The Story Behind The Fairytale

Nicola Hudson from Ponytails and Fairytales | wife, mother, CEO

I always imagined I’d be a mum that cooked meals from scratch daily.

Weetbix for tea was inconceivable. 

 

I thought I’d enjoy every waking moment with my kids, and extended hours playing Barbie would be an amazing bonding experience with my little darlings. Routines would be perfect, and the kids would go to bed on time so I could enjoy a fabulous evening with my husband in peace.

When the kids headed off to school, their uniforms would be “to code” every day, and their hair will look just… perfect. 

The thing is, life is really messy.

We’re all parents, and sometimes we manage, and sometimes we don’t.

 

Sometimes people tell me that I look like I’ve “got it together”. Social media and a flash of lipstick tends to do that. 

The real reason that I (sometimes) look that way is because I have a trick that works rain or shine, Monday through Sunday.

 

My girls don’t get fancy hair do’s for school. In fact, they’re lucky to get much more than a ponytail, pigtails, bun, or plaits. They get a pony and a bow, and out the door we go!

  

So what’s the big secret to making them look cute-as-a-button perfect each day?

They never leave the house without a bow.

 

A humble bow: it’s my smoke and mirrors trick that I use every day. 

 

That bow polishes their look. At school, it completes their uniform, and gives them a sense of belonging. They look the part. At ballet, they look neat and tidy. And at sport, they look proud to be a part of the team.  

Life can be chaotic. Hair doesn’t have to be. 

 

 

Ponytails and Fairytales backstory - once upon a time

I can’t quite place ‘why’, but I’ve always thought a bow had the power to change the way your day went.

Here’s how the humble bow went from being a staple in my hair, to the product that created my dream life:

 

Before Ponytails and Fairytales “became my thing”, my husband was FIFO and I was on maternity leave with my youngest. I was in the same dilemma that so many Aussie mums face: juggling 2 little girls and a career, and a husband that only lived under our roof for 6 months of the year.

When we were prepping for my eldest starting Kindy, I excitedly ordered uniforms to the exact requirements of the school, and took pride in finding bows to match in just the right shade. Those first school pics would be proudly displayed on our walls for years to come, and shared with every Aunt, Uncle, Grandparent, and anyone else that would have one, and she was going to look just perfect in her little outfit.

 

But I couldn’t find any bows.

 

They were either
  • sold out in my very particular shade of blue
  • cheap-looking and (IMO) hideous
  • or artisan / bespoke / handmade with a wait time and price tag to match.

I knew there had to be a solution, so I didn’t give up... I decided to get some made myself. I sourced a factory to manufacture some bows that I liked, in my particular shade of blue, in styles that were classic yet contemporary, and of course: would fit under a school hat and pass the Principal’s stringent standards.

They were amazing! In fact, they were so much of a hit that I ended up ordering in more for friends, then friends of friends, then friends of friends of friends.  

 

Next thing I knew, I had an online store, a wholesale offer, and a concept for easy fundraising with school bows. It wasn’t long and my home was bulging at the seams with hair ties, clips, and headbands in all the colours of the rainbow.

I turned to my Dad for advice, who funnily enough had always suggested we would work together at some stage, and told him that “I might have started something that could really be something”.

Nowadays, Dad is my business partner, and we have a warehouse location in Perth’s south.

Nicola Hudson and Nick Noble from Ponytails and Fairytales
Nicola Hudson and Nick Noble of Ponytails and Fairytales

 

We hold upwards of $100,000 of bows (#thatsalotofbows) and fulfill thousands of retail orders and supply hundreds of schools and clubs annually.

 

The great news is: my husband now doesn’t fly away for work. He’s occasionally roped in to helping out (he went by ‘Joe the Bow Man’ for a while), and he’s frequently roped in to keeping our fort running while I work in to the wee hours to get my next project or improvements off the ground.

 

And my girls now always have the perfect bows for every uniform and every occasion.

That makes me feel like I have this mum-thing sussed!

  


At Ponytails and Fairytales, we’re your best choice for supporting local

 

  • At Ponytails and Fairytales, we believe Aussie schools and clubs should earn the max amounts possible when they're fundraising.

  • We give generously to hundreds of schools and clubs each year, and make it as easy as possible for them to make the most money to help fund their projects.

  • Our handmade products are manufactured in bulk, and we hold huge stock-holdings so we can fill your orders when you need them.
 
  • We employ local mums to pick and pack our parcels. They bring my dreams to life, and help me deliver your orders fast, and with the love and care that comes from a mum.
 
  • We proudly hold Australia's largest range of in-stock colours and styles, which means I have the bow you need for every colour, and every occasion.

Reviews from our fab customers:

 Customer reviews - Ponytails and Fairytales - fast delivery, high quality

Customer reviews - ponytails and fairytales - uniform looks great, well organised

Customer review - affordable, high quality

Shhh! Don't tell the kids... 

As a mum, I’m not usually allowed to play favourites… but I do have a fave bow. These are our Bowtie Hair Ties, and I made sure to take one of every colour home, so I have a quick and easy match to every outfit in my girls’ wardrobes.

 

They are my “go-to” bow because they work well with every single outfit

Every. Single. Time.

Ponytails and Fairytales bowtie clips and hairties are our favourite as they're versatile

 

Our bowties can be worn as is, or the clips can be added to our Adjustable Elastic Headbands or Mix & Match Headbands. They can even be worn as smart-looking bowties for shirts! I seriously love these bows... I could rave on and on about their versatility and simplicity all day long!

They’re available individually, or if you’re a little bit like me and you’d like to cover all your bases, I’ve created a big box full with every colour in our range. If you’re more of a clip fan, they also come with clips instead of ties.

 

I’m sure you’re love them too!

- Nicola

 

 

Ponytails and Fairytales - hair accessories

School Ponytails - uniform hair accessories
Sports Day Shop - colour coordinated team products
Fundraise with bows - schools and sports clubs