Reappearing In The Most Unexpected Places

Hair trends love a comeback story, and honestly, history just keeps handing them the material. One decade's "proper" updo becomes another decade's party trick. A style that once signaled rebellion ends up on a red carpet with a glossy blowout. We like to think fashion moves forward, yet hairstyles loop back because they're easy to spot, fun to copy, and loaded with attitude. Old photos, film stills, and portraits keep reminding us that people were serving memorable hair long before ring lights existed. Here are 20 historical hairstyles that found their way back into pop culture, one slick twist, curl, and fringe at a time.

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1. Kiss Curl

In the 1920s, the kiss curl showed up as a tiny, polished swirl placed right on the forehead, and photographs of performers from the era make it look almost sculpted. Josephine Baker's version paired perfectly with her cropped cut, and it recently popped up again on modern glam moments, including a 2025 take worn by Teyana Taylor.

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2. Banged Bob

Louise Brooks made the blunt bob with sharp bangs feel effortless in 1920s film stills, even though it clearly took commitment to keep it that sleek. When the look returns now, it’s an automatic confidence booster, which is why you keep seeing it styled pin-straight on carpets and in editorials, including a 2025 appearance from Kelly Rowland.

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3. Bob Cut

The classic bob became a headline haircut in the 1920s, tied to shifting ideas about women's independence and modern life, and you can trace it through magazines and street photography of the era. It's become popular again, as it works with nearly any hair texture, and the current wave of blunt bobs and longer lobs keeps nodding back to that original statement cut.

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4. Pompadour

The pompadour has two famous lives: an eighteenth-century version linked to aristocratic fashion and a mid-century revival that became a rock-and-roll signature. You still see it in rockabilly circles and stage looks because the height and sweep instantly change your whole silhouette without needing new clothes.

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5. Deep Waves

Deep, glossy waves were a 1940s staple, especially in Hollywood, where studio-era styling leaned into shine and control. Rita Hayworth's shoulder-length waves are a well-documented reference point, and the style resurfaced in modern glamour, including Selena Gomez wearing a 1940s-inspired wave pattern at the 2026 Golden Globes.

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6. Soft Hollywood Curls

The 1950s favored curls that looked brushed, bouncy, and polished, and you can spot the shape in countless formal portraits and classic films from the period. Grace Kelly's jaw-length curls are a go-to example. The look keeps reappearing because it photographs beautifully and still feels elevated when paired with modern makeup, including recent styles worn by Pamela Anderson.

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7. Pixie Cut

The 1960s pixie has that crisp, mod energy that still holds up today. When it comes back, it tends to feel fresh and slightly fearless, and proves that hair considered modern 60 years ago can keep up with any decade.

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8. French Roll

The French roll became a neat, elegant updo that showed up everywhere from mid-century events to Hitchcock-era cinema, with Tippi Hedren often cited in style discussions of the time. It has returned as a sleek, red-carpet favorite because it looks polished from every angle, making it the perfect styling choice for photo ops.

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9. Beehive

The beehive is pure 1960s volume, built through teasing, pins, and enough hairspray to blow a hole in the ozone layer. It resurfaces whenever pop culture favors nostalgia, and a 2025 homage from Nicole Kidman proved the shape still lands when the styling is tight and the outfit is simple.

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10. Sleek Topknot

A high, sleek topknot is not new, yet a late-1960s version with curled detailing became especially recognizable through period beauty imagery and fashion coverage. The modern return is all about clean lines and lifting the face, popular among those who favor the “clean girl” aesthetic.

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11. Headband With Long Tresses

Brigitte Bardot's 1960s hair often leaned into loose length paired with a headband, creating a look that felt casual without actually being low-effort. That combination keeps cycling back because it frames the face and makes hair look fuller, while still leaning into the same soft, undone energy.

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12. Shag

The 1970s shag brought feathered layers and movement, and photos from the decade show how it played nicely with both blowouts and air-dried texture. Jane Fonda's layered cuts helped define the era, and the shag's modern return works because it adds shape without requiring a perfect, uniform finish.

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13. Mullet

The mullet's roots run through the 1970s and 1980s counterculture, where the cut's uneven lengths looked like a deliberate refusal to be neat and proper. Its modern reappearance has been tied to punk and grunge callbacks and has become a popular staple among Gen Zers.

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14. Big Blonde Curls

Big, teased curls became a signature look in the 1980s, and Dolly Parton's hair helped make that high-volume curl pattern instantly recognizable. If you’re thinking of a modern take on this iconic style, you’ll instantly think of Sabrina Carpenter.

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15. Voluminous Curls

In the 1990s, volume shifted toward glossy waves and big, brushed curls that looked camera-ready, and Cindy Crawford's era-defining hair is a widely referenced example. The modern version often shows up in runway styling and formal looks, and Amal Clooney has been associated with this kind of full, polished wave.

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16. The Rachel

"The Rachel" became the haircut of the 1990s thanks to Jennifer Aniston’s character on Friends, and its layered, face-framing shape is documented in endless clips and magazine spreads from the era. It keeps returning because the layers flatter many face shapes, and a 2025 revival on social feeds and salon menus, including a noted version by Cristina Cheni, shows the cut's enduring appeal.

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17. Cleopatra Bob

A straight, blunt bob associated with Ancient Egypt has been echoed in art and historical imagery for centuries, even if the exact day-to-day styling varied by status and occasion. The modern take is sleek and graphic, almost creating an angular jawline thanks to its razor-sharp style. 

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18. Princess Leia Buns

Princess Leia's double buns are technically a 1970s pop culture creation, yet they pull from older hair traditions and became an iconic visual shorthand almost overnight. They return through cosplay, editorials, and playful fashion moments because the shape is unmistakable, and turns any outfit into a statement without needing much else. If you liked the space buns trend of the mid-2010s, this hairstyle might be for you.

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19. Audrey Hepburn Ponytail

Audrey Hepburn's sleek ponytail reads as refined and youthful in classic film imagery and publicity photos. Ariana Grande's 2025 high ponytail moments kept that clean, lifted silhouette in rotation, proving the style still delivers polish with minimal fuss.

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20. Victorian Romantic Curls

Nineteenth-century portraits show loose, cascading curls that were styled to look soft and touchable, even in formal settings. The modern return often appears as Old Hollywood-inspired waves on long hair, and Jessica Chastain has worn versions that echo those historical curl patterns while still having a modern edge.

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