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If a claw clip was the it-hair accessory of the 90s/00s, the banana clip ruled the 80s.
80s Ladies were known for their bright makeup and big hair (hellooo Aqua Net!), but have you ever heard of the banana clip? Today, I'm testing out the hair clip that might just give a claw clip a run for it's money!
A banana clip for your hair is a clip with two plastic sides that clamp together, with horizontal plastic teeth in between. It's used to create an updo hair style.
The banana clip was popularized in the 1980s. It was a common hair accessory for the time period along with scrunchies and Aqua Net hairspray.
Banana clips grew in popularity in the 80s and continued to be used in the early 90s.
The banana clip can be used to hold the hair up in a ponytail or a half-up style. You can even do a side ponytail like an 80s aerobics VHS tape!
A banana clip is similar to a claw clip in that it works for all different hair types. I personally have pretty straight, fine hair and the standard banana clips work for me. If you have thicker hair, I might recommend a larger banana clip or one that is more "heavy duty" to accommodate your hair needs.
Banana clips are reportedly better for your hair than hair ties in that they don't close as tightly around the hair, reducing possibility for hair breakage.
I bought a variety of banana clips from Amazon. The most common kind is a long plastic curve (resembling a banana). They also have smaller, more circular banana clips for half-up hairdos.
A claw clip is usually a plastic hair accessory that opens and closes with a spring and clamps down the hair in the middle of its plastic teeth. The banana clip also has plastic teeth that gathers the hair, but rather than using a spring for its mechanism, it uses a hinge!
Using a banana clip takes a little bit of getting used to if you haven't used one before! First, open the teeth of the banana clip. Gather your hair into a ponytail or whatever updo you would like to secure. Place your ponytail in between the teeth of the banana clip and close the clip while pulling up so that the hair remains secure. Latch the banana clip by hooking it on itself.
Honestly, I think that banana clips just serve a different purpose than a hair tie. In my experience, if you want a super sleek ponytail with minimal pieces falling out, and you want the look to be super secure, use a hair tie. If you're looking for a little bit more of a messy updo, I think banana clips are perfect!
I've also heard that banana clips give you the look of holding your hair up in a ponytails without tying it down with a hair tie. I don't know if you've ever experienced this, but I always like the idea of putting my hair up in a ponytail but I never think it looks as good once I put a hair tie in. I hoped trying out the banana clip would give me a better look.
Claw clips saw a huge resurgence the past few years and the banana clip is definitely making a comeback of its own! An advantage of a banana clip is that for the most part, it lies flat against the head, versus sticking out like a claw clip does!
So I have been told before that I have fine hair, but I have a lot of it. It's naturally straight and it's starting to get long even though I would personally consider it to be medium-long in length. I love using claw clips and find that most claw clips work on my hair, but I do prefer the larger ones to feel more secure.
I honestly thought a banana clip would be as intuitive as a claw clip, but looking back I guess I needed some trial and error with a claw clips as well. I tested out some banana clips in a video which you can see here:
I think the motion of closing the banana clip but also keeping the hair up and tight takes some getting used to. As you can see, my banana clip hairstyles turned out pretty loose. I'm not 100% sure if that is the intended look or if I just need to be schooled on how to properly put one in. Where are all my 80s girls at?
Regardless, I still think they turned out pretty cute! I'm a big fan of a tousled hair look so all good by me.
I got my banana clips from Amazon! They're super affordable and fun to try out! You can check them out here.
These are the banana clips I used in the video!
I also purchased these and they're great also!
Have you ever worn a banana clip in your hair? Do you prefer it to a claw clip? I think both are great!
I'll keep practicing so I can get the perfect 80s look!
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