Unless you, too, still wear Nirvana t-shirts and binge-watch the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air every chance you get, you might not fully appreciate the '90s revival [1] currently taking over the fashion [2] and beauty worlds right now. Our stance? You probably should — because the old-school trends [3] are coming for your hair this Summer [4].
The coolest cuts [5] and colour trends [6] popping up this season are decidedly '90s, with a vibe that's far "more natural and laid-back" than season's past, said Priscilla Valles [7], celebrity hair guru and part-owner of The Spa salon at the Palms [8] in Las Vegas (which officially opens on July 1).
From an edgier twist to the classic bob haircut [9] to the technique that'll give you that "lived-in" hair colour [10], she's breaking down exactly what you can expect in the future. (Hint: it requires looking into the past.)
90s-Inspired Bob Haircut
Everybody with access to Instagram (or an excuse to leave the house every day) knows that bob haircuts [11] are everywhere right now. The new take on the trend [12], however, has a '90s twist: "It's the bob, but with a centre part and ends that sort of bend inward," said Valles. "It's the kind of curl that — paired with the chunky earrings and necklaces — feels very Cindy Crawford [13]."
One thing to avoid with this look, though? Going too tight with your curled ends. "That veers more into a groovy '60s vibe," she said. "This look is more straight, with a big flipped curl. In the '90s, people got a lot of blowouts. Everything was big like Cindy Crawford with the Coke can pin curls. Think of everything being big volume [14]."
90s-Inspired Bob Haircut
90s-Inspired Bob Haircut
90s-Inspired Bob Haircut
90s-Inspired Bob Haircut
90s-Inspired Bob Haircut
90s-Inspired Bob Haircut
Shadow Roots
"Ombré is going away this season, but people are still looking to go lighter," said Valles. The new way to make it cool for the Summer? "Because this trend is less of a three-inch ombré and more of a natural shadow root [15], tell your stylist you want the lighter colour to start an inch from the roots. They'll usually they put a little bit of a base-level toner there. And what that's really good for is it makes everything blend in together for a more natural look. It's also softer against the skin."
Shadow Roots
Shadow Roots
Shadow Roots
Shadow Roots
Shadow Roots
Shadow Roots
Layered Shag
Got a shag haircut [16]? Yeah, you and everybody else. But to make your look a little more modern this Summer, add in softer layers throughout. "The shag is really pretty right now," she said. "For a while, everyone wanted long, stringy, beachy waves — now the style is a little thicker, more mid-length. That '90s vibe means it's a little blunter and healthier-looking, with soft layers."
Layered Shag
Layered Shag
Layered Shag
Layered Shag
Layered Shag
High Society Blond
"Last Summer everyone was doing a silver-platinum," said Valles. (We see you, Solange Knowles, Kim Kardashian-West, Hilary Duff, and co [17].) "Now people are going more to a '90s blond with sandy roots. It can be a platinum, but not silver. Think of it as more of a high society blond."
High Society Blond
High Society Blond
High Society Blond
High Society Blond
