By Agnete Bay Blichfeldt, Rebecca Ceccatelli and Alice Alves Pinho Joazeiro. Cover image by Khadiga Etman.
The Oscars never fail to captivate, bringing together the brightest stars from cinema, music, and celebrity. They fill the iconic Dolby Theatre, with some fortunate enough to step onto the stage to receive their golden, Art Deco-inspired statuettes. It’s Oscar night. What films will take home the most awards? That’s up to the Academy. But what about how celebrities dress for the occasion? How do they walk the 2025 Oscar Red Carpet now that fashion carries as much significance as cinema? It all comes down to our beloved fashion houses. Archival pieces or new designs? A revival of an old trend or an ultra-modern style?
The Return of the Bow: A 2025 Oscar Trend
This year, one accessory has made a striking return: the bow. A timeless symbol, it has evolved beyond its traditional roots and is now gracing both men and women in fresh, unexpected ways. From classic black bowties to dramatic sculptural details on gowns, the 2025 Oscar attendees demonstrate that the bow is more versatile and captivating than ever.
While last year’s most talked-about trend, brooches, has not yet left the stage—still adorning the outfits of both women and men, such as Adrien Brody in Giorgio Armani or Lisa in Markgong— the glittering element has taken centre stage at the 2025 Oscars. Look out for mirror-ball textures, super shiny tubular dresses and the timeless appeal of jewelled appliqués. Don’t go to bed tonight without checking out the masterpieces by Christian Siriano for Halle Berry and Ralph Laurent for Selena Gomez.
However, something both small and gigantic has emerged on the carpet—an element that perfectly captures this specific moment in popular culture. Straight from the hair accessories worn by Gracie Abrams and her fans at her concerts and embodying the current girlhood vibe, we have a new and polarising presence on the carpet: the bow.
Oscars 2025, Coquette Nostalgia vs Feminine Heroin
Bows are enjoying a resurgence in fashion, but did they ever really disappear? When we think back to the brat wave we saw last summer, bows may not be the first style that comes to mind. Yet, over the past decade, the coquette aesthetic—characterised by soft pastel tones—has remained present, and the allure of the bow has distinctly re-emerged in our wardrobes.
Since 2023, bows have become increasingly popular, particularly with the rise of the “coquette” trend as a symbol of hyper-femininity, notably during the release of the Barbie movie and Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour. It served as a counterpoint to the traditional image of the “heroin”, often portrayed as a non-feminine (but also not that masculine) girl who doesn’t prioritise caring about her appearance—yet somehow always looks gorgeous—and who hates pink.
The truth is that, historically, the film industry has depicted femininity as superficial, associating elements attributed to women with fragility or weakness. So, the bow trend proudly challenged this notion, suggesting that embracing femininity is, in fact, a demonstration of strength. It also evokes a sense of nostalgia for girlhood, reminiscent of when our mothers adorned our hair with giant bows and dressed us like princesses.
From Function to Fashion: The Bow’s Ever-Evolving Role in Style and at the Oscars 2025
The bow has been around for as long as humans have used knots to secure things. Before it became a fashion statement, it served as a utilitarian knot valued for its ease of being untied: you just pull on either end to loosen it. This functionality allowed a piece of fabric to tie garments, bonnets, or collars and adjust for various sizes. Interestingly, despite its practical nature, the bow often appears decorative because of the way it looks.
Historically, especially during the Rococo period, men’s fashion began to feature large, decorative cravats tied in bows, symbolising sophistication and status. Women’s gowns and accessories also displayed bows as a sign of refinement and luxury. However, as men’s clothing became more tailored in the early 19th century and colours took a backseat, the bow largely disappeared from men’s attire, acquiring a reputation solely related to femininity—except for the bow tie, which remained a status symbol for men. This shift was further influenced by popular culture, which contributed to defining the bow as an emblem of girlhood, prominently represented by characters like Minnie Mouse, Shirley Temple, and later, pop icons such as Madonna and Hello Kitty.
The Modern Bow: A Genderless Fashion Statement
Recently, the bow has made a notable comeback, reaching the highest couture collections of fashion houses. This time, however, it is being embraced as a genderless accessory and a decoration that is applied without any strict rules.
At this year’s Oscars, many celebrities have looked at each other, noticing similarities in their gowns. If we had to group attendees based on the fashion elements they shared, the “bow” group would have been quite large, showcasing numerous winners, including Mikey Madison and Sean Baker for Anora.
Covered in Bows: Oscar’s Red Carpet 2025
What is unique about the bow as a decorative element is its widespread use in gala wear for both men and women. Men traditionally wear the classic black bowtie in a butterfly style, whereas women often embellish their hair or dress with bows. These adornments seem to be ubiquitous!
However, just because an element makes a regular appearance year after year, doesn’t mean it is immune to change. At the 2025 Oscars, we observed that bows have adapted to a shape that has not been popular for some time. They have lost their volume and soft curves, with even the scrunched knotted centre being retracted. What remains is a flat, rectangular bow—simple and minimalist yet undeniably an attention-grabbing decorative element.
This style, reminiscent of the “batwing” design, appeared on a range of outfits: Elle Fanning, Felicity Jones, Mikey Madison, Edwin Ryding, and even Zoë Kravitz, who showcased a version that neatly decorated her revealed buttocks.
One of the most iconic gowns this years’ red carpet was undoubtedly the Louis Vuitton deep green velvet dress worn by Cynthia Erivo. A closer look at this dress reveals that its dramatic shoulders are actually formed by this specific type of bow, which constitutes the main part of the dress’s bodice.
As for menswear, one standout outfit belonged to Jeremy Pope, who opted for a minimalistic black silk shirt from Balmain featuring a row of six simple batwing bows instead of the classic bowtie. Despite the number of bows, the look remained sleek, clean-cut and elegant.
This year’s Oscars beautifully demonstrated the bow’s ability to transcend gender and aesthetics. Its simplicity makes it adaptable to romantic, feminine looks, masculine sashes, extravagant sculptural designs, or eye-catching minimalism.
