80s And 90s Inspired Hairstyles In 50+ Pictures
Whether you lived through these decades or not, you might be longing for them. The looks were varied and unique, the life simple, and the hairstyles rocked! So hop on the nostalgia train and take a look at these 80s and 90s inspired hairstyles!
Subtle 80s Inspired Hairstyles
Incorporate the feel of this chill decade into your everyday life with these hairstyles. They are subtle and modern enough to not scream “80s”, and yet you will know what they mean.
1. Wet curls
This hairstyle seems like it has just retuned from a few days of fun outside in the rain. Get this fun look with hair wax or oil and a hair curler.

2. Puffy bangs
Of all the 80s and 90s inspired hairstyles this is probably the most timeless one. All you need is to curl your bangs and pull your hair in a ponytail.

3. Frizzy 80s inspired hairstyles
This hairstyle, though a staple look of the 80s, can simply be your frilly hair left to its own devices for a bit.

4. Messy straight hair
Straight hair can be tricked into that “wet” look as well with a choppy hairstyle and some hair wax.

5. Undercut 80s inspired hairstyles
Undercuts are one of the easiest 80s and 90s inspired hairstyles to get, style, and adapt to modern times.

6. Shaggy
Get a shaggy haircut for a subtle, slightly retro look that might be hard to place but will surely give you the laid-back look you are aiming for.

7. Layered 80s inspired hairstyles
Long layers and bangs are the ultimate way to showcase 80s and 90s inspired hairstyles without looking like the cover of a magazine!

8. Backcomb
Fluff up your hair with the most popular hair trick from the 80s: the backcomb! This style will give you the vibe you want, but you won’t look like you are going to a themed party.

9. Choppy bangs 80s inspired hairstyles
When anime was just starting to grow, every nerdy kid wanted a hairstyle like this. Get it now and show how edgy became mainstream!

Throwback 80s inspired Hairstyles
If some inspiration isn’t enough and you really want to bring he 80s back in your life, revive these iconic hairstyles!
10. The poof
This is the staple look of the 80s, and the combination of extreme backcomb and tight curls is ready to make a comeback!

11. The mullet
The mullet was a popular hairstyle for young men, but it has been extended to women in recent years. So keep it in mind when looking for 80s and 90s inspired hairstyles.

12. Crimped 80s inspired hairstyles
Who can overlook the crimped look? It’s so rooted in the “just because I can” attitude towards hair popularized in the 80s!

13. The perm
Perms never really went away, they were just adapted to the times. But you can always bring back the original fluffy perm!

14. 80s inspired business hairstyles
If you want a very 80s hairstyle but still have to stick by a dress code, try this professional do!

15. Half up
Tie back the top half of your hair and don’t forget to tease the underlayer for the big 80s look!

16. Curly pixie cut
Even pixie cuts had to be big and curly! Use accessories to pull the bangs out of your face if you decide to go for this rebel look!

17. Messy 80s inspired hairstyles
The bedhead look she is sporting may seem easy but it’s in fact a hair sculpture with a bottle of hairspray in it!

18. Large waves
Who can forget the colorful heatless curlers and the look that they create? Try them for authenticity’s sake!

Subtle 90s Inspired Hairstyles
Time to switch the decade and go to the 90s. Revive styles you saw or wore back then and blend them with modern touches!
19. Extra volume
Though this look is from an advert of the times, thick hair never goes out of fashion so you can subtly style it like this and no one will bat an eye!

20. Highlighted 90s inspired hairstyles
The 90s were the time when your hair lightening in the sun was all the rage, and products that help with that were on the rise. Create the same effect with highlights!

21. Colored long bangs
In the 90s, colorful hair became more popular, especially colored bangs. A style like this will always remind 90s kids of their childhood!

22. Rounded bob 90s inspired hairstyles
As a countermove to the more rebellious 80s and 90s inspired hairstyles, this bob haircut became the style of choice for the “good” girls.

23. Feathered bangs
Feathered bangs were a popular choice in the 90s. See them here combined with a more modern haircut in a great fusion look!

24. Loose and ready to party
With festivals on the rise, the flowy hair, hippie look made comeback, so a wavy, loose, and slightly messy hair is always a good subtly vintage style.

25. Skater 90s inspired hairstyles
Skater girls started developing their style in the 90s, so high, practical ponytails and negligent, just hanging loose hair make good subtle styles to bring back.

