These hair clips are guaranteed to get you through a bad hair day

hair clips
(Image credit: 2019 Christian Vierig)

They were massive last season, and aren't going anywhere fast. There's no doubt about it, hair clips are still the must-have hair accessory, especially now it's almost party season.

First spotted on the runway at Simone Rocha a few seasons ago, they quickly trickled down to mainstream fashion, becoming the cult accessory of party season 2018.

The appeal is evident. They are an easy way to update an outfit if you're strapped for cash - thought there are a lot of gorgeous designer options out there too if you have the budget, thank you Shrimps et al.

Whilst there are a lot of statement headbands out there (I'm obsessed with velvet and pearls), the hair clip the more werable way to get in on the trend and requires virtually no effort.

If you're a minimalist at heart, opt for a classic tortoiseshell clip, or if you're a maximalist, then you'll love all the pearl and sequin offerings, which in my opinion go well beyond party season.

For summer, I've seen lots of lovely shell offerings on the high street, from Zara and H&M to & Other Stories, as well as by favourite designers such as WALD - the perfect addition to your holiday wardrobe.

New brands such as Valet Studio are also satisfying all my vintage dreams, with resin pearls and shells galore.

There are two ways to nail the look this season. Either wear two matching ones at a time, of if you're a bit more carefree, I love the mix and match look, as long as you're keeping it to similar hues or styles.

I personally love them as the finishing touch to a puff sleeve midi dress and minimal sandals, but for a more casual look, they're great with a suit and trainers too.

Shop a few of my favourites above. Enjoy.

Penny Goldstone

Penny Goldstone is the Digital Fashion Editor at Marie Claire, covering everything from catwalk trends to royal fashion and the latest high street and Instagram must-haves.

Penny grew up in France and studied languages and law at the Sorbonne Nouvelle University in Paris before moving to the UK for her MA in multimedia journalism at Bournemouth University. She moved to the UK permanently and has never looked back (though she does go back regularly to stock up on cheese and wine).

Although she's always loved fashion - she used to create scrapbooks of her favourite trends and looks, including Sienna Miller and Kate Moss' boho phase - her first job was at MoneySavingExpert.com, sourcing the best deals for everything from restaurants to designer sales.

However she quit after two years to follow her true passion, fashion journalism, and after many years of internships and freelance stints at magazines including Red, Cosmopolitan, Stylist and Good Housekeeping, landed her dream job as the Digital Fashion Editor at Marie Claire UK.

Her favourite part of the job is discovering new brands and meeting designers, and travelling the world to attend events and fashion shows. Seeing her first Chanel runway IRL at Paris Fashion Week was a true pinch-me moment.