Sprouts Are The Coolest New Hair Accessory In China

It seems like every time we think the beauty world couldn't get any weirder, another mind-boggling trend crops up. (We're looking at you, clown contouring.) The latest comes straight out of Beijing: Plastic bean sprouts have become the hottest hair accessories. While we reported on the colorful clip-in pieces last month, the accessory's popularity seems to be picking up speed. And, we have to admit, we're digging it. The grassroots phenomenon (sorry, had to) — which looks like something out of the Super Mario Universe — is expanding its repertoire from mere bean sprouts to a veritable garden of clip-in "clover, sunflowers, chrysanthemums, lavender, mushrooms, chilies, cherries, gourds, and pine trees," reports The New York Times. While the jury's still out on the origins and meaning behind this trend, there are plenty of theories. According to the Times, some have credited its popularity to Jay Chou — a popular Taiwanese pop singer who posted a photo of himself and his wife, Hannah Quinlivan, wearing sprouts on Weibo, China's Twitter-like microblogging service. Some say the sprout is about being at one with nature and showing a desire to protect the environment — although we're doubtful that donning plastic vegetation will have such far-reaching effects. Others say the little guys are selling out on the streets of Beijing simply because they're cute. Despite the trend's unknown beginnings, it's clear that sprouts are all about self-expression, and we're all about that. We don't think we'll be sporting this look on a daily basis, but we're definitely open to trying it out — perhaps tucked into a bun or loose chignon. What about you? Do you hope veggie clip-ins sprout up stateside?