26. Pink vibe
Having a full head of pink hair in the 90s was a brave move. Nowadays it’s just Tuesday, but that doesn’t stop you from living your dream style at last!

27. Clipped 90s inspired hairstyles
Blend vintage and practical in this clipped back style. The big strands of hair and neutral clips make this style perfect for flying just under the radar.

28. A little mess
The messy 80s look made room for a more tame version in the 90s, but the appeal of imperfect hair is still there!

29. Double half buns
Inspired by anime and edge culture in the 90s, these top knots are now just mainstream enough to have some vintage value without being too obviously a throwback style.

Throwback 90s Inspired Hairstyles
It’s been twenty years, it’s about time the 90s made a strong comeback! So dig out your sharp eyeliner and body glitter and rock these hairstyles lifted right from old pictures!
30. Feathered layers
Feathered hair was once the ultimate rebellion. Now it’s nothing extraordinary, but some styles, like this one, keep their angsty teen vibe.

31. Alt skater girl
Add a bright and unnatural color on top of the skater girl look for this rebellious hairstyle!

32. TV featured 90s inspired hairstyles
This hairstyle was featured in a Japanese movie, and all girls wanted it. It might be time it made a comeback!

33. First bantu knots
Appropriating protective hairstyles wasn’t that frowned upon in the 90s, and white girls went around sporting box braids and bantu knots. With the exception of a theme party, this look is better left in the past.

34. The full look
The double knots, the waves, and the long bangs create this staple 90s hairstyle, of course complimented by accessories.

35. Bedazzled 90s inspired hairstyles
The preteen and early teen kids in the 90s knew the value of decorating your hair with ALL the accessories, so live the dream and braid beads in your hair!

36. Return of the poof
The fluffy top knot declined after the 80s but made a comeback in the 90s for people with naturally curly hair this time.

37. Curly bob
There is something about 80s and 90s inspired hairstyles and being mandatorily big. And bobs are no exception.

38. The half up pigtails
Another staple look of the 90s kids, this style can make a comeback on teachers and people who deal with children.

39. Crimped to the max
The 80s crimp didn’t go away in the 90s, it was perfected. And you can always use it for the sake of nostalgia!

40. Butterfly clips
If earlier I gave you an example of subtle and practical butterfly clips, here they are making an appearance as an accessory.

41. Rebel hairstyle
This was the style that all the rebel kids wanted back in the day, and having this haircut made you instantly cool!

80s And 90s Inspired Goth Hairstyles
The Goth movement started to spread during these decades, so a list of 80s and 90s inspired hairstyles wouldn’t be complete with a few dark looks.
42. A drop of color
Let’s start easy, with colored dark hair, a look you can see on many platforms as goth.

43. Side shave
While this shaved style is closer to goth punk than anything else, but it still has its origin in he 90s.

44. Time too go blue
Another take on the goth style wit blue hair and choppy layers. This style works great for when you want to be able to go under the radar, because it doesn’t stand out on its own.

45. Such a tease
Put the 80s tease to good work with this extreme backcombed hairstyle! Still out there, but also a nostalgia trip!

46. Face framing
These face framing strands are the dark version of the anime hairstyle earlier on this list, rooted in visual kei, a style originating in the 1980s Japan.

47. Goth dreadlocks
Thin dreadlocks can still be a valid fashion choice, if worn with a goth look, even if they are a throwback to the 90s.

48. Soft look
This hairstyle is the balance between what is socially accepted and the inner goth trying to reach out!

49. Rock concert
Be always ready for a concert! This hairstyle will always stand out, due to its colors and frizzy cut.

50. Princess of darkness
No 80s and 90s inspired hairstyles list would be complete without mentioning the lady who blended goth and mainstream in her look, Wynona Ryder!

Bonus
51. Popular Perm
Julia Roberts was a hairdo pro back in the day, so you could try to model your 80s and 90s inspired hairstyles after hers!

Final Thoughts
Have these 80s and 90s inspired hairstyles sent you down memory lane? Or are you nostalgic for a time you didn’t even live? Let me know in the comments below which of these gave you nostalgia whiplash and which ones you would totally wear!
Hi there! I’m Kate, great to meet you! I used to be the kid in school who always had the most complicated braids and as young as 14 years old I was the go-to schoolyard hairstylist. Working with hair has always relaxed me and I am always looking for new styles to try. My latest achievement is a great looking undercut and blue-black dye job on one of my friends. Now I’m blending my skill at hairstyling with my passion for writing and doing what I love.
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