Back to the future: everything you need know about 1980s hair trends

From A-listers on the red carpet to TV series like Stranger Things, rocking 1980s hair trends has become relevant again. The 1980s gave rise to a movement where many different eccentric styles were celebrated. The decade was obsessed with volume, bright colours and making a statement. And all of these things were expressed through people's hair - from punk-pop fashion to gender-blurring styles. The nearly four-decade-old hair trends seems to be making a comeback with shags, perms and mullets (yes, really) making their way onto celebrity's heads. While retro hairstyles coming back into fashion certainly isn't a new phenomenon, the 1980s was such an iconic decade for hair it is hard to ignore this particular trend rebirth.

1980s Hair Trends History

Stars from the 1980s such as Jane Fonda, Brigitte Bardot and Olivia Newton-John sported the typical 1980s hair - parting-free, effortlessly messy and with plenty of volume. In the 1980s the statement hair trend became popular with men too. Iconic men hairstyles examples are Michael Jackson’s jheri curl hairstyle and Billy Idol's punk rock liberty spikes. The punk and goth subculture also began gaining popularity, contributing to the big hair phenomenon. Netflix’s original series - Stranger Things has certainly contributed to the resurgence of 1980s hair trends. While the story is a homage to 1980s pop culture, it is also a loving tribute to the decade's hairstyles - see Steve 'The Hair' Harrington's feathered mullet and Billy's classic mullet.

How Can We Put a Modern Twist on 1980s Hair Trends?

Below we have rounded up four of the most recently spotted 1980s hairstyles on celebrities. We've also asked three ghd brand warriors why the following looks are so timeless and how to style them in 2019.

The Shag

Christopher Laird, ghd brand warrior, believes the shag is beautiful on all lengths, textures and colours. He adds: “It’s a perfect way to keep your look carefree, natural and bang on trend.” https://www.instagram.com/p/BK0edpxjjUi/?utm_source=ig_embed

How to recreate it:

• Firstly finger dry the hair using a hairdryer and diffuser by twisting sections in alternate directions.
• Then use a styler with different sized sections to create more texture through the mid-lengths and ends.

The Perm

This classic 1980s hair trend is all about voluminous, imperfect curls rather than overdone, glam curls. Jordanna Cobella, ghd brand warrior, says this time around most salons have adopted the new wave perm. This creates hair with varying waved texture - it's “tighter than a beach wave but looser than a corkscrew curl," she adds. https://www.instagram.com/p/BwUjGuqF-hj/ You can achieve this look by using two different tong sizes ensuring you alternate directions to get different sizes and an overall natural textured ‘accidental’ finish.

Crimped Hair

Crimped hair brings all the retro feels. This playful trick has been used in Stella McCartney, Halpern and Gucci catwalks to bring volume to hair. The best thing is that, according to Jordanna, 1980s hair trends like crimping work for mid-length sharp haircuts to accentuate that triangular shape, as well as for long hair on certain sections for up styling. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bh3TbdbFErx/

Wispy Bangs

This versatile hairstyle is the easiest introduction into fringe life as is soft and flatters most face shapes. https://www.instagram.com/p/Buw-XBtlSpr/ Andrea Daley, ghd brand warrior, shares a quick and easy way to create texture and hold to your wispy bangs: “Apply hairspray to the fingertips and scrunch in at the roots and in the centre of your bangs.” Lead image via @jordannacobella Instagram