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The scent of a fir garland candle wafts through the air. Vintage Christmas records play in the background. You’ve just logged off work for the day, and you’re wrapped in delicious a faux fur blanket. Only thing missing from this festive Nirvana? A Christmas tree that’s tastefully decorated, while keeping with your home’s quiet luxury vibe.
Luckily, there’s a TikTok trend that delivers just that: Christmas tree bows.
We know… bows? During Christmas? Groundbreaking. But the trend is actually less about the bow itself and more about how you style it. While the bows of the past were more traditional or borderline tacky (think: plaid, bright red velvet, huge glittery varieties), these bows are thinner and come in more muted tones and textures. For example, in the TikTok above, the bows are a mix of cream, gray and sage hues—and they’re used as the only accessory on the tree (apologies to Grandma’s ornaments).
You want to skip the really big bows with loud patterns and go with sleeker, more understated styles (i.e., velvet or brass) instead. Not only does this instantly elevate a tree, but it also allows you to play around with different bow shapes, colors and textures to give it a theme. Case in point: The tree above uses thin brass bows and a mix of burgundy, cream and blue accents bring the color palette together.
And a bow-filled tree doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice the rest of your ornaments entirely. In another TikTok, Shea McGee (aka one of our favorite designers) shares, “Before I start decorating my tree, I make sure I have a color palette in mind… this tree showcases all of my beautiful glass ornaments that I’ve collected over the years. [I chose a blue and brown color palette] and I knew I wanted to do a tree that had tinsel. I loved the way the silver of the tinsel played off of the warmth of the velvet ribbon [bows].”
Looking for more tips on how to try the trend on your own tree? There are two routes you can take. The easiest, most budget-friendly option is to pick up some ribbon and DIY it. Thanks to TikTok, there’s tons of tutorials on how to tie the perfect bow—and most people are placing them directly on the tree branches (no clips or extra accessories required).
Otherwise, there are also plentyof pre-tied bows to choose from on Etsy. We’re talking everything from trendy bouclé bows to traditional velvet bows to vintage brass bows. Either way, just be sure to choose something that’s more understated and textured (instead of big, patterned and made from plastic).
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