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The claw clip has made a comeback! Back in the day, the popular hair accessories from the ’90s and early ’00s were seen on everyone from high schoolers to Rachel on “Friends.” And lucky for us, they have started trending again.
Not to be confused with the banana clip, the claw clip is a two-sided hair comb that opens with a spring. The spring keeps pronged teeth on both sides clamped around your hair. It’s an inexpensive hair accessory that’s easy to use.
Like other trends that are coming back (see baby tees, sweater vests and scrunchies), the claw clip is part of a “Y2K fashion” revival. In the below video, Tiktoker @thefreshnostalgia shows off displays at a Target that are giving turn of the century.
@thefreshnostalgia This NOWstalgia trend ain’t playin around
The fact that for a whole 5 seconds I thought I teleported.#2000s #y2k #y2kfashion #target #fyp
Vox pointed out that the claw clip didn’t necessarily fall out of use. After all, it’s an easy and attractive alternative to ponytail holders, and remains a mainstay in drugstores and big box retailers even though it was technically out of style. It just fell out of “fashion favor,” because celebrities didn’t wear them consistently.
That started to change with a 2018 Alexander Wang runway show where models stomped down the runway with their hair pulled back with — you guessed it — claw clips. These being high-fashion claw clips, they were stamped with Wang’s name and finished in chrome.
By 2021, the likes of Bella Hadid, Hailey Beiber, Kaia Gerber, and of course the Kardashians were sporting claw clips in their hair too. The accessory is a quick way to give yourself a more pulled-together look or just get your hair out of your face.
Some of the popular brands today are also biodegradable so you’re not investing in just another piece of plastic.
Thanks to video tutorials on YouTube, TikTok, etc. — which weren’t around during the claw clip’s first evolution — it’s even easier to learn new hairstyles using the accessory.
For example, here’s the viral TikTok “flip and claw clip” hairdo. This one, which has received 11.9 million views, is by Emilie Kiser.
@emiliekiser WHAT DO WE THINK?! I love it
#hairtok #easyhairstyles #viralhairstyles #cleangirl #cleangirlaesthetic #trending #viral #dayinmylife #grwm #schoolhairstyles #viralponytail #clawcliphairstyles #amazonfinds #amazon #thatgirl #healthyhair #hairhack #longhair #hairinspo
EverydayHairInspiration has a step-by-step tutorial on YouTube that explains how to do a basic claw clip updo.
Eva Pautov shows how even those with short to medium-length hair can use a claw clip. In this TikTok tutorial, she creates two ponytails:
@evapautov claw clip updo #clawcliphairstyle #clawcliphairstyle #clawclips #updohairstyles #shorthairstyles #hairtok #fyp ⬠Diet Mountain Dew – Lana Del Rey
The claw clip’s inventor was Frenchman Christian Potut, owner of a plastic manufacturing company. He came up with the first claw clip design in the late 1980s. As the design was never patented, the claw clip was soon mass-produced around the world.
Here are five, highly-rated versions of claw clips you can buy on Amazon or Walmart.
Tocess Hair Claw Clips For Women (4-pack for $7.64-10.19)
Tocess’ Big Hair Claw Clips come in four-packs for between $7.64 and $10.19, depending on the color and variety you pick. Their rubber, matte finish lets them blend into your hair without slipping or snagging.
These claw clips have 4.7 out of 5 stars from more than 29,200 ratings. Fans said they are good for thick, curly hair.
“A set of these lasted me almost two years before I finally had to buy more,” wrote Amazon reviewer Olivia M. “I had long, mid-back length hair, and these held so well! They’re great for short hair, too. They’re very durable, mine only broke because eventually the metal spring got rusty from wearing them in the shower.”
Scunci Extra Large Claw/Jaw Clip In Tortoiseshell ($7.25)
The classic hair brand Scunci has an extra large tortoiseshell claw clip for $7.25 on Walmart’s site. These are designed for all-day hold. They have a 4.2 out of 5-star rating from over 40 customers.
“My hair is really long and kinda thick, but these actually work due to their size and no-slip grip,” wrote Walmart reviewer malsburyj. “I love using these ones, and I have for years.”
Lukacy Large Metal Hair Claw Clips (6-pack for $9.98)
Lukacy’s Large Metal Hair Claw Clips are made from a metal alloy with a gold finish and come in a six-pack of different styles for $9.98 on Amazon.
They also have 4.7 out of 5 stars from more than 5,900 ratings. One Amazon reviewer likes these because they are metal, come in a variety of designs, do not fall out even when shaking your head vigorously, and look great when viewed from the side.
“I have long, thick hair,” wrote Erin N. “As one with very thick hair and LOTS of it, I don’t think there’s a hair clip I haven’t tried over the years! Needless to say, I didn’t have high hopes as a result of repeated failures with other clips. Well, I was not only surprised but ABSOLUTELY ELATED with these clips!”
Janfun Flower Hair Claw Clips (8-pack for $9.49-15.99)
These fun Janfun flower-shaped claw clips come in an eight-pack with a rainbow of colors. Prices vary on Amazon between $15.99-18.99 depending on which colors you select, but right now you can clip coupons for a few of the packs, including 50% off a non-matte set of colorful clips, which brings the price of that one to $9.49.
The petals of these flowers disguise the gripper part of the claw clips. They have 4.6 out of 5 stars in more than 1,600 ratings.
“I have a LOT of hair, and have struggled to find hair claws that are strong enough to keep it up at work, without spanning almost the entire back/top of my head,” wrote Amazon reviewer Traci Donahue. “These are a good size, about the size of my palm, had strong enough to keep it all up on my head over the course of a 9 hour work day.”
Magicsky Celluloid Hair Claw Clips (4-pack for $6.99-9.99)
The Magicsky four-piece hair claw clip set comes in a few different color sets for between $6.99-9.99 on Amazon. They have 4.6 out of 5 stars from more than 6,300 ratings.
“The clips are smaller than I expected but a really great quality,” wrote Amazon reviewer Rose. “They have a great hold and are comfy. They are sturdy and don’t feel cheap. The tortoise shell in the different colors is fantastic and they have a smooth touch.”
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