Collection: Flat Clips

What Makes a Clip Flat

A standard claw clip has a rounded back that sticks out from your head. Lean against anything and the clip is the first thing to make contact, which is why most people take theirs out before they sit back on a couch or a headrest.

A flat clip is shaped so the back lies close to the head instead. You twist your hair up, clip it, and lean back without the clip pressing into your skull or popping open.

That one design change is why we make a flat version of the Kitsch claw clip at all. Everything else, the shape, the size and the finish, comes down to how much hair you need it to hold and how you like it to look.

Flat Claw Clips and Flat Cloud Clips

There are two shapes here, and they suit different jobs.

Flat lay claw clips

These keep the teeth and the hinge of a classic claw, with a flattened back. The Flat Lay Claw Clip 2pc Curved has a slight curve that follows the shape of the head, and the Flat Lay Claw Clip 3pc Flat and the 2pc Flat set are straight across. Pick these when you want the grip of a claw clip.

Flat cloud clips

Cloud clips have softer, rounded edges and a puffier silhouette, but still sit flat at the back. The Tort Flat Cloud Clip and the Black Flat Cloud Clip are the everyday versions. The Satin Rosette Flat Cloud Clip wraps the clip in satin and is the dressier option.

Prints and colors rotate through the cloud line, including Blue Orchid, Hydrangea Breeze, Sage Leaf and Cherry.

Choosing a Size

Size is about capacity. A bigger clip holds more hair, and how much hair you have matters more than how long it is.

Small clips are for half-up styles, pulling back the front sections, or hair that sits around the shoulders.

Medium is the size most people end up wearing daily. It holds a low twist on shoulder-length to mid-back hair of average thickness.

Large is for a full twist on long or dense hair. If a medium clip strains to close, or the hair keeps working its way out by lunchtime, you need the next size up.

If you are between sizes, go up. A clip with room to spare closes properly, and a clip that has to be forced shut springs open.

How to Wear a Flat Clip

Gather your hair at the nape, twist it upward against the back of your head, and fold the ends down over the twist. Open the clip and set it vertically, so the teeth bite across the twist rather than along it.

Keep the twist low. A flat clip is designed to sit at the back of the head, and placed high on the crown it loses the advantage that makes it worth buying.

For half-up, take the top section from temple to temple, twist it once, and clip it flat against the back. More shapes for every length are in our claw clip hairstyle guide.

When a Flat Clip Is the Right Call

Long drives, anywhere with a headrest, the couch at the end of the day, a desk chair you lean back in, a hood or a beanie pulled over your hair. These are the moments a standard claw clip comes out and a flat one stays in.

They are less suited to a high, voluminous updo. For that, a classic claw clip gives you more height and more hold. Plenty of people keep one of each.

For sleeping, skip clips altogether. A satin scrunchie holds a loose bun overnight with nothing hard against the pillow.

Flat Clip FAQs

What is a flat claw clip?

A claw clip with a flattened back, so it sits close to your head instead of sticking out. You can lean back against a chair or a headrest without the clip digging in.

Can you lie down in a flat clip?

You can lean back and rest your head on a couch or a headrest. For actual sleep, take it out. Any hard clip pressed into a pillow overnight is uncomfortable and puts tension on the hair.

What is the difference between a flat claw clip and a cloud clip?

A flat claw clip keeps the classic claw shape with a flat back. A cloud clip has rounded, puffier edges. Both lie flat; the cloud clips just look softer.

What size flat clip do I need?

Small for half-up and shoulder-length hair, medium for most everyday twists, large for long or dense hair. If a clip strains to close, size up.

Will a flat clip hold thick hair?

The large flat cloud clip is built for more hair. A flat clip holds a low twist well; for a high, full updo on very thick hair, a classic claw clip has more room inside it.

How should I place it?

Vertically, low on the back of the head, with the teeth biting across the twist. Set high on the crown, it loses the flat profile that makes it worth wearing.

Are flat clips good for short hair?

For shoulder-length and shorter, a small flat cloud clip works for half-up styles or pulling back the front sections.