I agree with TheScot's advice, but here's my variation: I made a loop out of each ribbon and crossed them, the way some people tie thier shoes. Then, instead of tying them in a knot, I simply stitched them together in the crossed formation. That way, the loops are bigger, and the tails of the ribbons are a little longer. I've got a big ol' punkin head, and the longer ribbons look better on me.
There's a theory about tied vs. untied ribbons. Some folks say that untied ribbons signify that your affections are not "tied up" by some bonnie lass, whereas tied ribbons show that you're off the market. Whether there's any truth to it or not, I don't know, but I read it somewhere, I think in So You're Going to Wear the KIlt. That handy little volume also advises you to take a brand-new Balmoral and wet it thoroughly, wring out the water, then kick it along a dusty path. Rinse it, wring it, then hang it on a bush to dry. That'll make it look not-so-new. I did all that with mine, except for kicking it along a dusty path. It does soften the "shelf" (the overhang on the right side), which makes it wear better.
Hope this helps. Let us know how it turns out.