The 90s hairstyles for women shaped up the hairstyle trend in the present time in more ways than you can think of. Even though we think of bangs, layers, pixies, and even bob styles as of the new millennium, these “dos” were actually made popular during the 1990s.
Women of the pre-2000s era tried and flaunted different hairstyles with their own charm and twists and not only made them an instant hit but classics too. 90s hairstyle ideas for women are still popular and provide the same glamour and appeal even today.
What Was The Most Popular Hairstyle In The 1990s?
The most popular hairstyle in the 1990s was “the Rachel Cut.” Every other girl tried this haircut to look exactly like their favorite Tv character.
However, as this was the decade era of fashion and fun, many hairstyles were made popular during this time. We have listed some of the most iconic ones that are popular even today.
- Pixie
- Crimped tresses
- Big, Voluminous Hair
- Sexy Bangs
- Butterfly Clips Hairstyles
- Tight Curls
- Buns And Ponytails With Scrunchies
- Open Hair With Wide Headbands
- Half-Up Half-Down Ponys and Buns
45 Timeless 90s Women’s Hairstyles
90s hairstyles don’t mean retro and vintage. These “dos” are stylish and timeless and go seamlessly with modern style and outfits perfectly.
Here are 45 versatile hairstyles from the pre-2000 that you can try even in the modern day to look your fashionable best.
1. 90s Grunge Hairstyles
That grunge look hits with messy side ponytails tied from 2-inch chunks, topped by quirky clips in wild shades like electric blue or hot pink. It’s all about that unkempt volume exploding around the face and neck, showing off shoulders in a tank top vibe. What stands out is the raw, anti-perfect edge—suits rebels with oval faces and thick hair best, pulling focus to slim necks on athletic builds.
Suitable For: This “don’t care” 90′ women’s hairstyle can be adopted by anyone and everyone who wants to rock this “do” in their manes. As it is customizable, the grunge style looks good on all types of hair and face.
How To Do: If you want to create a grunge hairstyle just like the picture, make a precise center part of your manes. Then from the right side, take a 2-inch section of hair and tie it down into a ponytail. Repeat the same for the left section. You can add funny clips to make it stand out even better.
2. 90s Short Hairstyles
Short cuts like the sleek Diana bob or edgy pixie chop close to the ears, layering just enough to hug the jawline and expose the full neck. No fuss, straight or subtle waves framing sharp cheekbones. The real draw is its low-maintenance punch—perfect for busy gals with heart-shaped faces and fine strands, ideal on petite frames to highlight collarbones without overwhelming.
Suitable For: Anyone and everyone who prefers to chop their tresses could undoubtedly try a 90s short hairstyle.
How To Do: Even if you are an expert, chopping off your manes might be difficult. Visit a hairdresser for the most flattering cut on your hair.
3. 90s Braid Hairstyles
Box braids cascade long down the back, half-pulled into a tight crown ponytail that leaves strands framing the forehead and ears. Tight weaves show off the neck’s curve, with shoulders peeking in a loose tee. It’s the structured yet free flow that shines, great for thick, coily hair on round faces, enhancing taller, leaner torsos for that effortless cool.
Suitable For: As the braids look phenomenal in long hair, anyone with long tresses can try creating this look in their hair. Face shape doesn’t matter because braids look flattering on any face.
How To Do: Create box braids all over your hair and secure them tightly. With the braids on the crown, make a half ponytail and tie it with a marching band.
4. 90s Hairstyles For Curly
Curls pop tight at the roots for grip, then loosen wild toward the ends, bouncing shoulder-length around the face and dipping onto the upper back. Blonde or brunette tones amp the drama, exposing the neck fully. The root-to-tip contrast gives insane lift—tailored for wavy manes on square faces, boosting confidence on hourglass figures with strong shoulders.
Suitable For: This hairstyle looks amazing on every girl with medium to long hair. However, it looks even better on girls with blonde or brunette hair color.
How To Do: With a wide barrel curling iron, create precise curls all over your manes. Run your fingers through the curls while keeping the roots intact. It will give just the bodylicious look you have been wanting.
Finish off with a stronghold hair spray.
5. Updo 90s Black Hairstyles
This pin-up updo rolls bangs and crown sections high, pinning everything sleek against the scalp while letting edges soften the hairline. It bares the entire neck and earring-adorned lobes, with shoulders squared in a fitted top. Versatility for twists or curls makes it pop—fits coily black hair on diamond faces, accentuating graceful necks on fuller busts.
Suitable For: This 90s hairstyle can be created on any black girl with long, thick hair. The pinned-up rolls will fall flat on fine tresses.
How To Do: Straighten all your black hair for a smoother surface. Separate the bangs and pin them up.
Then, take sections of hair from around the crown and roll them up. Attach these rolls however you want to create an eye-catching style.
