Trends come and go, but one thing that is for sure is that the fashion and beauty industries will forever look back to past decades for inspiration. Seventies and nineties hairstyles made a huge comeback recently, with curtain bangs and bouncy ’90s supermodel blowouts becoming more and more popular.
However, when you think of trending hairstyles, the ’80s might not be the first decade that springs to mind. After all, it created a bad rap for perms, and it’s not a decade that the fashion and beauty industry typically looks back on fondly. Some trends like bold blusher and giant shoulder-pads are unlikely to hit the mainstream as they once did.
However, the ’80s were a pioneering decade for haircuts and hairstyles. It is often know as the era for big hair, and while you might jump to think that ’80s hairstyles are totally unwearable now, we’re here to show you otherwise. Whether it be a celebratory mood post-pandemic, or a nod to Beyoncé’s ’80s pop-inspired Renaissance, we’ve seen ’80s hairstyles everywhere, from celebrities to models and the cool-girls stepping out of the salon. Read on for the best looks we’ve spotted, and the key products to recreate the look.
“In the ’80s, they would roll the hair around a medium round brush with a hairdryer, taking the top section and blow-drying backwards, while blowdrying outwards on the sides,” says Fernando Spano senior stylist at Neville Hair & Beauty. “It would then be set with a blow dry spray before brushing it out to get a fluffy effect.” Nowadays, the look is achieved in a more structured way, which gives it a modern update. “Blow-dry the hair in the same way they did in the ’80s (blowdrying the top section backwards and sides outwards) but then add rollers and spray hairspray whilst in the rollers,” says Spano. “Make sure to use a bristle brush, rather than plastic bristles, when drying to achieve shine without burning the hair. Give it a good brush with a wide paddle brush and lots of hair spray to finish.”
Achieving bouncy salon bounce couldn’t be easier with this heated roller set. It includes eight medium and 12 large rollers to help give your hair body and long-lasting volume.
As seen at Armani Privé’s AW22 show, undercut styles are making a comeback. These shorter haircuts tend to feature shorter sides, which are usually cut close to the head, with hair left longer on top of the crown for height. This hairstyle is great for accentuating your face shape and bone structure— think Grace Jones in the height of the ’80s.
This dual-ended edge brush helps to secure edges and baby hairs into place.
Ponytails took to new heights in the eighties, and while we’re not seeing ’80s side ponytails making a comeback, we are seeing hair secured high on the top of the head. Madonna was often wearing a sky high ponytail, letting the lengths tumble down either side of the face. To give it a modern update, try tying half the hair up into a ponytail, and get extra bonus points if it’s tied with a stylish scrunchie.
Big scrunchies never looked so good as this organza one from & Other Stories.
Big bows are making a comeback from the 80s, as seen at Chanel’s Haute Couture show. As far as hair accessories go, the bigger the better. Tie the bow at the base of a half-up ponytail and leave the lengths long for a Parisian look.
Equally, a bow headband makes achieving this look even easier.
Hair was larger than life in the ’80s (think Diana Ross) and Hermès has sent models down its AW22 runway with teased hair. If you’re blessed with natural curls, brushing them out with a brush will help achieve fluffy volume. If you have straight or wavy hair, use a crimping or deep-waving hair tool before brushing out and using a volumising powder to create lift.
A couple of shakes of this Volumising powder gives hair texture and helps to create fluffy volume.
Over the years, you’ll often spot designers sending models down the runways with crimped hair—much to the excitement of beauty editors. However, it’s not the most versatile everyday hairstyle, and it can veer into school disco territory. To bring it into 2022, try a deep-waving hairstyles, which will create looser waves for a more modern texture. Follow suit of Max Mara’s SS23 show, where the roots were kept smooth and sleek before descending into tumbling waves.
Create Botticelli-inspired waves with this deep waving hairstyler.
With the move towards embracing natural curls and texture, natural hair is here to stay. The ’80s were a big era for curls (whether it be natural or via a perm) and we can expect to see more brands catering to curls with curl-specific products.
If definition and shine with flexible hold are top priorities for your curls, then you can’t go wrong with Aveda’s brilliant curl gelée.
Enhance naturally curly or oily hair with a hair pick to create 80s volume and shape. Take the comb through the hair to stretch the strands, which will create covetable texture.
Hair picks don’t get much prettier than this colourful one from Tort.
Think ’80s Whitney Houston, Cher or Kylie Minogue, and you have big curls and even more volume. Curls look great paired with a fringe and face-framing layers to enhance your look.
If you want to add definition to your curls, this thin wand from ghd gives perfectly defined spirals in a matter of seconds.
We’ve seen hairstyles such as the ’70s-inspired curtain bangs come back, but we’re also starting to see curled 80s fringes making a comeback, as seen at Vestments SS23 show. Try sweeping your hair to one side and using a curling iron or Dyson AirWrap to create a fluffy fringe.
Secure hold with this flexible hold hairspray, which won’t leave hair weighed-down or crispy.
The Shag haircut originated from the seventies, but it stayed popular throughout the eighties, before making a huge comeback in the 2020s. Selena Gomez’s choppy fringe and piece-y layers give the haircut a modern feel.
Enhance your hair’s texture with a texturising spray. This one adds just enough oomph without weighing hair down.
Gaining traction in the seventies, the mullet haircut really soared to fame during the eighties—and now all the cool-girls are asking for it in salons. This haircut is cut short at the sides and left longer at the back, and it looks particularly good with a fringe too. In the salon, you’ll find that your hairstylist may use a razor to achieve the cool, choppy layers that add texture and really bring this haircut to life. As seen at Alter’s AW22 show, it looks equally cool swept back with a pomade or gel to create a wet-look.
A pomade will help add texture and definition to the layers in your mullet haircut.
