People have been playing with their hair and coming up with new designs as far back as the human mind can remember. And some styles have always stayed in fashion, no matter the year.
From mullets to funky updos, it can be hard to choose what era of hair had the best styles. Luckily, this list of classic hairstyles that are back on trend will narrow down the options when deciding on a new look.
Wet Hair Look
The wet hair look may have had origins in the slicked-back hair that men wore in the 1950s that came with the popularity of hair gels and pomades and was also a go-to look in the 1980s.
Fashion icons like Bella Hadid and Kim Kardashian have since sported the just-came-out-of-the-shower look on the runway and at events like the Met Gala.
Hair Snap Clips
In the 90s, hair snap clips were a mainstay for many people. They added that little bit of fashionableness to any haircut and outfit without being over the top.’
For a while, the clips were mainly worn by children. They have since seen a resurgence in the likes of celebrities like Kendall Jenner.
Old Hollywood Waves
Anyone spotted wearing old Hollywood waves instantly looks glamorous. No matter the era, there’s something about this hairstyle that never goes out of fashion.
While several celebrities have sported the look, others, like Dita von Teese, have made the hairstyle their signature, owing to her love of the Golden Age of Hollywood.
Wolf Cut, Aka A Shaggy Mullet
Following the success of Wednesday, Jenna Ortega continued to make headlines after she revealed a new haircut in December via Instagram.
The actress sported the classic haircut in an auburn dye job, giving her a grungy look that’s worlds away from her character Wednesday. The hairstyle is a mix of 80s mullet and 70s shag cut, and the heavy layers create a silhouette resembling a wolf.
Bedhead
The messy look became popular with grunge music taking over the airwaves in the 90s. Gone were the days of looking prim and proper. Looking like you just got out of bed was the look.
To achieve the look, stylists would accentuate natural waves in the hair or use hair gel to make the hair look spiky.
Bantu Knots
Bantu knots are a protective hairstyle consisting of multiple knots made throughout the scalp, worn for centuries by the Bantu-speaking people from Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa.
In the 90s, people of all ethnicities wore the style, especially with the rest of the hair down, as Cardi B wore for the Hustlers premiere in 2019.
80s Perm
The 80s were known for big hair that could be seen from miles away, and for those unlucky souls who weren’t blessed with naturally curly hair, a perm was a great way to achieve the look.
The intensity of the curl varies, from super tight coiled locks to softer waves, as shown by Sarah Jessica Parker
Pin Curls
Pin curls are a classic hairstyle, harkening back to the 1930s and the era of silver-screen starlets.
The curls are created by curling wet hair and setting the curl in place with a bobby pin. Once the hair dries and the pin is removed, it’ll hold the curl’s shape, resulting in beautiful ringlets, as seen here on actress Zendaya.
The “Rachel” Haircut
Friends was a television show that perfectly shows what the 90s were all about, and Rachel Green, one of the show’s protagonists, has most recently become an inspiration to those obsessed with 90s style.
Her haircut is a layered look that delicately frames the face, with blonde highlights accenting the hairstyle.
Half-Up, Half-Down
The half-up, half-down haircut is an adorable look that makes your hair more voluminous, thanks to the upper ponytail. Bangs can be hanging loose around the face or tied back entirely, making the style more comfortable by keeping hair out of your face.
Many celebrities have been seen sporting the look, including Ariana Grande and Beyoncé.
Mullets
The mullet hairstyle has been around since at least the 1970s. It slowly fell out of style in the early 90s but returned with a vengeance at various moments in the 2000s, thanks to celebrities like Scarlett Johansson and Miley Cyrus.
The style consists of a shorter cut in the front, with longer hair at the back of the head.
Bandanas
Name any celebrity in the 90s or 2000s, and you’ll find a picture of them sporting a bandana. Celebrities such as Christina Aguilera, Hilary Duff, and Aaliyah made bandanas fashionable.
Bandanas were a popular accessory, worn with hair down, in pigtails, over the head, or with bangs peeking out. They were also worn rolled like a headband.
Butterfly Clips
There was something about butterflies in the 90s, and many actresses would add varying numbers of butterfly clips to their hair. And they’re coming back.
Butterfly clips are a cute accessory that allows for creativity, coming in a rainbow of colors, sizes, and styling options. People can wear one or twenty. There are no rules!
Chunky Highlights
Celebrities have been taking 90s trends and bringing them back with a modern twist. The chunky highlights look was especially prominent on fashion label Mugler’s spring 2022 models.
The look consists of a darker base color, with bright highlights of any color in thick segments on an upper layer of hair, creating a grungy look.
