Buzz
One major takeaway from our time in isolation is how much we rely on the expertise of hairstylists. People, both men and women, are now rushing to control their wild hair, tackle split ends, and hide their graying roots. While months in quarantine have offered a reasonable excuse for messy hair, it can't be blamed for some of the most unfortunate hairstyles of the modern age.
10. The Fringed Buzz Cut
A recent post from Dazed Beauty dubbed the DIY buzz cut as ‘isolation's biggest hair trend.’ The buzz cut itself comes in a variety of forms, each open to customization. Its success largely depends on the person’s hair type and the shape of their head. However, there is one version of this cut that will never look good, regardless of how perfect someone’s hair and head may be: the fringed buzz cut.
This trendy look is essentially a buzz cut paired with baby bangs. FashionBean.com referred to it as 'one part Chess Club president, two parts Nazi skinhead–100 percent dreadful.' While there are some versions of this style that don’t look too bad, many end up being a disaster. Just take a look at three-time FIFA World Player of the Year, Ronaldo.
If the person with the fringed buzz cut let the shaved area grow in line with the bangs, they'd end up with something just as dreadful (and our first Honorable Mention): the Caesar cut. Sure, a Roman emperor might pull off tiny, cropped bangs, but it's a look that no grown man should attempt. The Caesar cut, inspired by Julius Caesar himself, is a disaster. Take Mark Zuckerberg, for instance. He can afford the best hairstylist money can buy, but it seems like he’s allowing his 4-year-old daughter to cut his hair.
9. The Beehive
It has been 60 years since hairstylist Margaret Vinci Heldt invented the beehive. In the 1960s, the hairstyle became a symbol, worn by the likes of Priscilla Presley, Brigette Bardot, Barbra Streisand, and many other famous celebrities. The Ronettes were known for having some of the tallest beehives of the time.
Heldt was given the challenge of creating a hairstyle that was distinct from the more modest styles of the 1950s. '[Modern Salon magazine] called me and said, 'Margaret, hairstyling has gone dead; there’s nothing exciting. We have the pageboy, the flip, the French twist, but there’s nothing going on at the top of the head,'' Heldt explained in a 2014 interview.
Heldt’s inspiration for the beehive came from the fez, a hat made famous by Jackie Kennedy. 'I always looked at that little hat and thought, 'Someday, I’m going to create a hairstyle that fits under it, and when you take the hat off, the hairstyle will still be there,’'' she recalled. The result was a hairstyle that was so large, it probably wouldn't fit under any hat. (Today, the goal is usually to *avoid* hat hair, as we’ll discuss below).
The beehive got its name because Heldt added a small pin shaped like a bee to accessorize the updo. In more recent times, the beehive has been worn by figures like Marge Simpson, Adele, and Amy Winehouse, who once said, 'The more insecure I feel, the bigger my hair has to be.'
8. Helmet Head
For athletes, bikers, and others who wear helmets, 'helmet hair' can be a real issue. Let’s be clear: it’s a *problem*—one that has led to countless products and tutorials aimed at preventing it. So why have both men and women started embracing this look intentionally?
As the name suggests, helmet hair makes it appear as if the person is wearing a helmet. It’s round, smooth, and universally unflattering for any face shape. Urban Dictionary humorously defines it as 'a haircut that forms a perfect ‘helmet’ shape around the head. Often, this is the result of a terrible haircut and a complete lack of effort in the morning, combined with a side of being a fool. This non-trendy style is commonly seen on people named 'Mike.'
In the 1950s and 1960s, women added volume to their bouffants to create the helmet look. The style could be teased and shaped to stay that way for an entire week.
In the 1970s, it was boys and men who were often seen sporting helmet-shaped hairstyles. (Think Bobby Brady, Liberace, and all those Brylcreem models.) Thankfully, the style has nearly vanished today.
Honorable Mention: Bobby Brady wasn’t the only Brady with helmet hair. TV mom Carol Brady started the series with a reasonably sized bouffant, but later adopted one of the most iconic hairstyles in sitcom history. She combined a 70s-style shag with helmet hair on top and a mullet on the bottom.
7. The Karen (aka the “Can I Speak to Your Manager?”)
Kate Gosselin, known for TLC’s Jon and Kate Plus 8, faced heavy criticism for many of her public decisions: her parenting style (and co-parenting), her not-so-great performance on Dancing With the Stars, and her decision to air her post-divorce dating life on the reality show Kate Plus Date.
However, one of her most infamous decisions was her choice of hairstyle. The Karen, or 'Gosselin,' is an asymmetrical haircut that has become synonymous with the 'Can-I-Speak-To-Your-Manager' stereotype. The much-imitated look featured long, smooth front strands, short spiky layers on top, and a shaved back—three unfortunate haircuts in one. To make things worse, she opted for harsh frosty highlights, adding to the cringiness. Fun fact: Gosselin ditched the look in 2010, but Justin Bieber revived it in 2015. (It didn’t look any better on him.)
And speaking of regrettable trends, let's not overlook the infamous 'Frosted Tips.' For reasons that remain a mystery, young men in the late 90s and early 2000s decided it was a great idea to bleach only the tips of their short, spiky hair. Thankfully, icons like Aaron Carter, Justin Timberlake, and Guy Fieri quickly abandoned this misguided look.
6. Mall Bangs and Hair Bands
The defining hairstyles of the 80s and early 90s were bold, gravity-defying, and potentially harmful to the environment. Women of all ages sported 'mall hair': a mix of permed or crimped locks with dramatic, sky-high bangs, all held in place with liberal amounts of Aqua Net. Teasing combs were the tools of choice, and hairbrushes were totally unnecessary. Legends like Janet Jackson, Stevie Nicks, and Whitney Houston rocked mall hair, as did the girls from 'The Facts of Life' and 'Full House.' Much like the beehive or helmet hair, the goal was clear: achieve the tallest, most voluminous look possible.
