My orders are about 50/50 too, but I think the more serious bow lovers tend to order the barrettes.
I use the 3/8 size non-latex bands on my bows and they are NOT cheap, believe me! They are medical grade. They are the larger size, so they would have to be turned. I have always used these, because when I started making bows, I received e-mails from some stating that the bows they had ordered had bands so small they could not figure out how to use them! (Not you, Ladymom, or any other bow vendor who posts here). I also thought that was the purpose of attaching 2 bands, so if one breaks there is a back-up.
Now, I am wondering if I should offer a smaller sized band as an alternative. I get a lot of orders for my bands in my store, especially from customers placing second orders.
As an aside, I prefer alligator clips or french barrettes for Darcy's bows. She is not a puppy, and does not try to get her bows out, she just likes the "bed head" or "slightly tousled topknot"
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I find that the barrette, or the clip, makes the bow stay in straighter! I guess this would all depend on your Yorkies coat type. I also think bows with hardware attachments are going to hold up better over time, giving you more bang for your buck, because they are not being pulled on, like a band attachment will allow.