Crimped Hair Equally emblematic of the 80s hair scene was the crimped hair trend, which brought a zigzag texture that screamed fun. Achieved with a crimping iron, this style electrifies one's look, fitting perfectly with the decade's adventurous fashion sense.
As we mentioned, the '80s were all about volume and texture, so naturally, crimped waves dominated the decade. While they used to feature tiny zig-zag waves, they're now often created with a wider crimping tool for more modern, loose and (almost beach-like) waves.
Hairstyles in the 80s were perms, crimped hair, shag haircut, farrah fawcett, side pony, highlights, big hair, hairspray styles, mohawks, big volume hair and braided styles.
The 1980s were all about big hair. Perms, teased styles, and heavy use of hairspray characterized this decade. Mullets, side ponytails, and crimped hair also gained popularity. This era was marked by bold experimentation and a “bigger is better” attitude.
This eclectic look was made famous in the 1980s when it turned heads paired with bold colours and accessories. It had a brief revival in the early 2000s, when it was sported by celebs including Tyra Banks, Christina Aguilera, and Britney Spears. Now, crimping is getting a makeover for the 2020s.
80s Crimped Hair
Another style that lived in the 70s, 80s and even 90s we can't really get behind is crimped hair, as rocked by Demi Moore in the 80s classic, St. Elmo's Fire.
The 1980s were a time of excess and expression. With fashion serving as a bold statement of individuality and freedom, big, curly hair wasn't just a style; it was an attitude—a rebellion against the sleek, restrained looks of previous decades.
Dressing preppy was huge in the '80s, and offsetting all those sweaters and pastels was the half-updo. Braids—especially the French braid—were an added one-two punch to the whole more-exclusive-than-thou look prevalent in teen TV tropes everywhere.
In the mid-1980s and through the mid-1990s it was common to see women of all ages from girls, tweens, teens, college and beyond wearing high ponytails or high side ponytails held with a scrunchie.
Vibrant eyeliners, neon eyeshadows, and coloured mascaras were used to create dramatic, larger-than-life 80s eye makeup and lipstick colours like fuchsia, plum and bubblegum pink were lacquered onto the lips to create vivid 80s pouts. Everything looked lifted and dynamic in the 80s, especially when it came to blush.
Cher. Cher in 1981 and in 2024. After becoming known for her sheaf of straight hair in the '70s, Cher went big in the '80s. These days, the "Believe" singer is something of a chameleon, perpetually changing it up, as she did with this blonde look at a pre-Grammys party in February 2024.
Spiked hair, teased hair, brightly colored hair, and shaved hair sections were popularized in the 1980s by the punk movement, as were the Mohawk and its twisted variant, Liberty spikes. The Mullet haircut existed in several different styles, all characterized by hair short on the sides and long in the back.
The 1980s saw the onset of huge, voluminous locks on men and women, often in the form of long, curly hair. Inspired by heavy metal and appropriately-named "Hair Bands," huge hair was everywhere.
Key Takeaways. As you age, straight hair may become more wavy, and if you have wavy hair, you might see new wave patterns in each section of your head. Over time, those with curly hair may notice looser curls or new curl patterns. If you have coily hair, it's possible for it to become frizzier as you age.
JEWELRY STYLES
As the decade opened, the focus in jewelry was on gold and diamonds. Thin gold chains were worn in multiples as bracelets and, in various lengths, as necklaces, often with gold charms and small gem-set pendants.
Headbands were a favorite among '80s preps, thanks in part to movies like Heathers and Pretty in Pink. Whether they were padded, braided, or covered in satin, headbands added a polished touch to any outfit. These weren't your basic stretchy bands—they were accessories in their own right.
Wearing them was fashionable among teenage girls; later to be an adopted fashion by boys in the city of Berkeley in the San Francisco Bay Area. Their popularity was partly due to the influence of the films Fame, Xanadu and Flashdance and the concurrent aerobics craze.
And while perms may spring to mind when you think of 80s hairstyles, today it's all about updating retro looks by taking the volume down a touch but keeping all of the attitude. One of the key 80s hairstyles that continues to impress is the side ponytail.
In the '80s, big hair was not only a status symbol, but also allowed women to take up space, Rachael Gibson, who runs the account The Hair Historian, told the outlet. It was a statement and, especially for artists in the limelight, “filling the screen with your hair felt like quite a power move,” she added.
When people think of perms, they often imagine the tight, huge curls popular during the 1980s. While the 80s were the indisputable peak of popularity for this hairstyle, it is making a comeback in the 21st century.