collaborative post | Getting dressed is usually the part we plan, but the smallest things often make the biggest difference, and accessories are where that shows up most. A claw clip has quietly become as much of a wardrobe staple as a good white tee, which is why it stings so much when the one you bought last week gives up halfway through the morning.
If your hair is thick, long or simply very dense, you will know the routine. You twist everything up, you press the clip closed, and twenty minutes later half of it has slid loose. With thick, long or very dense hair, smaller clips often simply do not have enough room for a full updo. In many cases, a larger clip in a shape suited to more hair makes everyday styling much easier.
Here are seven brands worth knowing if you need something with a bit more capacity. Sizes, shapes and materials vary far more than you would expect.
1. Kitsch
If you want choice, this is the place to start. Kitsch sells its claw clips in a proper size ladder running from Large through Oversized to Jumbo, and the whole classic line is made from recycled plastic, which is a nice thing to know about something you reach for every day. The 2-piece and 3-piece sets are practical too, if you want one by the mirror and another in your bag.
The shape range is the real draw. Alongside the classic claw there are curved, loop, rectangle, flat-lay and open-shape styles, plus an octopus clip that suits a full updo particularly well. Kitsch describes its Black & Tort Octopus Claw Clips as ideal for thick and long hair, holding everything in place for a quick updo or an easy bun, while the Matte Claw Clips in Oversized are designed, in the brand’s words, for pinning up all of your hair rather than just a section. Finishes run through matte, glossy, tortoiseshell and marble, so you can keep something plain for the gym and something prettier for everything else.
2. Teleties
Better known for hair ties, Teleties has quietly built one of the biggest large-clip selections going. Its Large size measures four and a half inches, and rather than offering that in one silhouette, the brand splits it across classic ridged clips, open clips, flat rounds, flat squares and flat rectangles, so you can pick a shape based on whether you want your hair sitting high or lying flatter against your head.
Teleties groups these collections explicitly around thick, wavy and curly hair, and says the bendable teeth are designed to give a secure but gentle hold. The flat styles are worth a look if you spend a lot of time leaning back on a sofa or a headrest.
3. Framar
Framar comes from the professional side of hairdressing, which shows in how unfussy these are. The King Klaws measure five inches, which puts them among the longest here, and the brand’s own line on it is that when it comes to holding thick, curly hair, size matters.
They arrive as a set of four in tonal colours, with a rubberised matte finish rather than anything glossy, and a metal spring inside. Sold in a multipack like this, they are the sensible choice if you lose clips constantly, or want a few knocking about in different bags.
4. Chunks
Chunks takes a more design-led approach to the large claw clip. The Nimbus is roughly five inches long by two and a quarter high, with a rounded cloud silhouette that reads as decorative but holds a genuine amount of hair. The brand says it is perfect for long, thick hair while still working across a variety of hair types and lengths.
Everything is handmade in Seattle from plant-based acetate, so there are slight variations between individual pieces, and the finishes lean interesting rather than neutral, with jellies, frosted clears and lattice patterns. Chunks also makes a smaller orchid-shaped clip, which is a half-up clip rather than a full updo one, so check the size before you buy.
5. Emi Jay
The Big Effing Clip is exactly as blunt as it sounds. At four inches by an inch and a half, cut from custom cellulose acetate, Emi Jay’s pitch is that it is big enough to hold a full head of hair and comfortable enough to keep in from morning to evening. The brand talks about capacity rather than hair type specifically, so treat it as a large-capacity clip rather than one engineered for thickness.
Where it wins is colour. There are well over thirty shades across the core and limited-edition ranges, from tortoise and polka dot to eyelet patterns, so you can find one that disappears into your hair or one that deliberately does not.
6. Machete
Machete is the brand to look at if you have never been sure which size you actually need. It offers five, running Mini, Midi, Grande, Jumbo and Twin, with measurements published for each, so you can size up with some confidence instead of guessing. The Jumbo is the largest at four and three quarter inches by one and three quarters.
It is handcrafted from Italian acetate with double-walled construction and reinforced hardware, and Machete recommends it for long or thick hair of all types, describing it as built to hold full updos and large volumes of hair. There is a one-year craftsmanship warranty against manufacturing defects, which tells you something about how long the brand expects it to last.
7. France Luxe
France Luxe sits at the investment end, and its Jumbo Couture Jaw is the most openly thick-hair-specific clip here. It measures five inches long by two and a quarter wide, is made from cellulose acetate with a metal spring clasp, and is handmade in France with a polished, sculpted finish closer to jewellery than a hair accessory.
The brand describes it as designed for styling thick hair, with enough room to secure even the thickest lengths, and suggests it for French twists, full updos and swept-back styles. There are nine colourways, including several marbled and tortoise laminates. If you have been through a lot of clips and want to stop replacing them, this is the one to save for.
Final Thoughts
The pattern across all seven is fairly simple. Size is one of the most useful things to look at, and clips around four inches and above are common among the larger styles designed for more hair, while shape decides whether the finished style sits high on your head or flat against it. Beyond that it is a question of how much choice you want and how much you want to spend, and the range here runs from accessible multipacks you can scatter around the house to a single handmade piece you keep for years.
A five-inch clip in a matte finish is ideal for working from home or nipping out on errands, while something in marble or tortoiseshell earns its place on the days you want your hair off your neck without looking like you have given up entirely.