There’s no denying that hair is political, making hair trends for the decade a sign of the times. Following the post-lockdown hair trends of the past two years—like the buzzcut and the mullet—2022 hair trends are set to continue an era where hair is bold and without rules. According to Pinterest’s latest trend report, natural hair texture is set to take over, alongside bold rebel cuts (ranging from blunt bobs to “octopus hair”) as spring 2022’s biggest hair trends.
Rebellious, exciting, out-of-the-norm hair is set to trend across the board, with bolder and more adventurous hair colors and styles. A natural progression from the choppy layers and Y2K hair accessories we’ve been slowly accumulating to in the past year, 2022 is all about trying that hairstyle you’ve always wanted to get but aren’t sure you could pull off (under hairdresser advice, of course). Now’s the time to unleash your wild side go for it, whether you want to try fiery red hair, a dramatic new length, or even bangs.
If you too are in the mood to join the rebellious hair wave but aren’t sure where to start, these are some trending entry points to consider. Remember to keep in mind that the nature of rebel hair is to take you out of your comfort zone. It’s all about experimentation and anything goes.
Octopus Haircuts
Move over the wolf cut, a trending hairstyle on TikTok that defined 2021, this year is all about the similar, but upgraded, octopus haircut. This choppy style is all about blunt face-framing shorter combined with longer pieces (that look a bit like the octopus emoji). Consider it a way to take on the mullet with a less harsh grow out phase.
Rapunzel Locks
If you’re not ready to make the chop this year, you might consider leaning into another dramatic hair trend: extremely long hair.
Horizontal Highlights
We’re about to see horizontal highlights (otherwise known as raccoon tail hair) everywhere. With Rihanna rocking the look in the latest Savage x Fenty campaign and Avril Lavigne mixing in stripes with her orange ends, it’s clear to say the look is back. With roots in 2000s era scene girl culture, chunkier highlights, and two-toned hair, in general are going to make a strong showing.
Rebel Red
We’ve been seeing red for months now, and we don’t see coppery and auburn hair going anywhere anytime soon. Barbie Ferreira recently made the switch, followed by Kendall Jenner who has kept her red hair since dyeing it for Prada’s FW2022 fashion show, and Sydney Sweeney who just went strawberry blonde.
Sweeping Side Fringe
While some of us might be scarred from our emo side fringes back in the day, Bella Hadid proved that the middle part will be battling it out with the sweeping side part this year. The side-swept bangs look particularly good with both messy ‘90s up-dos or sleek pulled back styles.
Grafitti Hair
“Graffiti” hair or patterned hair has been gaining momentum recently thanks to wig artists like Eda Lee and Tomihiro Kono. From full-blown starburst patterns and even words, much of the hype around graffiti hair has been editorial, but Dua Lipa’s more wearable take, (and temporary hair pieces) are likely to inspire others to consider the colorful trend for a more day-to-day use.
The Bixie
One part bob, one part pixie, this short hair trend is part of the massive ’90s revival.
Dramatic Braids
After baby braids have been trending all through 2020 and 2021, it’s time for its larger sister—the jumbo braid—to take the spotlight. We’re anticipating versions somewhere in between normal functional braid and the extreme versions we’ve been seeing on the red carpet.
The Power Bob
British Vogue called it at the end of last year: the power bob is back, with razor-sharp ends. Everyone wants to channel the rockstar energy of the strong center part and shoulder grazing style. It has a personality all its own.
