I've mentioned before how I like to use vintage millinery flowers with wire stems in my hairstyles. The only difficulty is they can be hard to find, come in odd colors and sizes, and often are crushed, stained, or have other flaws from being poorly stored, or simply from age.

A cheaper and more readily available option is paper flowers.

There is a huge variety of these available, ranging from large roses to tiny baby's breath. My favorite size for hairstyling are blooms about 1 1/2 inch in diameter, like these dainty daises.

Because they have wire stems, they are easy to arrange in your hair and generally the stems are invisible because they are so thin. I usually don't need to pin them in at all in a structured hairstyle like this one, but a bobby pin underneath that crosses the stem is sure to secure it if your hair is loose.

Hair flowers are popular today with ladies styling the vintage look, and with good reason. They are very period correct in almost any placement, size, and combination. They add a dash of color to your hair, often coordinating with the outfit, and are (my favorite reason) incredibly helpful in hiding a not quite smooth roll or wave, or filling an unbecoming space in your curls. If your hairstyle didn't turn out as symmetrical as you were hoping, hair flowers on one side can make it look intentionally asymmetrical. They can add height to a lower hairstyle, or width to a built-up one. If you need to soften the edges of a wave or roll, tuck in some small flowers behind it to fill it in. Their uses are endless!

In the 1940s, hair flowers reached their peak of popularity. You can find pictures of them worn in every way, from a few dainty blossoms…

…to the slightly more outrageous.

A rose clipped over the ear on one side or both sides was popular, or nestled in an up-do. But pretty much any placement anywhere in any hairstyle was acceptable. See the variety in these vintage images.

By the 1950s, hair flowers had largely gone out of fashion, though flower covered hats and headbands were very popular (as well as flower wreaths or headbands for brides). But after some searching I did find a few images of 1950s hairstyles sporting flowers.

One benefit of paper flowers is they are so pose-able and lightweight, as well as cost-efficient and realistic. But on the other hand, you don't want to get them wet, and though usually pretty sturdy, they can be crushed. So far the benefits outweigh the drawbacks, in my experience, and I love how cheap and easy to find they are, and how many colors and sizes are available – something that is not the case with vintage millinery flowers.

 Daisies in particular add a breath of spring to your outfit.

Incidentally, this is another case when a hairnet is an instant fix for a disaster hairstyle. Instead of working for a long time trying to tame too-wild curls with pokey ends, a hairnet smooths it all down and tucks it all up – like magic!

Hair flowers are quintessentially feminine, perfect for everyday or dress-up occasions, stay put for worry free hairstyles if you initially secure them well, and add a lift to your mood and special touch to your outfit, while staying relatively out of the way of small fingers, if you have children – unlike a corsage, brooch, or necklace. I just need to add more colors to my collection!