Love It or Hate It, Crimped Hair Is Officially Making a Comeback

Why Is Crimped Hair Trending Again?

“Trends are cyclical, making it only natural for crimped hair to come back,” Marjan says. The wavy hair look is just one of many nostalgic trends back in vogue, including blue eyeshadow, shaggy haircuts, and frosted makeup. Next to new wave makeup, it seems only natural for crimped hair to return. 

“We’re bringing crimps back, but in a more designed way than we saw crimps back in the ’80s,” Redway adds. Think hairstyles closer to editorial choices and less like hot tool blunders. Backstage at New York Fashion Week, Redway created a more stylistic look involving sleek hair with crimped accents. 

How to Crimp Your Hair

Crimped hair is all about texture, so you’ll want to start off with freshly washed, dried, and straightened hair. Then, after sectioning your hair into smaller groups, you’ll choose your crimping iron, which come in various styles and sizes. The smallest is mostly used for volume at the roots and updo styling, while the biggest might also be called a waver (a large triple curling iron). A regular-sized crimper will give you that classic ‘80s look. The smaller the ridges, the tighter the pattern will be. 

Make sure to keep the crimper on low heat to protect your hair (and always use a heat protectant). Clamp the crimper onto your hair for about 10 seconds before unclasping it, then move the crimper down your hair until you create the pattern you desire. A quick spritz of hairspray should keep your waves in place, while using a texturizing spray will add volume. 

To limit heat styling, you can also braid your hair to get the crimped look. This option works best if your hair is long: You can do two ponytails with braids, or for a tighter crimp pattern, create several smaller braids across your head. Just make sure to keep the first few inches of your hair straight before beginning to braid.

Our Favorite Modern Crimped Hair Looks

Crimped Bob

The bob is one of this year’s biggest haircut trends, but its shorter length can make it tricky to style. Adding a bit of crimped texture helps the look feel lighter and more playful. Use Margot Robbie’s style as inspiration and add some looser crimps to your ‘do. Low heat and light pressure are key when using your hot tool, as you can always add more waves in later.

Enchanted Crimp

Redway created what she called an “enchanted crimp” at Christian Siriano. “This look balances sleek, reflective shine with strategically placed crimped texture,” she says. “Smooth hair is interrupted by delicate ridges and finished with a glossy, almost leather-like sheen, creating a look that feels both ethereal and fashion-forward.” For the mixed texture look, she started out by getting hair super glossy with TRESEMMÉ A-List Bonding Oil before placing crimps throughout. 

If you’re up for recreating the editorial look, start with smooth and blow-dried hair. Use a crimping iron to create ridges throughout your hair, varying placement for a more natural, lived-in texture. Then, using a brush, paint a bonding oil onto the hair to create that high-shine finish. Secure the look with a mist of hairspray.

Subtle Crimped Texture

If you want something a little more impactful than beach waves—but a little less than full-on crimped hair—try this subtly textured look. Strategic crimp placement by celebrity hairstylist Bryce Scarlett gives Sarah Pidgeon’s hair an effortless, “just woke up like this” look. Even if you don’t have a proper crimper on hand, you could try recreating this style with a waver; just make sure to disperse the texture sporadically across hair. 

Romantic Wavy Crimps

Charli XCX’s ultra-long locks perfectly encapsulate the romance and folklore of "Wuthering Heights," and of course, her subsequent album for the movie. We love how undone this look feels, so once you’ve crimped your hair (and maybe even popped in some hair extensions), spritz a generous amount of texturizing spray into your hair and shake up your ‘do. 

Siren Crimped Slipknot

We’re not sure where we’re wearing this look—whether that be our next night out, a fall wedding, or even Halloween—but we’ll find an occasion. The classic crimped look got a total makeover for Christian Cowan’s NYFW show, where Marjan crafted a low bun with tightly waved face-framing pieces. It’s a “modern take on vintage glamour…that feels both nostalgic and rebellious,” she says. 

To get the look, she recommends prepping hair the night before by sleeping in two to four loose braids. When taking them out in the morning, mist a texturizing spray through your hair. Create a center part and lightly spray face-framing sections with a strong hairspray—Marjan used the TRESEMMÉ Extra Hold Hairspray to ensure no hair was out of place (unless she wanted it to be, of course). Then, using a 1-inch iron, create soft C-shaped bends around the eyes.

Use a flat iron through the remaining hair to create irregular waves, then use a finishing oil on the ends of your hair, gathering it into a low ponytail. Create a small loop near the ponytail base and secure it to form an imperfect knot. Finish by crimping select ends and misting with hairspray.

’70s-Style Crimped Waves

Who knew crimped hair could look so glamorous? Lacy Redway, of course. We’re obsessed with these bouncy ’70s-style waves she created on Chase Infiniti. Starting off with a voluminous blowout—and finishing off with a sleek hair oil—makes sure that texture shines all day (and night). Try using the DRYBAR Blowout Defense™ Rapid Repair & Finishing Oil, which seals split-ends and defends against heat, frizz, and humidity.