Nineties Hair Trends and Inspiration

The 90s are a decade iconic for the clothing, beauty and hair trends that were birthed and popularized. Ranging from Cindy Crawford’s stunning blowouts, Baby Spice’s cutesy pigtails, and Brandy’s intricate microbraids, we’re obsessed with the era of crimped waves, butterfly clips, and chunky highlights.

In this blog, we revive the nineties to reminisce on our favorite hairstyles and accessories. Join us on a nostalgic journey as we give you the best tips and tricks for adding a contemporary twist to the classics.

The Rachel

Rachel Green is the fictional character played by actress Jennifer Anniston in the hit TV sitcom Friends. First airing in 1994 and completing its final series in 2004, the show birthed the successful careers of Jennifer and costars Courteney Cox as Monica Geller and Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe Buffay.

Rachel Green was famed for her sense of style, and more specifically her luscious locks. Rachel sported many hairstyles throughout the lifecycle of the show, each one iconic in its own right. The gorgeous honey blonde was highlighted with lighter golden strands, styled in a long layered cut. The style was so iconic in fact that it led to many fans walking into salons to ask for ‘The Rachel’.

Withstanding the test of time, Rachel Green Hair is still a beautifully wearable style in the 2020’s. Ask your hairdresser for face framing layers that you can wear in a voluminous bouncy blowout. If you’re lacking length, easily blend in some wefts of our Remy Clip In hair extensions to achieve the look.

Sleek, Spiky Bun

The nineties was known for its love of space buns, a hairstyle that involved a slick centre parting with high up buns coiled on either side. Copious amounts of gel was used to give hair a shiny, wet-look. For a more modern rendition, here’s our guide to achieving the sleek, spiky bun:

1.Start with clean, damp hair. Use a spritz of a leave in conditioner or a small amount of gel throughout your lengths to give your hair a shiny appearance and ensure all flyaways are tamed.

2.Brush your hair back towards the middle back of your head and gather into a ponytail. Secure with a hair tie and ensure all bumps have been smoothed out. Use grips to pin any loose ends in.

3.Take some gel on your fingertips and form the bun by twisting the ponytail tightly around itself. Once it has coiled completely, leave the ends free and secure the rest of the hair in place with grips or another elastic.

4.To create the spiky ends, use some gel to fashion the loose ends into separate spikes. Depending on how dramatic you want to make your style, you can pull more strands free from the bun and spike these too. Make sure to arrange the spikes around the full circumference of the bun so that they are not concentrated in just one area.

5.Adjust to your liking, when you are satisfied you can set the look in place using a hairspray of your choice.

Face Framing Tendrils

If you’re planning on sporting an updo, we have another nineties influence for your attention. The face framing tendrils are two pieces of loose hair worn in the front with a centre parting, flattering the face shape. The Kardashian sisters are known to be big fans of this style, and you should be sure to give it a try. They are completely customizable according to your preference, so can be as chunky or as wispy as you like.

ZigZag Parting

Zigzag partings have recently come back into the fore, with supermodel Bella Hadid and singer Ariana Grande being fans of the style. The zigzag parting adds an edgier touch to an otherwise ordinary style. You can wear hair straightened, curled or in an updo and the part line will add an element of interest. Here’s how to achieve the look:

1.Start on clean, dry hair. Remove any knots or tangles with a good quality hairbrush.

2.Begin by creating a regular centre parting to form the foundation of your zigzag. Decide how big or small you’d like each angle of the Z shape.

3.On the front of your head, near the hairline, use the end of a tailcomb to make a small V shape in the middle of the existing parting. Ensure that the V is facing in the direction of your desired zigzag pattern.

4.Work your way to the back of the head, repeating the step of making small V shapes along the parting line. You can use a gel or styling product to smooth hair into place for a defined, crisp finish.

5.Once you’ve created the full zigzag, go back into any areas to neaten any lines and tame any stray hairs.

6.Wear the rest of your hair as desired. Enjoy experimenting with different sizes of Z shape parting and embrace the uniqueness of the style you’ve created!

Crimped Waves

Crimping has earnt its place in the nineties hall of fame, sported by the likes of Tyra Banks and Britney Spears. A more modern (and wearable) take on this look would be the softer mermaid waves we’re seeing emerge throughout pop culture. There is no need to purchase an expensive tool to create this look either!

1.Simply begin by dampening your hair by spritzing with water. For additional grip and texture, smooth some mousse throughout your lengths.

2.Divide your hair into small sections and plait these. Depending on your desired look, lots of smaller braids will achieve a tighter crimp with more texture.

3.When you’re satisfied with the amount of plaits in your hair, you can sleep in the style to allow the crimp to settle in the hair. This is a great, heat free method to style, alternatively you can blow dry the plaits to dry and set the look.

4.Undo the plaits and reveal your crimped locks! You can tease at the roots for added volume, or manipulate into an updo!

That rounds up some of our favourite timeless trends from the nineties, we hope you enjoyed exploring the defining moments from the decade – tag us on socials if you recreate any of these looks!