black, or tortoiseshell, but rarer colours like mustard yellow or avocado green are highly collectible. When styling, use the curve to your advantage: place the comb where your head naturally rounds, not on a flat section, or it will slide out.

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The Bow Wave

Bows present their own wave logic. A vintage bow barrette isn't just a ribbon tied in a loop — it's a structured piece, often wired or moulded, that holds a specific shape. The “butterfly bow” of the 1950s had wide, flat loops that sat parallel to the head. The “puff bow” of the 1980s was gathered in the centre and stood upright. When you're buying a vintage bow, check the wave of the loops: if they're crushed or asymmetrical, the piece may have been stored improperly. Gentle steaming (using a handheld steamer from a distance) can revive a fabric bow, but test on an inconspicuous spot first. The Imogen Silky Bow Barrette Leopard shows how a well-preserved bow retains its crisp silhouette — the leopard print is playful, but the structure is what makes it wearable.

Colours: The Language of the Decades

Colour is perhaps the most immediate way to date a vintage hair accessory. Each decade had a palette, and understanding it helps you build a cohesive collection or style a piece with modern clothes.

Decade	Signature Colours	Materials	Common Finishes
1920s	Black, dark tortoiseshell, deep amber, cream	Celluloid, French jet, silver	High gloss, carved
1930s–1940s	Amber, butterscotch, clear crystal, ruby red	Bakelite, Lucite, metal	Polished, sometimes matte
1950s	Pastel pink, baby blue, mint green, coral	Plastic, enamel, fabric	Glossy, often hand-painted
1960s	White, black, tortoiseshell, mustard yellow	Plastic, metal, wood	Matte or satin
1970s	Avocado green, harvest gold, burnt orange, brown	Plastic, resin	Matte, textured
1980s	Neon pink, electric blue, black, white, red	Plastic, metal, fabric	High gloss, often metallic

Reading Colour Fade and Wear

Vintage plastic and resin can change colour over time. Bakelite darkens with age and exposure to light — a piece that was once bright orange may now be a deep mahogany. Lucite can yellow, especially if stored in a sunny window. Celluloid is volatile: it can shrink, warp, or develop a crystalline surface. When you're buying, look for even colour. If a clip has faded on one side only, it was probably displayed in a shop window. That's not necessarily bad — it's a sign of authenticity — but it does affect the value. For wear, you can celebrate the patina: a faded pink barrette from the 1950s looks beautiful against a cream silk blouse.

Styling Vintage Colours with Modern Wardrobes

One of the joys of collecting vintage hair accessories is that they pair effortlessly with contemporary clothes. The key is to treat the accessory as a colour anchor. If you have a 1950s coral barrette, wear it with a neutral outfit — cream, navy, or grey — and let the clip be the focal point. A 1970s avocado green comb looks unexpectedly fresh with a modern olive trench coat. For bold colours, like 1980s neon, use them sparingly: one clip in a low ponytail, or a single bow pinned at the back of a bun.

Don't be afraid to mix decades. A 1940s amber alligator clip can hold a section of hair in a 2025 messy bun. A 1960s white snap clip looks modern paired with a black leather jacket. The contrast between the delicate vintage colour and the clean lines of contemporary clothing creates a look that is both nostalgic and forward.

Care: Keeping Colour and Wave Intact

To preserve the colour and shape of your vintage finds, follow a few simple rules. Store clips and combs flat, not piled in a box, to prevent warping. Keep them out of direct sunlight — UV rays fade plastic and dry out fabric. For metal clips, a light wipe with a dry cloth after each wear prevents tarnish. For Bakelite, a drop of mineral oil on a soft cloth can restore shine, but never use alcohol or acetone, which will dissolve the surface. Fabric bows should be stored in a breathable cotton bag, not a plastic one, to prevent moisture damage.

If a clip has lost its spring, a jeweller can often replace the spring mechanism without damaging the decorative front. For combs with missing teeth, don't try to glue them — the repair will be visible. Instead, display the comb as a decorative object, or use it in a low-tension style where the missing teeth won't matter.

Vintage hair accessories are more than objects — they are small histories of design, colour, and craft. When you learn to read the products, waves, and colours, you become not just a collector but a curator of style. The next time you pick up a barrette at a market, look at its curve, its colour, its hinge. Ask yourself: what decade does it belong to? What hairstyle was it meant for? And how will you make it yours? That is where the real joy begins.