6. Hip Hop 90s Hairstyles
High-top fades mix with braided sides, the top exploding in a sculpted puff that towers over the forehead, sides shaved to reveal ears and jaw. Neck stays clean-shaven short, shoulders broad under streetwear. The bold height screams attitude—works for kinky textures on oblong faces, suiting muscular arms and confident postures in urban settings.
Suitable For: This chic hairstyle looks good on anyone with medium to long straight hair. If you have a round or oval face, it will also make it look sharper and slimmer than before.
How To Do: Comb all your manes and create a precise middle part in them. Take a 1-inch section of hair from the left side and create a long braid in them. Repeat the same on the right side. Make sure to spritz on a holding spray so that your braids don’t come off anytime soon.
7. High Ponytail
Slicked high on the crown, this pony sweeps all hair back tight, tail swinging mid-back while exposing forehead, temples, and full neck. Shoulders relax wide in the shot. Its clean lift elongates everything—best for straight locks on long faces, flattering slim necks and elongated torsos for a sporty, no-drama edge.
Suitable For: If you have straight, long hair, never avoid trying it. As this incredible hairdo accentuates your facial features, it would look ravishing on you, regardless of your face shape.
How To Do: Smear a bit of hair pomade on your hair to create a super smooth base. Then gather all your hair at the back of your crown and tie them into a pony. Voila! You are done.
8. Crimped Ponytail
Crimps ripple through the entire pony pulled high, starting wavy from the crown and cascading wavy over shoulders, with the base gripping the nape tight. Face gets zero coverage, neck fully out. Those zigzag textures add gritty texture—suits wavy hair on oval shapes, highlighting defined jawlines on athletic shoulders.
Suitable For: Crimp is most ideal for fine hair. As crimping creates volume and body, fine tresses benefit most from this style. Try to create this hairstyle in medium to long manes for maximum flair.
How To Do: Using a crimping iron, crip all your hair section by section. Gather all the crimped manes below the crown of your head and tie them in a regular ponytail. It will create a comfortable yet uber-stylish look.
9. Voluminous Bob
The bob puffs out chin-length with major root lift, layers flipping out to skim cheeks and jaw, neck peeking just below. Shoulders curve softly underneath. That teased fullness screams retro bounce—ideal for fine straight hair on heart faces, enhancing delicate collarbones on slimmer builds.
Suitable For: A voluminous haircut is suitable for anyone with straight hair. As it can be adapted in many ways to suit different face shapes, anyone can try it for versatility in their hair.
How To Do: You should see your hairdresser get a voluminous bob haircut. And to maintain the looks of your bob, blow dry it perfectly to create that fluffy appearance.
10. Shaggy Pixie Cut
Choppy layers shred short around the crown, longer strands spiking over forehead and ears, ultra-short at the neck for a fuzzy outline. Full face and neck exposed, shoulders minimal. The tousled chaos gives punky freedom—perfect for straight or wavy on round faces, suiting narrow necks and boyish frames.
Suitable For: A shaggy pixie is an attractive cut. It works incredibly well with all types of hair and all face shapes.
How To Do: To style your manes with a shaggy pixie, you should leave it in the hands of your hairdresser. They will chop off your hair and create the layers precisely. As you might not be a professional, it would be tough to get it done yourself.
11. Long Hair 90s Hairstyles
Straight lengths flow past shoulders to mid-back, middle-parted with subtle waves softening the ends around the chest. Neck and décolletage stay visible. The glossy simplicity lets hair move freely—fits thick straight on square faces, complementing long necks and elegant upper bodies.
Suitable For: As the name says, this hairstyle is just perfect for girls with flowy, long hair.
How To Do: Comb all your hair to remove knots and tangles. Create a side part or center part in your manes for a bit of dimension. You can also create undone waves at the end of the tresses to make it more interesting.
12. 90s Blowout Hairstyle
Big, rounded blowout volumes from roots to ends, shoulder-skimming with a deep side part sweeping across the cheek. Neck curves out gracefully. The feathered flip adds airy movement—great for fine curls on oval faces, ideal for rounded shoulders on curvy silhouettes.
Suitable For: A big blowout looks good on all hair lengths. However, remember that this hairdo isn’t the most suitable for curly to Type 4 tresses.
How To Do: For a sexy blowout, section off all your hair into 6-8 parts. Using a big, round brush and your hairdryer, blow dry each section precisely. Keep on pulling the brush downwards for the perfect volume.
13. 90s Hairstyles With Bun
A messy bun sits high on the nape, loose strands escaping to frame the face, exposing ears and neck fully. Shoulders bare in a strapless look. The undone elegance hides no flaws—suits thick waves on diamond shapes, accentuating swan-like necks on petite torsos.
Suitable For: A messy bun is perfect for girls with oval, round, and diamond face shapes. It creates symmetry and adds length to the face.
How To Do: Comb all your hair and flip it upside down. Gather the tresses together on the crown before creating a bun. Secure it with an elastic band for a stronghold. Refrain yourself from tucking in the loose strands for an undone, relaxed look.