Curtain Bangs
Curtain bangs were seen on both men and women throughout the 90s and 2000s and looked like they sounded: curtains framing the face.
The style is versatile and suits many faces. They’re easier to deal with than straight bangs and don’t need too much upkeep. Plus, they can easily be swept to the side to hide them.
Space Buns
Similar to Bantu knots, space buns consisted of just two buns at the top of the head. They could be worn either high or low, depending on the look.
The hairstyle may have origins in East Asian fashion, particularly when wearing traditional attire. It had a particular popularity throughout the mid-90s to mid-2000s, but they are making a modern comeback.
Cropped Bobs
The cropped bob is a fun take on the classic bob. It gets as short as possible to still be considered a bob.
This particular style is a throwback to Cameron Diaz’s look in the movie Something About Mary, where the actress plays the titular character who sports a shockingly short blonde bob.
Twists (scalp)
This cute style involved twisting multiple sections of the hair across the scalp and securing it with cute clips.
People regularly used plastic hair ties, butterfly clips, beads, and snap clips to secure their hair, creating different looks depending on what they used. People wore the hairstyle with either straight, wavy, or curly hair.
French Twist
In the 90s, there was one hairstyle that would guarantee you looked effortlessly dressed up, and that was the french twist.
The hair is swept to one side, depending on where you want the twist to form. Pins hold the hair in place, then twist the opposite way with ends tucked in. The resulting twist is also pinned into the hair.
Hair Beads
Hair beads were all the rage in the 90s for all hair types. Styling hair with beads adds a pop of color to an otherwise simple haircut.
People would typically place beads of one color or go all out and use a rainbow of colors. People also wore them with hair both up and down.
Micro Braids
Stars like Brandy Norwood of Moesha fame made this hairstyle popular in the 90s, inspiring teens to take on the look and emulate her style.
For the look, small braids are carefully made throughout the hair. While the style is a protective hairstyle, people with all hair types can try out variations to achieve a similar look.
Zig-Zag Headband
Also known as the “Y2K headband” in some circles, many people might remember having to wear one of these as a child and the resulting headache.
Despite this, the headband is making a resurgence and has been seen on many modern celebrities, such as Alexa Demie in her role of Maddy Perez on the show Euphoria.
High Ponytail Braid
The high ponytail braid combines two hairstyles, the braid and the high ponytail. Since high ponytails were all the rage in the 90s, it was inevitable that people would combine a braid with them.
The hairstyle is achieved by braiding the hair higher than usual and tying it after braiding.
Spiky Bun
A 90s staple, the spiky bun added an edge to the regular bun. With spikes of your hair sticking out, it was hard not to look fabulous in this hairstyle.
First, hair was slicked back as much as possible into a ponytail. Next, the ponytail was turned into a bun with as many ends sticking out as possible, creating that messy spiky look.
Face-Framing Tendrils
Talk about a statement look! This hairstyle was popular on red carpets in the 90s but has seen a renaissance, as seen here on influencer Charli D’Amelio.
The hairstyle consisted of tendrils of hair that framed the face. Depending on the look, people could wear it with hair either up or down.
Crimped Hair
Crimped hair is a style that emerged in the late 80s and could be achieved by braiding wet hair in sections or using a classic crimping iron.
The resulting look is that hair looks uniformly wavy, with either tighter or looser waves depending on the method used. Celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Ariana Grande have brought the hairstyle back into fashion.
The Pixie Cut
The pixie cut has never gone out of style, but it was one of the most popular cuts in the 90s. The pixie cut is also expected to return with all the other 80s and 90s cuts seen on modern celebrities.
The haircut is simply cutting your hair as short as possible, with varying amounts of waves.
Updos
The classic 80s and 90s updos were extravagant, with hair worn as high as possible and adorned with waves and curls.
The hairstyle is about big volume, so curling before pinning is a must. Adding a texturizing spray also doesn’t hurt. Add butterfly clips, face-framing tendrils, or other accessories to make this look stand out.
Bubble Ponytails
Bubble ponytails are elegant and timeless. They imitate the look of the classic braided ponytail, and the bubbles themselves can be made bigger or smaller depending on how much of a statement someone wants to make.
The hairstyle is achieved by tying sections of hair with clips or small ponytails and making a bubble. They can be worn either as ponytails or framing the face.
The Claw Clip
Claw clips have never really gone out of style. After all, they’re versatile and practical. But fashionably wearing them was a hit in the 90s, and that trend is coming back in full force.
Thanks to the variety of sizes and designs, claw clips can be worn with hair up or down in casual or more formal settings.
