According to Wikipedia, the bobby pin caught on in the United States in the 1920s, when bobbed hair needed something small and strong to hold it. The same page credits Luis Marcus, a San Francisco cosmetics maker, with inventing it after World War I. It says he considered putting his own name on it, then chose bobby after the hairstyle. Wikipedia cites a 1990 LA Times obituary for that story, so treat the details as its account.

I like that origin because it is so practical. Hair pins were never meant to be jewelry. They exist to make a haircut behave. Nearly a century later that is still their best trick, and it is why a drawer of them is worth keeping in order. Different pins do different work. A bobby pin pins flat and close, a U pin disappears into a bun, and a French pin twists a whole head of hair up in one move.

The first grid is the small ones: bobby pins, U pins and little decorative pins for bangs and flyaways. The second grid is French pins and larger decorative pins, the kind that show on purpose.

Here is a test I like: pin your hair up, then shake your head hard, side to side, for five seconds. A pin that slides out fails, and it usually means it caught too little hair. Pin it again, catching a little more hair this time.

Start with Kitsch, because it fills half of this grid. The Black Bobby Pins come in a 45 piece set with epoxy-dipped tips to minimize pokes, and the brand says they hold hair securely in all applications. The Brown U Pins are a set of 18 with textured prongs that lock in place. Kitsch pitches them for messy buns, French twists and formal chignons, and says they slide in and out easily.

The rest are for showing. Kitsch's Metal Rhinestone Drop Bobby Pins are teardrop shaped, four to a set, in gold and silver. The Garden Bouquet Cloud & Gem set mixes enamel and gem-studded pins that the brand says will not slip or snag. The Puffy & Bow set has six neutral cloud pins and two petite gold bows in Rosewood.

The Hair Edit's Marble Pins come as a pack of four in blush pink, ivory and tan, with a secure hold that should not snag. Ettika has two sets of three, Oceanic Cubic Zirconia Bobby Pins and Twist Hair Pins. The listings give me only the names, so I can only tell you they are decorative sets.

My pairing: use plain pins to do the work and one pretty pin to finish. Pin the bangs back with two black ones, then add a single rhinestone drop at the side where you can see it.

What I would skip: using a decorative pin as your only pin. Jewelry pins are for finishing, and a heavy twist of hair will want a plain U pin underneath.

A French pin is the one-motion updo. Twist your hair, tuck the pin through, and you are done. Kitsch makes most of these. The Gold French Hair Pin and the Hematite one, which has a shiny black sheen, are both zinc alloy that the brand says keeps its shape. The Metal Clam Shell French Hair Pin in gold adds a coastal shell design. The Gold Bow French Hair Pin in mini is small on purpose, said to suit half-up styles and short hair. Kitsch also sells a plain Metal French Hair Pin, and the listing gives me nothing beyond that.

The Hair Edit's Sleek Chignon French Hair Pin has a smooth finish and a soft golden color, made for a bun or a half-up. Ettika's Crystal Flower Hair Pin is another name-only listing, so I will just say it is a flower with crystals.

The odd one is Chunks' Large Red Bow Hair Pin, made of FSC-certified acetate, which the brand calls a durable, plant-based bioplastic. Its flexible wavy shape is meant to hold a bun, and the bow does the decorating.

Here is a trick I like: twist your hair, then slide the pin in horizontally through the middle of the twist, not from the bottom. It grips more hair that way and sits flat.

What I would skip: the mini bow pin for thick, long hair. It is meant for half-up styles and short hair, so a full bun needs one of the larger pins.

I think you need fewer pins than you own, and better ones. A good set of plain bobby pins does most of the work, a pack of U pins handles buns, and one French pin covers the mornings when you have four minutes.

The pretty ones are a bonus. Keep two or three favorites where you can reach them, and put the rest in a dish. My rule of thumb: pin for hold first, then decide whether it needs to look like anything. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Hair claw.