In April 2024, Lana Del Rey boldly claimed that she invented bows. She commented on a fan post on Instagram with the remark, and fans went wild over it.
This begs the question: did she actually invent them as a fashion staple in today’s scene? Before we dive in and discuss this, let’s clarify a few things.
I am a Lana Del Rey fan and am not downplaying her legendary influence in fashion and trend-setting. This woman brought flower crowns, Waffle House, flowing dresses, Coca-Cola, and vintage Americana fashion to the forefront. She led Tumblr culture in the 2010s and spearheaded the early days of Coachella fashion. She curates the ultimate “sad girl fashion” and continues to sit on her throne as a leader in style, culture, and music.
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On the other hand, I also grew up in the Myspace era of black eyeliner, swooping side bangs, and most importantly, the MILLIONAIRE$. The girls who taught us how to spell “a-l-c-o-h-o-l” in 2008 are known for hair bows just as much as Lana Del Rey. Despite their limited niche, their influence should not be undermined.
For 15 years, MILLIONAIRE$ frontwoman and self-proclaimed “scene queen” Melissa Marie Green has been infamous for her oversized, eye-catching hair bows that she perfectly places asymmetrically in her super-teased, hair-sprayed emo hairstyle. The bows are so big that they cover the entire top of her head. These iconic bows remain her trademark accessory and a merchandise product that she sells through her merchandise store. She wasn’t the first to wear hair bows on Myspace, but her exaggerated statement sent shock waves across our top 8 list.
Melissa’s bows and music are proving to be timeless as she prepares for a comeback performance at When We Were Young Festival 2024 and continues releasing new music, including their single “Make a Milli.”
When asked how her signature bows came to be, Melissa says, “So, if you didn’t know me already, I was a ‘SCENE GIRL’ in high school during the MySpace days! I had the ULTIMATE teased ‘$CENE HAIR,’ so when MILLIONAIRE$ started, I was over the small bows, and I couldn’t find any that would match the size/comparison of my hair! The small stuff looked absolutely ridiculous sometimes, and even when I went to Hot Topic, there were no choices back in the day! That’s when I knew I had to take it upon myself to make bows to match my hairstyle!”
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She says the moment she realized her over-the-top style had caught on with the masses was when she got tagged on Myspace on Halloween because people dressed up like her. As the frenzy grew, she began making and selling customized hair bows so fans could adorn their hair with the same accessories as her. She puts a lot of time and care into hand-crafting each bow and continues to sell them online via her online store. She was kind enough to offer an exclusive discount code for idobi Radio readers and listeners!
You can get 30% off a bow using the code IDOBI30
Lana Del Rey has been photographed with bows in her hair since the inception of her music career. What sets Melissa apart from Lana is the boldness of her statements. Lana opts for a more traditional, understated, and coquette style. Meanwhile, Melissa’s gigantic neon bows are showstopping and synonymous with her name as she invented a new way to wear them in a pinnacle era of pop culture. I’d argue that although Lana rocks hair bows in stunning ways, she didn’t invent them, nor did Melissa. The difference is that Melissa memorably reinvented the accessory like no one else before her.
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When asked how she feels about her legacy as a trendsetter, Melissa says, “I just appreciate everyone who has loved my style and continues to do so! I didn’t know it would have turned into a scene trend back in the day tbh LOL! <333 I thank you for this because it is nice to finally get the credit I know I deserve. There’s a quote that states, ‘Heavy is the head that wears the crown.’ My statement is, ‘Heavy is the head that wears the BOW.'”
The good news is that this isn’t a competition, just a fun debate about bow invention. Whoever’s style you choose to love is a winner, and we are grateful for these scene queens bringing their accessorizing aptitude to their respective genres.
