Revisiting the 80s with a 2022 twist
ALL THAT NEON, ALL THAT HAIR!
Okay, so this is where it really gets fun!!!
The 1980s revisited some of the iconic styles discussed from the previous decades! Shags, mullets, and blowouts were all reimagined through a lens considered “modern” at the time – and it was certainly unique. While resurrecting familiar styles, the 80s birthed its own plethora of hairstyles that remain symbol signifiers of the decade. Deep side parts, obnoxious perms, and hair-raising Mohawks – All as much 80s icons as the stars who wore them. The decade also introduced us to countless fun accessories, playful texture and shape! From the iconic scrunchie and big Madonna bow, to the bubble pony tail, crimped hair, and voluminous fringes, there’s no denying the 80s was all about style overkill.
Nothing was off limits, and everything was over the top!
Crimped
SHE’S ALL GROWN UP!
Okay, fun fact: The creator of the crimping iron actually created modern crimping for Barbara Streisand!
Once considered the pinnacle of tween and pop star aesthetic, the crimp has finally grown up – and come back better and more sophisticated its second time around!
While crimping used to aim for a tight zig-zag texture, we’re seeing new life breathed into the retro style in the use of wider crimping tools – Making for a more modern, mermaidy look, crimping is a chic go-to for sooo many celeb trendsetters today!
But don’t stress!!! – There’s still room for the classic tight zig-zag crimp!
Used mostly as accents to pony tails, half-up dos, and twists, the crimping texture is being seen throughout smaller sections, often worn brushed out and wispy, as above on Kerry Washington.
Check the Hadid sisters in Versace’s SS22 campaign!
Excessorize
ACCESSORIES TO THE EXCESS!
These days, hair is more about the actual style and cut rather than the overload of accessories piled on top of it – But the 80s was a time of accessory obsession!
I’m gonna have to break this one down:
THE SCRUNCHIE
Nothing screams “1980s” quite like a scrunchie, often tied around a small section of hair to create dramatic contrast and to keep the scrunchie as the focal point.
While neon scrunchies ruled aerobics classes throughout the 80s, in 2022 we’re seeing scrunchies back in mostly neutral tones!
Nudes, greys, and soft pinks are huge and elevate any style to sophistication.
THE BIG BOW
I think we can all thank Madonna for this one – While we love a good bow barrette, it just doesn’t give the same wow factor as the bow headband!
Well, the bow is back! – And while it may actually be impossible for it to be “bigger than ever” in terms of size, it’s certainly bigger than ever in terms of popularity!
THE WORKOUT HEADBAND
The workout video obsession of the 80s left no one untouched.
Olivia Newton John’s “Physical” is the first thing that comes to mind for most, but did you know she also had an entire series of workout videos?
As did icons like Jane Fonda, Raquel Welch, Tamilee Webb, etc etc – you get it, this was pretty much the 80s equivalent to the superabundance of TikTokers’ / Youtubers’ questionable attempts at “singing” careers today.
Once you’re able to look past the garish get-ups and confusing layered outfits, the hair is the real star of these videos.
THE BANANA CLIP
These served as an 80s staple and a convenient replacement for hair ties – After all, you didn’t want to mess up all that teasing with a kink-creating hair tie.
A variation of this fav was the claw-clip! Seen here on Bella Hadid, and Cindy Crawford’s daughter Kaia Gerber.
THE STATEMENT HEADBAND
Another Madonna staple, statement headbands were everything in the 80s! Statement headbands are currently hugely popular, as seen in two completely different styles on FKA twigs and Deepika Padukone. Modern spins include maxed out sizes in modern materials or with new accessories like velvet knots, chains, pearls and buckles.
THE HIPPIE HEADBAND
Hippie styles were a huge trend in the 70s that seeped over to the early 80s, and along with them came the hippie headband – Today we see this style emulated at festivals like Tomorrowland or Sunburn! (Or on true icons like Erykah Badu) In the 80s, bows, headbands, scrunchies and scarves were worn all on top of each other, today we’re – fortunately – taking a more deconstructed route! Adding just one of the above to your hair instantly elevates any style to create a polished look with minimal effort.
HIGH PONYTAIL
THE HEIGHT OF POPULARITY!
Again, maximum height and volume was the goal, with the ponytails standing high from the crown and teased for the Gods – and often accented with a scrunchie of course! Modern versions, like Julia Fox’s nod to 80s glam also incorporate the sleekness of the end of 80s, early 90s styles.
