Style Hair 7 Old-School Hairstyles That Are Making A Comeback, For Better Or Worse We're excited...about most of them. By Kaitlyn Yarborough Kaitlyn Yarborough Part of the Southern Living team since 2017, Kaitlyn Yarborough Sadik is a Georgia native living in Austin, Texas, who covers a wide variety of topics for both the magazine and website, focusing on culture and lifestyle content, as well as travel in the South. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on September 2, 2023 Close Photo: Getty Images/Fairfax Media Archives/Contributor If you can learn anything from being around a few decades, it's that what goes around most certainly comes back around. No matter if we're talking about the cat-eye makeup of the 1950s, flared pants of the 1970s, or over-sized blazers and brick-brown lipstick of the 1990s, these trends always find a way to reinvent themselves to become the "newest" thing. That cycle goes for hair, as well. Including famous bangs, vintage curls, shaggy layers, and a certain feathered 'do, history is full of legendary hair moments that have been made iconic enough to be brought back decades later in fashionably modern ways. These 7 old-school hairstyles are making a comeback, and we're excited—about most of them. 01 of 14 Then: Curtain Bangs Getty Images/Ralph Crane/Contributor Brigitte Bardot practically invented this style of fringe in the 1960s, which consists of thickly cut bangs that cascade down the sides of the face so flatteringly. 02 of 14 Now: Curtain Bangs @studiolioness The modern take is a little more approachable and low-maintenance. You can part them decidedly in the center to appear more like face-framing layers, or you can spread them across the forehead to veer more full-coverage. 03 of 14 Then: Shag Haircut Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images We cannot forget the iconic helmet-esque shag that became famous in the movie Klute. Later, other stars like Stevie Nicks, David Cassidy, and Mick Jagger mimicked the look in a more choppy, shaggy way with bangs, layers, and tons of texture—instead of the sleekness of the original look. 04 of 14 Now: Shag Haircut @salsalhair Nowadays, curls make the perfect avenue for a shag cut that makes the most of texture and layers. 05 of 14 Then: Banana Clips Getty Images/Fairfax Media Archives/Contributor The banana clip was a hair accessory that ruled the 1980s, similarly to scrunchies and claw clips. The U-shaped accessory with two plastic sides comes together in the middle with stretchy teeth that hold the hair in place. 06 of 14 Now: Banana Clips courtesy @christinesymondshair For a perky ponytail or half-up style, a nostalgic banana clip will always do the trick, and you can ensure it stays strategically hidden. 07 of 14 Then: Flipped Hair Archive Photos/Getty Images Made popular in the 1960s with the help of prominent figures like Jackie Kennedy and Mary Tyler Moore, the flip hairstyle was one that defined the decade. Women would spend a significant amount of time and effort to create the perfect flip and make sure it lasted all day. 08 of 14 Now: Flipped Hair Getty Images/James Devaney/Contributor Flip ponytails were also a style of the time, which can be achieved for an elegant event look with the use of old-school hot rollers or heat tools. 09 of 14 Then: Feathered Hair Getty Images/ABC Photo Archives/Contributor You can't think about the 1970s without conjuring up a distinct memory of a certain iconic hair moment: Farrah Fawcett's voluminous feathered hair. 10 of 14 Now: Feathered Hair @ninezeroone Back then, it might have been fluffy roots and dramatically swept bangs, but now it could mean a breezy blowout that flicks up, back, and away from the face. 11 of 14 Then: Bumpits Getty Images/Bettmann / Contributor From the sky-high bouffants of the 1960s to the pinned bang poufs of the 2000s, big hair has always been a trend that comes back around. While Bumpits didn't exist during Priscilla Presley's bouffant heyday, they certainly would have come in handy. 12 of 14 Now: Bumpits Getty Images/Daniele Venturelli / Contributor We all remember the long-retired commercials for the Bumpit, which promised to give your hair a major boost with the help of a half-moon-shaped piece of self-gripping plastic. Pull out your old Bumpit, because volumized hairstyles are back. 13 of 14 Then: French Bob John Springer Collection/Getty Images Silent film actress Louise Brooks was the iconic symbol of the 20s flapper style—and the super-short sleek bob with bangs that were popular during the era, known as the French bob. 14 of 14 Now: French Bob @anhcotran The French bob of today is similar to a one-length short bob, but sans any harsh bluntness. It's made to hit just at the jawline or above to flatter the face (especially the cheekbones), paired with chic blunt bangs. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit