Hair Ornament

Abstract

A hair ornament is provided for engaging braided hair of a person in which the hair ornament includes an ornament element having a generally planar base with a decoration affixed to one surface thereof and an elongated post projecting from an opposite surface, a snap element defining a recess for receiving the post therein and a locking element disposed within the snap element and configured for releasable locking engagement of the post within the recess. The post is sized to extend through a hair braid so that the hair ornament is engaged to the hair braid when the ornament element is engaged to the snap element with the hair braid sandwiched between the components.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hair ornament for engaging braided hair of a person, comprising:
 an ornament element having a generally planar base with a decoration affixed to one surface thereof and an elongated post projecting from an opposite surface thereof;   a snap element defining a recess for receiving the post therein; and   a locking element disposed within the snap element and configured for releasable locking engagement of the post within the recess,   wherein the post is sized to extend through a hair braid so that the hair ornament is engaged to the hair braid when the ornament element is engaged to the snap element to sandwich the hair braid therebetween.   
     
     
         2 . The hair ornament of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the snap element includes a central hub defining the recess and include a pair of opposite slots defined through the central hub and in communication with the recess; and   the locking element is a wire clip having a pair of opposite legs arranged to extend into the opposite slots to engage the post of the ornament element.   
     
     
         3 . The hair ornament of  claim 2 , wherein the post of the ornament element includes at least one groove configured for engagement by the opposite legs of the wire clip when the post is disposed within the recess. 
     
     
         4 . The hair ornament of  claim 3 , wherein the post includes two grooves offset along the length of the post, both grooves configured for selective engagement by the opposite legs of the wire clip when the post is disposed within the recess. 
     
     
         5 . The hair ornament of  claim 1 , wherein the decoration is selected from a representation of flower or an animal, or an insignia. 
     
     
         6 . A method for using the hair ornament of  claim 1 , comprising:
 forming a hair braid from three or more hair strands, the hair braid defining a plurality of junctions of the hair strands;   pushing the post of the ornament element through one of the junctions with the decoration facing outward relative to the hair braid; and   engaging the snap element to the post of the ornament element to sandwich the hair braid between the ornament element and the snap element.