The whale spout iteration of the high pony was on high rotation throughout the decade – styled half-up or all-up, simply position your pony as high as possible so it splits. This one’s back in full force and riding a Tsunami wave of popularity. An even more quintessentially 80s iteration on the high pony is the high SIDE pony! Seen in every workout video from the decade, the side pony was one of the most defining styles of the 80s. Today, big names from Halle Bailey to Keke Palmer have been seen rocking this playful style!
TAPERED AFRO
THE CLASSIC AFRO… BUT MAKE IT ~GEOMETRIC~
A variation on the 70s Afro, The tapered ‘fro was a highly favoured natural style from the 80s. From longer lengths that create stark volume in the front and back, to shorter lengths that more closely resemble a high top or the Grace Jone fade, this look is highly versatile and timeless. Spotted on celebrities from Viola Davis and Samira Wiley to Taraji P Henson, this style isn’t going anywhere. To emulate, simply pin the sides of your Afro or ask your stylist for a slightly tapered cut, thinned down towards the nape.
JHERI CURLS
WASHDAY NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD!
Jheri curls are shiny, “wet” looking curls that use a 2-step chemical process to relax the hair and produce a looser curl pattern. Created by hairdresser Jheri Redding in the 70s, this style was inaccessible to most in its beginnings – I.e. It was ridiculously expensive. Jheri curls were eventually brought to the masses in 1980 by Comer Cottrell who introduced the Curly Kit – which could be bought in most stores for only $8. When Michael Jackson donned the “wet” look on his Thriller album cover in 1982, the Jheri curl quickly exploded into popularity. A sensation back then, these super versatile curls have been seen on talents like Lionel Richie, Ice Cube, and countless others. And in the year 2022, they’re back on celebs like Lil Nas X, Yara Shahidi and Kelly Rowland – And of course, with the social media Jheri curl challenge.
PERM
GO BIG OR GO HOME!
Even Cher ditched her straight sleek style for a big, bouncy perm in the 1980s – And with huge names like Meryl Streep, Olivia Newton-John as Sandy, Molly Ringwald, and Dolly Parton donning dynamic diva curls, the masses swiftly followed suit. Everyone was obsessed with these chemically-treated curls, and salons everywhere quickly filled with the fumes of a thousand perms.
Instead of the carefully crafted coils we saw throughout the 80s, today the style is finding new life in the “beach wave perm,” currently heavily requested across salons everywhere. It’s like a more relaxed, less obnoxious iteration – Think Camilla Cabello, or Debby Ryan:
~ PERMED FRINGE
The 80s were jam packed with variations of bangs, but no style reigned quite so supreme as the permed fringe. Creating volume and shape in the front of the hair, fringes were worn curly, teased high, and often brushed upwards to blend flawlessly with the body of the hair – This brought volume front and centre.
Similar styles have been worn by the likes of Rita Ora and Khloe Kardashian.
TEASING
Alternative arm workout
We’ve all teased our parents about their 80s hair almost as much as they teased it to achieve such gravity-defying height. Well, we can all eat our words because she’s back! As seen before on Rita Ora and Khloe Kardashian, teasing often goes hand in hand with the perm. If you’re looking to take your 80s recreation to new heights, this style gives your mane the ultimate fullness.
TEXTURED FEATHERED LAYERED
THE EFFORTLESSLY BEAUTIFUL, NO-NEED-TO-FORCE-IT FARRAH!
Another style that seeped over from the 70s, the bouncy, voluminous feathered hair with those classic wispy layers reigned strong into the early 80s!
Mullet / Shag
80S MULLETS WERE JUST A PARTY ALL OVER!
Both classic holdovers from the decade before, the mullet and the shag were still on high circulation into the 80s – Check out these two starkly different iterations on Cher! Today we see softer more blended layers, where the lines between mullets and shags is more blurred. Most recently, everyone from Rihanna and Rowan Blanchard, to Rico Nasty and Bretman Rock have been spotted rocking modern mullet shags that nod to the classic 80s style without taking away from the edginess of its origins.
SHAVED UNDERCUT
GIRLS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN HAIR!
Originating from the hair-raising Mohawks of the punk movement, these side shaved undercut styles were an underground staple of the era. Often paired with bright and experimental hair colours in its glory days, we’re seeing its resurrection take the blueprints of the style and reimagine it through a modern lens – more subtle and sophisticated. Subversive at the time, this one can now be sported by anyone.
RECAP
The 1980s allowed us to rediscover our love for embellishments and drama, and its returning trends in the year 2022 show us it’s never too late for a good reprise. The driving force behind 80s hair was definitely “more is more,” and while some fads are best left in the 80s, we couldn’t be happier to see the return of some of the most quintessential hairstyles of the era.
Now get ready for our 90s edition!