Feels like just yesterday we were frothing at the mouth for crunchy hair gel, butterfly clips, and zig-zag partings.
Leaving all that in the 90s? Ugh, as if!

The 90s was the golden age of the Supermodel, R&B divas, and experimental hair – In cut, colour, styling, and accessorising!

For the first time in the 90s, we saw subculture influences allow distinctly different styles to reign popular all at once, providing the public with a lot more range to choose from!

Before this, styles reigned consecutively and people had to make do with a one-size-fits-all approach to trends, finessing whatever style was in trend to suit their individual look.

So to pay homage to this decade of progression and innovation, we’re taking a look at the abundance of 90s styles back in full force today!

THE RACHEL

ULTIMATE ‘IT GIRL’ HAIR

Jennifer Anniston’s bouncy layered bob absolutely exploded in popularity when it made its debut in the first season of Friends, and her longer hair – The Rachel 2.0? – with layers throughout the front from season 3 onwards is one still heavily requested today!

A longer version of The Rachel 2.0 was Aaliyah’s signature long, sleek hair with feathered front-layering, as seen above!

Megan Thee Stallion recently flaunted a super chic modern take; On a longer length, Megan’s look incorporates fun highlight placement to accentuate the feathering at the front.

THE LINDA EVANGELISTA

PROVING SHORT HAIR CAN BE FEMININE AS HELL!

This layered pixie came to the spotlight when sported by Supermodel Linda Evangelista – A nod to 60s mop top styles, but with feathered texture and layering adding a spin considered modern at the time.

We saw the likes of Halle Berry, Winona Ryder and Eve rock this piecey pixie in the 90s!

Today, Florence Pugh recently cut it all off to flaunt a stunning tribute to the Evangelista pixie, and Julia Fox did an entire Vogue spread!

This layered pixie came to the spotlight when sported by Supermodel Linda Evangelista – A nod to 60s mop top styles, but with feathered texture and layering adding a spin considered modern at the time.

We saw the likes of Halle Berry, Winona Ryder and Eve rock this piecey pixie in the 90s!

Today, Florence Pugh recently cut it all off to flaunt a stunning tribute to the Evangelista pixie, and Julia Fox did an entire Vogue spread!

FLIPPY BOB 2.0

THE RETURN OF THE 60S FLIPPED BOB

Sound familiar? We discussed this one’s inception in our 60s rewind, and since fashion is just a revolving door, the flipped bob was back in full force in the 90s – Taking the textured, short cuts of the decade and making them bounce!

We love a flippy bob! As did celebs like Gabrielle Union, Drew Barrymore, and the young Olsen Twins – Babies! And we discussed the flipped bob comeback in our 60s rewind!

PIN UP HAIR

SMOOTH AND SCULPTED

At the same time celebs were rocking greasy tendrils, an equally hot look making the rounds was 90s pin up hair!

As seen on Cindy Crawford, these oversized, voluminous curls were sculpted à la 40s Hollywood glam styles.

Today? Cindy Crawford’s very own daughter Kaia Gerber has rocked the look;

THE SUPERMODEL BLOWOUT

TURN THE VOLUME UP!

Along with the age of the Supermodel in the 90s came the birth of the 90s blowout!

Seen on Supermodels from Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, and Kate Moss!

Cindy Crawford flaunted this voluminous blowout in her Pepsi Super Bowl commercial, which sold us a lot more than soft drink – I think we can all agree her hair was the real star of that video!

ALL PILED ON TOP

PEAK “JUST WOKE UP” GLAMOUR

These prom esque, voluminous up dos were best worn messy! Often featuring strands left out around the face, we saw these effortless glam looks on the likes of Brandy Norwood, Sarah Jessica Parker, Tyra Banks, Cindy Crawford, Lil Kim, and Naomi Campbell for Vivienne Westwood!

This stunning updo is currently all the rage – We’re seeing this one on everyone from Halsey, Halle and Chloe Bailey, Kim K, Gigi Hadid, Lizzo, Kylie Jenner, FKA Twigs, Rihanna—the list goes on!

MEL B CURLS

LOOKING SCARY GOOD!

Another hugely popular look in the 90s thanks to Mel B;

Worn medium length, and often accented with cute buns or interesting part lines, this look was replicated everywhere!

CRIMPING

ZEAL FOR THE ZIG-ZAG

Crimped hair was to the 90s what perms were to the 80s! From Tia Carrere to Lil Kim, from Kate Moss to a baby Britney Spears, this was a go-to for everyone!

While the crimp debuted in the late 80s, it reaaaallly picked up in the 90s!

Have a read of our 80s rewind to see today’s celebs rocking this texture – modernised to a more “mermaidy” crimp-wave.

RAVE HAIR

LET’S GET WILD!

These playful styles were a hit – And there was something for everyone!

It’s worth noting many of the styles deemed “rave styles” in the 90s were poor rip-offs of the stunning protective styles created and worn by African American people! These rip-offs – looking at you, Gwen Stefani – can be left in the past…

Today? All the biggest fashion influences are throwing back to the rave era, rocking max accessories, fun buns, Bantu knots, and funky part lines in huuuuge numbers;

STRUT STRANDS

FROM FAUX PAS TO FASHION

Soooo these were known by a more pejorative name – a term boring people use to shame women in place of “strut” here – so since they’re back we’re calling them strut strands!

A common accent on all hairstyles in the 90s, we still remember the days of digging two pieces of hair out the front to dangle aimlessly down the sides of our face.

