Men were the first to use bows in their hair. Yup, it’s true! Samurai warriors in the 16th century, as well as medieval knights in the 11th century, frequently used ribbon, twine or string to tie back their moptops to prevent hair from getting in their eyes in battle. Ever notice cavemen using a bone to tie up their hair on top of their head? That is said to be the very first appearance in history of a rudimentary bow.
In the 1700s, bows were worn by gentleman at the base of their powered wigs and on the tops of their stockings as a sign of refinement and polish. Bows on women’s wigs did not make an appearance until much later in the 18th century and did not truly become a common fashion adornment for dresses around the world until the 1800s. (Marie Antoinette’s French fashion statement did not survive her beheading–bows were not en vogue again until the Victorian Age.) With the introduction of them at the base of a lady’s corset, we realized bows “can become sugarcoated invitations to seduction.”
We referenced in our last article the Spring 2018 fashion shows from Valentino and we are adding to that list the shows from Viktor & Rolf. The catwalk ladies were representing the wonderful dichotomy of the bow–ladylike and innocent yet seemingly begging for someone to untie it and reveal what it is underneath. A bow sash that is securing a blousy pair of pants or bows attaching the two sides of a dress’ neckline can be incredibly alluring and sophisticated at the same time. It seems that while men may have begun the fashion trend that is the bow, women have now most definitively claimed it for their own.
The power of a bow on your wedding cake can be twofold–it serves as a fashion accessory and also signifies the more traditional nature of a bow that the cake itself is a gift of health from the hearth. While bows are currently seeing a resurgence on the runways, our cakes have been sporting delicate confectionary loops and knots for the last twenty years. Perhaps today’s fashion designers are being inspired by our Confectionary Couture for their new Spring collections? Scroll through the images below to see the translation from fashion to fondant and try not to get tied up in knots about it.
Cake photos by Ron Ben-Israel Cakes. Fashion photos from Valentino and Viktor & Rolf Spring 2018 Collections. Marie Antoinette photos from archive.com
