Hair Through the Decades: A Style Guide to Channeling Your Favorite Era
There’s a reason retro style keeps coming back — it never really left.
Every decade has its signature look: the effortless, sun-kissed waves of the ‘70s; the sky-high drama of the ‘80s; the sleek-yet-undone cool of the ‘90s; and the maximalist, anything-goes energy of Y2K. These eras didn’t just define fashion — they defined hair as a form of identity, rebellion, and self-expression.
This July, Davanti Salon is celebrating Decades Month, and we’re bringing the archives to life. Whether you want a full throwback transformation or just a modern nod to a beloved era, this guide is your starting point.
The 1970s: Free, Flowy, and Unafraid
The ‘70s aesthetic is pure wanderlust. Think Stevie Nicks backstage, Farrah Fawcett on the cover of everything, and a general philosophy that hair should look like you just stepped off a sun-drenched beach.
The defining looks: Feathered layers, face-framing flips, long center parts with loose waves, and the iconic farrah flip (still a study in proportion and movement).
How to wear it now: The modern ‘70s approach is about effortless texture. Ask your stylist for face-framing layers with a soft, lived-in wave using a large-barrel wand. Skip the heavy hold — a lightweight texture spray and a little tousling go a long way. For a sleeker take, a deep center part with glossy, straight lengths is very now and very then.
The vibe: Boho soul, unhurried, radiant.
The 1980s: Bigger, Bolder, Unapologetically You
The ‘80s didn’t do anything halfway, and that included hair. Volume wasn’t a goal — it was the minimum. From power perms to crimped textures to sculptural updos that defied gravity, this decade was about making a statement before you even walked into the room.
The defining looks: Spiral perms, teased crown volume, asymmetrical cuts, oversized curls, blunt fringes, and the side ponytail worn with absolute conviction.
How to wear it now: You don’t have to go full perm to channel the ‘80s (though we’re here for it if you do). Modern interpretations lean into volume with soft-hold mousse scrunched into natural texture, or a bouncy blowout with a round brush for that glossy, slightly theatrical lift. Curly-haired clients can embrace defined spirals with a nourishing curl cream and let them be as big as they want.
The vibe: Fearless, expressive, totally committed.
The 1990s: Cool, Minimal, Effortlessly Undone
After the maximalism of the ‘80s, the ‘90s swung hard in the opposite direction. Cool was quiet. Hair was sleek and sharp, or purposefully undone — and the difference between the two was everything. Think the blunt bob of Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction alongside the tousled, grunge-adjacent waves of any given flannel-wearer in Seattle.
The defining looks: The blunt lob and bob, sleek high ponytails, chunky highlights (hello, frosted tips), clip-up half-dos, side-swept fringes, and the butterfly clip in its original form.
How to wear it now: The ’90s moment that’s having the biggest revival is the blunt lob with a lived-in texture — bone straight with just enough movement to feel modern. Pair it with curtain bangs and you’re suddenly very editorial. For a maximalist ’90s throwback, ask about face-framing highlights that mimic that era’s beloved sun-kissed-but-deliberate look.
The vibe: Detached cool, quietly confident, too-good-to-try but clearly trying.
Y2K (2000–2004): Shiny, Playful, Gloriously Extra
Y2K hair had one goal: be noticed. Sparkle, shine, accessories stacked on accessories, and an overall refusal to be subtle. It was the era of velour tracksuits and lip gloss you could see from across a room — and the hair matched.
The defining looks: Butterfly clips everywhere, face-framing tinsel pieces, ultra-sleek pin-straight ironed hair, micro-braids with beads, chunky claw clips (the icon), and sky-high sleek ponytails with baby hairs pressed down with gel.
How to wear it now: Y2K has re-entered the chat and it is not here to be subtle. The chunky claw clip has earned its second life as both a practical and aesthetic staple — pile hair loosely for an effortless luxe look, or twist it tight for a sculptural updo. Ultra-sleek straight styles are very wearable today with the right flat iron and a gloss treatment to add that signature shine. And don’t sleep on accessories: a single butterfly clip placed intentionally on a half-up twist is a whole moment.
The vibe: Joyful, playful, unserious in the best way.
Book Your Decades Transformation at Davanti
One of the most exciting things about retro style is that the best versions aren’t replicas — they’re reinterpretations. The right stylist takes the spirit of an era and translates it through your hair texture, face shape, and personal style to create something that feels like you, just with a little extra.
This July, let Davanti Salon bring out your inner icon. Whether you’re drawn to the free-spirited ‘70s, the unapologetic ‘80s, the effortlessly cool ‘90s, or the playful energy of Y2K, we’re ready to make it extraordinary.
Be Beautiful. Be Extraordinary. Be Well. Book your appointment today.