These have had quite the glow-up, rising from teeny bopper starter-kit motif to fashion girl staple status!

ACCENT BRAIDS

1990S HIPPIE-CHIC

The 90s had its own brand of boho hair, and with that came the rise of accent braids! These were usually randomly placed mini braids to add texture and embellishment;

Then there was this iconic Mariah Carey curl moment, decorated with cornrows that transitioned to loose, cascading curls from the crown;

Today these tiny accent braids have been seen on the likes of Rihanna, Dua Lipa, Hailey Bieber, Halsey, Millie Bobby Brown, Sydney Sweeney, Gigi Hadid— again, I could go on!

BUBBLE PONY

SCREAMING “MAIN CHARACTER” LIKE NOTHING ELSE!

The bubble-pony (or bubble-braids) was a fun and fresh way to rev up your regular ponytail!

Easy, unique, and a stunning final result;

HIGH PIGTAILS

BABY SPICE AND EVERYTHING NICE

Think Baby Spice for this one – Super cute and playful!

Also sported by a young Brandy Norwood, and on Naomi Campbell in Chanel’s SS93 runway!

Today we’ve seen these rocked by J Lo, Chloe Bailey, and Megan Thee Stallion;

PORCUPINE UPDO

MAGPIE SAFETY 101?

Instead of tucking loose ends back into an updo, we saw spiky ends poking out in all directions in the 90s!

Surprisingly this one’s back! With Gigi Hadid, Doja Cat, and Dua Lipa spiking it up!

WHALE SPOUT PONY

ADD A FEW INCHES TO YOUR HEIGHT!

Rolling over from the 80s, this one remained a sky high obsession throughout the 90s – also commonly worn in half-up/half-down styles!

Spotted on Megan Thee Stallion, Princess Nokia, Dua Lipa, Teyana Taylor and of course, miss Halle Bailey who – while changing up her look regularly – has made this a bit of a signature!

PROTECTIVE STYLES

HOT GIRL WINTER

Winter is officially here! And with that comes drier, more brittle hair.

Protective styles limit the stress of environmental factors by keeping ends tucked away to minimise damage.

This can be anything from wigs, box-braids, two-strand twists, faux locs, buns, cornrows— really the options are endless!

Janet Jackson wore some iconic protective styles in the 90s;

We’ve noticed loooong lengths in wigs too – Like here on Rico Nasty! And of course the queen of wigs and 90s fashion icon Lil Kim, still showcasing peak style today!

BEETLEJUICE HAIR

NEVER GET GHOSTED AGAIN

Winona Ryder’s iconic greasy, jet black spiky fringe and messy updo in Beetlejuice was peak 90s grunge hair. Billie Eilish turned her forehead into a barcode when she posted her Coachella hair for this year!

GRUNGE STYLES

COME AS YOU ARE

Where big bouncy perms with a dry frizzy texture were all the vogue in the 80s, the flat unwashed and unkempt greasy look literally made it to Vogue in the 90s;

From true grunge icons like Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love, to Fashion gals like Kate Moss and Drew Barrymore, this was everywhere;

This one required 0 maintenance – Like… not even a shampoo!

Luckily in 2022, we’ve swapped out the hair grease for hair products to achieve the wet look – we don’t need to find out what “teen spirit” smells like…

ALL THE COLOURS

GRAPHIC COLOUR BLOCKING

TURN YOUR HAIR INTO A CANVAS!

Another signature of Gwen Stefani’s, bold colours were rife in the 90s!

We’ve had the privilege of witnessing some truly magnificent colour work over the years – From Lil Kim’s 90s graphic print all the way up to today’s more refined renditions as the technology behind such colour blocking improved.

CHUNKY HIGHLIGHTS

SERVING CHESHIRE CAT REALNESS

Before we had today’s meticulously placed highlights that give a sprinkle of sun-kiss, we had the zebra stripe highlights of the 90s!

These must’ve been applied with a trowel, because some of these are just—

Check out Rico Nasty on the cover of Alternative Press Magazine;

FROSTED TIPS

COULDN’T BE MAY…

Such a moment in history, but not necessarily one we need to revisit…

These are basically just highlights but like everywhere!

Are these coming back? Cry me a river, but I don’t think we need to resurrect this Guy Fieri look.

ACCESSORIES

FOR DAAAYYYS

A major hair staple of the 90s, with everyone’s drawers filled to the brim with scrunchies, butterfly clips, barrettes, and bobble hair-ties (remember the pain of those bad boys snapping against your fingers ooooft)

Bursting onto the scene in the mid 90s and quickly becoming a fashion icon, Lil Kim said I will wear anything as hair jewellery!

Today we’re seeing both classic recreations of 90s looks, and modernised renditions that nod to the era while reinventing and breathing new life into its trends!

SO BASICALLY…

After exhausting the flashy trends of the 1980s, 90s fashion was defined by a return to minimalist fashion – So exciting hair was a must!

90s hair was all about innovation and uniqueness, with bold and playful styles reigning supreme throughout the decade.

Stay tuned! Next is our final era exploration, the 2000s – which would be too soon to explore if it wasn’t back by popular demand today!

90's Hair; We Blinked, it’s Back— and Taking Over in 2022!

Feels like just yesterday we were frothing at the mouth for crunchy hair gel, butterfly clips, and zig-zag partings.Leaving all that in the 90s? Ugh, as if!