The men weren't left behind either—they cranked up the volume on both their music and their hair. Hair bands like Twisted Sister, Cinderella, and Motley Crue were the poster children of this 'big hair' revolution. And let's not forget the women in this genre, like Vixen, Precious Metal, and Lita Ford, who also rocked voluminous styles.
5. The Pompadour (Quiff)
The pompadour takes its name from Madame de Pompadour, a mistress of King Louis XV, despite the fact that she never actually wore this hairstyle. The pompadour typically features hair swept away from the face and styled high above the forehead. Initially, it was a trend for women, then for men, and back to women until the 1950s and early 1960s, when men adopted it as their own and rebranded it the quiff.
The quiffs of the mid-20th century, worn by stars like Elvis, Little Richard, and Johnny Cash, were sleek and stylish. But, as with most hairstyles, the look began to lose its charm when taken to extremes (think Jimmy Neutron, Teddy Boys, and Cosmo Kramer).
David Beckham and others brought a modern twist to the quiff by making it more relaxed and less polished. The neat, voluminous pouf was swapped for a messier, more tousled version. Today, there are countless variations, such as the psychobilly quiff, the side-parted quiff, the textured quiff, and the undercut quiff. One survey even found that women found the quiff one of the sexiest men’s hairstyles—28 percent of 2,000 women surveyed said they would swipe right on a man with a quiff.
Following in the footsteps of history, women are embracing the pompadour again. Recently, voluminous styles have been spotted on celebrities like Alicia Keys, Natalie Portman, Gwen Stefani, and Janelle Monae.
4. The Klute
For Jane Fonda, 1970 was a year to remember. She kicked it off by winning the Best Actress Oscar for her role in 'Klute,' but the year ended with her being arrested for suspected drug trafficking. However, the real story behind both of these events was her hair. Fonda, experiencing what she called her 'first hair epiphany,' made the bold decision to cut off her long blonde locks for a more empowering look. The iconic 'Klute' cut was reminiscent of a preschooler’s first self-haircut—part bob, part shag, with blunt bangs, face-framing 'sideburns,' and choppy layers at the neck.
The klute cut was a bold take on the shag hairstyle. Featuring full, layered, face-framing strands, it was a unisex look beloved by celebs like Rod Stewart, David Cassidy, and Mackenzie Phillips.
Fashion magazines are now touting the 1970s shag as a cool retro look to try in 2020. Let’s hope this particular trend doesn’t make a full return.
3. The Bowl Cut
The bowl cut was a hallmark look for Moe of the Three Stooges, and it brought laughs when Lloyd Christmas wore a similar style in 'Dumb and Dumber.' But for many, it’s a haircut best left in the past. School yearbooks are filled with photos of kids who had to endure the bowl cut as a rite of passage, only for many to later impose the same look on their own children, continuing the cycle of style missteps.
In the fall of 2019, style magazines declared the bowl cut could make a comeback—just with a twist. Adding a deep side part, highlights, or shaved sides was the key. After all, Timothee Chalamet sported the cut in his role in Netflix's 'The King.' Celebrities like Charlize Theron, Rihanna, and Zendaya also rocked edgy versions of the bowl cut on the red carpet. But let’s not forget that these are celebs with amazing bone structure, unlike the average person, who might resemble Moe more than the A-listers. (For instance, William 'Roddie' Bryan Jr., who filmed the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, is a more unfortunate example of the bowl cut look.)
2. The Mullet
Unfortunately, the mullet is making a return. There are hipster mullets, side-part mullets, pompadour mullets, and fade mullets. Jared Leto himself has been seen in countless variations of this notorious style. But they all have one thing in common: business in the front, party in the back.
Could Joe Exotic (aka 'Tiger King') be the reason for the mullet’s resurgence? His influence inspired Gwen Stefani to give Blake Shelton a mullet. And the women who have chosen this hairstyle haven’t fared much better—just Google 'Miley Cyrus mullet' or 'Scarlett Johansson mullet' and see for yourself.
Over the years, several famous mullet wearers have left their mark, including Andre Agassi, David Bowie, Joan Jett, Bono, 'Joe Dirt,' and Dog the Bounty Hunter. But perhaps the most iconic and regrettable mullet was worn by Florence Henderson as Carol Brady on 'The Brady Bunch.' 'I was the mother with the mullet,' she admitted to ABC News. 'I just thought it was the chicest thing!'
1. The Gumby
Inspired by the green, clay animation character Gumby, known for his angular and asymmetrical head, the infamous 1990s hairstyle took its name from him. Bobby Brown was the first to introduce the Gumby look in a 1989 music video, and it quickly gained popularity among fans who wanted to copy it.
In truth, the Gumby was an accident. Bobby Brown's barber unintentionally cut half of his high-top fade hairstyle off. Instead of ditching the look, Brown embraced it and turned it into a trend. Decades later, the Gumby still pops up in both men's and women's styles.
Icons like Grace Jones often added a sharp angle to their towering fades, while singer Pink rocked the Gumby in various hues. Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong’o and 'The Walking Dead’s' Danai Gurira have both put their spin on the Gumby. Even Romanian footballer Steliano Filip sported the style at the Euros 2016, and actor Arlen Escarpata, who portrayed Bobby Brown in the film 'Whitney,' wore the Gumby outside of his role as well.
