These Chic Hair Clips Are Janelle Monae's Solution To Dressing Up A Braid

Between backwards headbands, Victorian veils, and babushka scarves, February runways have shaped up to be a hair accessory obsessee's dream. And while barrettes, bows, and beaded headdresses continue to crop up on seemingly every catwalk, the front rows are also churning out ornamentation inspiration in equal doses. Janelle Monae's hair clips at the Balmain Fall/Winter 2020 show are a case in point.

The French fashion house debuted its autumnal range on Fri. and it was brimming with loud, classical designs, unexpected prints, and what is that? Equestrian notes? The eclectic mix of aesthetics mirrored the crowd, among it the queen of eclecticism, herself.

Alongside Usher and Shailene Woodley sat Janelle Monáe in her chic black-and-white striped coordinates (matching bag included) and a hip-length side braid which was clearly just an excuse to wear a lot of hair accessories.

Now, you already know the singer is no stranger to a hat, a crystal hood, or a flower crown (see: Oscars 2020), and her latest hairstyle proves that clips have won over the accessory queen's affection, too. Her braid featured four of them — none matching, all adhering to the black and white motif — and, in addition, she wore three pearl-adorned pins above the ear.

It must have been the work of Monáe's usual hair artiste, Nikki Nelms, who aptly goes by the name of "Hair MacGyver" on Instagram. Whenever there's a Janelle Monáe hairstyle in question — ribbony box braids at last November's Queen & Slim premiere, a pearl-studded low bun earlier this month, or (throwback!) the googly-eye twin bun incident of 2016 — she's usually the mastermind behind it.

Among all the other incredibly intricate hairstyles that Monáe has pulled off over the years (seriously, does Nelms have a PhD or something?), her latest clip-embellished side braid must be one of the easiest to recreate. (Pro tip: it's an absolute lifesaver for second-day blowouts, bad hair days, and getting stuck in the rain.)

A few Janelle Monáe-inspired barrettes that will immediately add chicness to your trusty braid, ahead.