Step aside balletcore: There’s a new ultra-feminine aesthetic taking over TikTok in 2024. Coined the “coquette” aesthetic, this fun and flirty trend has been all over our social media feeds lately. It’s characterized by a focus on the feminine—think sweet, innocent babydoll dresses in pastel pink and romantic hairstyles adorned with bows and ribbons.
If you’re aiming for a soft, playful vibe this year, the coquette trend may be right up your alley. And, good news, there are so many ways to incorporate this girlish aesthetic into your look—and we recommend starting with your strands. From messy, loose pigtails secured with silk to more intricate braided updos, read on to discover 10 of our favorite trendy coquette hairstyles for all hair types.
What is the Coquette Trend?
The French term “coquette” is generally used to describe a person who is charming, feminine, and flirtatious. As an aesthetic, the coquette look usually combines girlycore and balletcore styles with Old English elegance. This often means plenty of pastel colors, ruffles, lace, silk, bows, ribbons, and dainty accessories. The goal is to incorporate youthful femininity into your look while embracing a flirtatious, playful attitude.
But that doesn’t mean you need to go all out with pastel pink clothing and accessories—many people choose to embrace a “dark coquette” look instead, opting for black ribbons, lace, and pearls. If you ask us, one of the best things about this trend is that you can give it your own personal touch, starting with your hair.
How Can I Apply the Coquette Aesthetic to My Hair?
One of the easiest ways to achieve coquettish hair is to adorn your locks with bows and ribbons made from delicate fabrics (like satin, velvet, or lace)—the more, the better! Try to take inspiration from your younger self and show off your favorite carefree childhood hairdos, like pigtails and double braids. With that said, you can make pretty much any hairstyle work for this aesthetic, as long as it allows you to embrace that flirty, romantic, and not-so-grown-up energy.
10 Coquette Hairstyles With Ribbons
Here are 10 trendy coquette hairstyles to help you effortlessly embody this oh-so-feminine aesthetic
Good hair day by @senadakxo and @liddle_bitt
Clip-In Extensions With Bows
This coquette hairstyle uses clip-in extensions to add even more length, volume, and fullness to your natural locks. Begin by clipping in your extensions, then style your hair into a classic half-up, half-down look with loose curls. Place a few bows down the length of your half-up pony and finish with a strong-hold hairspray, like Matrix Fixer Hairspray.
Good hair day by @hairbybradleyleake
Satin Ribbon Pineapple Updo
An elegant pineapple ribbon updo is the perfect coquette style for
curly hair. The style gets its name from its resemblance to a pineapple’s leaves, with your hair secured at the crown of your head and curls left to cascade around your face. To get the look, start by applying a heat protectant, like Mizani
Style Shifter Society Heat Screen, as well as a nourishing hair oil for shine—we suggest Matrix
A Curl Can Dream Lightweight Oil. Then, brush your hair into a loose bun at the crown of your head and secure with an elastic. Finally, tie a satin ribbon into a bow around the bun for an ultra-romantic touch. If your curls look a bit flat, redefine them with a curling iron, then slick back any flyaways with a strong-hold gel like Redken Max Sculpting Gel.
Good hair day by @annette_updo_artist.
Braided Messy Low Bun
Put a playful, coquettish spin on your messy low bun by adding braids and a bow. To get the look, begin by prepping your mane with a multitasking spray, like Biolage Professional All-In-One Coconut Infusion Multi-Benefit Treatment Spray—this formula detangles, combats frizz, enhances shine, and helps prevent split ends. Then, create your hairstyle using the tutorial above (with the help of a stylist, if preferred), and finish with a large satin or velvet bow for a dainty coquette touch.
Good hair day by @mr_alexandrycosta.
Braided Loop Ribbon Pigtails
Put extra scraps of ribbon to good use with this adorable braided loop hairstyle. Begin by sectioning your hair down the middle, then create two pigtails and secure each with an elastic at the nape of your neck. Braid your pigtails and flip up the bottoms, tucking the ends into each elastic—this should create a looped U-shape on both sides. Tie ribbons onto each loop pigtail to give this style a sweet touch and eliminate any flyaways at the sides of your hair with Shu Uemura Art of Hair’s Umou Hold Cream.
Good hair day by @thenikkirodri.
High Half-Up Ribbon Pigtails
You’ll feel extra adorable in these coquette-inspired half-up pigtails. This versatile hairstyle works on all hair types and textures and easily transitions from day to night. To get the look, create two half-up pigtails (placing them high up on your head), secure with elastics, and add a mini clip-in ribbon to each side
Good hair day by @daliandra.
Low Ponytail With a Chunky Ribbon
If feeling girly and graceful is the goal, it’s hard to go wrong with this casual low ponytail. The key is to take an oversized ribbon (preferably satin or silk) and tie it into an elegant bow at the nape of your neck.
Good hair day by @liddle_bitt.
Braided Ponytail With Bows
When it comes to coquette hairstyles, this romantic ponytail nails the aesthetic perfectly. To create it, part your hair down the center and begin weaving a one-inch braid onto either side of your part. Once you reach the mid-lengths of your strands, secure the braids with a clear elastic. Then, gather all of your hair (braids included) into a ponytail at the back of your head. Curl the length of your pony, if desired, then accessorize the look with satin ribbons or bows.
Good hair day by @JamieMcdHair.
Bow “Money Piece”
Dip your toes into the coquette aesthetic with this extra-cute (and easy) bow money piece look. Style your hair as desired, then separate a small section of hair on one side and add elastics down the length of the entire section, each spaced about two inches apart. Tie small bows around the elastics and set your style with Redken Brushable Hairspray for a low-key look that’s equal parts coquette and cool.
Good hair day by @sunniebrook.
Bubble Ponytail With Ribbons
A bubble braid isn’t exactly a braid: Instead, it’s a twist on a classic pony, with the ponytail separated into fluffed out “bubbles” secured by hair ties. Get creative by adding ribbon bows around each hair tie. If you’re prone to frizz, prep your mane beforehand using a smoothing product like Matrix Hydra Source Blow Dry Shaping Lotion for a sleek, glossy finish.
Good hair day by @rootandshadowsalon.
Hair Bow
Don’t have hair bows or ribbons at home? No problem. You can still try the coquette aesthetic with other fun and flirty looks—like this bow hairstyle. Rather than using an actual bow, this adorable look uses your locks to create the shape of a bow. Mastering this hairstyle can be a bit on the trickier side, so we recommend showing it to your stylist for the best coquette-inspired result.
Next Up: Valentine’s Day Hair: 30 Romantic Hairstyles for Date Night
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