The Ultimate Guide To Nineties Hairstyles (Plus All The Best Inspiration)
90s hairstyles are undeniably among the most celebrated cuts and colours in the history of beauty. Whether you've spent the summer pinning images of Pamela Anderson's messy blonde up-do to your beauty moodboard, you're currently weighing up a timeless layered haircut à la Jennifer Aniston, or your go-to bob is an alternative, choppy cut inspired by Winona Ryder, the decade is bursting with iconic shapes and shades, ready-made for every hair type and texture.
Of course, we had to dial in the most in-demand celebrity hairstylist of the 90s, Sam McKnight, to give us his expert run-through of the era's most popular styles, including anecdotes of day spent on set with Princess Diana and how to recreate that timeless 90s blowout with a modern touch.
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What Hairstyles Were Popular In The 90s?
If you turn to TikTok for 90s hair references, there's no doubt that you'll be met with the sleek Cindy Crawford-style blowout; over 165 million posts of it, to be exact. Magazine covers and red carpets tell a different story, however.
'Standout 90s haircuts for me are Princess Diana’s shorter cut I did for her in 1991,' says legendary hairstylist Sam McKnight, whose roster of clients spans from Kate Moss to Kendall Jenner. 'At the end of a shoot, she asked me what I would do if I had free rein, and I said I would cut it off and start again. We were moving on from the '80s romantic frills and going much sleeker with short, sharp hair to wear with Chanel and Versace suits of the time. It was all about the power woman look. Linda Evangelista’s iconic cut really paved the way for modern, sharper silhouettes.'
There's no doubt that the voluminous, bombshell blowout had it's moment, though. In fact, it's safe to say the roller-heavy look reigned the catwalk, thanks to supermodels like Naomi Campbell and Claudia Schiffer. 'From the runway to Friends, Jennifer Aniston sported the cut too; it's all about layers to create volume and lift. Late 90s saw super straight long lengths takeover.'
Are 90s Hairstyles Making A Comeback?
As with any period in time, there are elements of the quintessential 90s hair wardrobe that we cling to for nostalgic purposes: scrunchies, butterfly clips, hair crystals. You'll also find looks that we carry forward due to their unwavering timeless; the 'Rachel cut, being a prime example. The question is, how long do we anticipate the recent resurgence of 90s beauty to stick around? In the context of hair, the answer is: a while.
The SS25 catwalk has already solidified the return of the bombshell 90s blow-dry, this time in an effortless, undone manner. From McKnight's bouncy display at 16Arlington, to Chris Appleton's 'Beachy Crawford' at Ottolinger, the demand for voluminous, supermodel hair has never been more dominant.
On the flip side, it's worth noting that while many of the decade's iconic styling techniques are having a moment right now, there are many of its more bold characteristics that we'd sooner leave behind (RIP crimping). Colour application has also come a leaps and bounds since the famous shades of the time, so don't expect to see too many chunky highs in the red carpets of 2025 and beyond. Extreme side-partings and choppy layers, however... those we can keep for special occasions.
How To Recreate The 90s Blowout
Any hairstylist will concur that preparing your lengths is imperative to ensuring your look has longevity and body. 'Mist Superlift into roots and Save The Do through lengths, before blowdrying the hair with a round brush for all over volume and movement,' advises McKnight. 'Once dry mist hairspray onto each section for hold before rolling on a medium velcro roller (55mm). Repeat throughout all hair, leave to cool. For fast forming action, pop on a hood dryer like the one in The Big Set for 15 minutes. Remove rollers and clips and brush through.'
All images courtesy of Getty Images.
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