14. Swoop Bang
Heavy swoop bangs arc dramatically over one eye, the rest layered medium around the jaw, brushing shoulders lightly. Neck shows on the opposite side. That asymmetric drama draws eyes—best for straight hair on heart faces, highlighting high cheekbones and slender arms.
Suitable For: These bangs look incredible on girls with straight hair. If you have curly or coarse tresses, straighten them first.
How To Do: To create the most perfect swoop bangs look, smear on a liberal amount of hair pomade on your fringes. Comb them with a fine-teeth comb so that they look super smooth and shiny. Clip the fringes to a side for the perfect swoop bangs.
15. Half Up Half Down
The half-up half-down hairdo was a craze in the 90s era. This “equal parts fun and playful” style is an effortless way to show off your long manes perfectly without overdoing them. Wear it with couture or casual wear; its appeal is still the same.
Suitable For: Girls with long, straight hair looks incredible with this unique hairstyle. Perfect for both day and night events.
How To Do: Section off your hair horizontally and tie the upper part into a ponytail. Leave the lower part as-is for a half-up half-down look. You can create big waves in your manes for some dramatic effect.
16. 90s French Roll Hairstyle
A French Roll bun is classic, timeless, and elegant. Sophisticated women love to try variations of this 90s hairdo with their formal dresses to look classy and gorgeous. This unique bun ties up all your hair for style and comfort and adds the right amount of glamour to enhance your appeal greatly.
Suitable For: This hairstyle is perfect for women with medium to long hair. As it is quite a bit of a grown-up bun, it would age down younger girls.
How To Do: Comb all your hair and put pins at the back of your hair so that all the strands are on one side. Then, place your hand underneath your tresses and gently pull them to the pin’s side.
After that, twist all the hair up and inward to create a rolled updo easily. Secure it with lots of bobby pins to hold the bun in place perfectly.
17. Slicked-Back Pixie
The slicked-back pixie is powerful with lots of edge and attitude. It also accentuates the facial features and bone structures perfectly so that all the focus is on your beautiful face instead. If you seek a quick and impactful style, this “do” is a must-try.
Suitable For: This amazing pre-2000s hairstyle would look good on anyone with short straight hair and a round or oval face.
How To Do: Smear a bit of pomade on your pixie and start combing it backward.
18. 90s Hairstyles For Short Hair
With the blunt bob with mini bangs and bright red color, this grunge hairstyle would never miss grabbing the attention of the onlookers! Even though the tresses look unkempt and coarse, this “do” still makes you look fashionable and pretty.
Suitable For: Girls with an oval or diamond face can rock this “do” flawlessly.
How To Do: Chop off your manes for a shorter “do” and dye it with a bright red color. Make sure to scrunch it with a texturizing spray for that rugged, messy outlook.
19. 90s Butterfly Clip Hairstyle
Butterfly clips were one of the most used and loved hair accessories during the 90s decade. Different types, different sizes, glittery, sequined, pearl-studded, all types of butterfly clips were popular during this era. Women, like girls, wore these fun clips to decorate their tresses and look as charming as ever.
Suitable For: Butterfly clips hairstyles are suitable for all types and lengths of hair. It doesn’t matter if you have long, short, straight, or curly hair; this hair accessory would definitely look cute on your manes.
How To Do: To create the hairstyle in the above picture, take your favorite clips and place them here and there in your hair. Try to select colorful butterflies for versatility in your manes.
20. Bob With Flipped Ends
The timeless bob got a style spin with flipped ends during the end of the last century. This 90s hairstyle is powerful and ensures a very “boss baby” vibe to anyone who wears it. If you want all the spotlight on you, don’t hesitate to try out this look.
Suitable For: If you have medium, straight hair, a bob with flipped ends will look good on you. Because shoulder-length tresses show off the flips perfectly, it works best with such hair length.
How To Do: This hairstyle is extremely easy to make. With a straightening iron flip the ends of your bob section by section. Hold the tool in place for more than a few seconds to ensure the flip is created perfectly. Finish off with a holding spray to keep the style in place.
21. Side Parted Heavy Curly
Curly hair itself is attractive. And when you create a side part in your manes, the style becomes even more dimensional and flattering.
22. Japanese 90s hairstyle
The Japanese short bob features parallel strands throughout the head with light fringes at the front. As it frames the face in a very nice way, this haircut enhances the facial features and makes them looker sharper than ever.
23. 90s Hairstyles Bangs
Just like the 2000s, bangs were popular in the 90s as well. From feathered bangs to curtain fringes and even micro bangs, girls tried a whole lot of variations of this hairstyle to look their fashionable best. The short, forehead-covering strands soften down your overall look and give it a significantly cuter vibe.
24. 90s Twist Hairstyles
A head full of twists can be an interesting style to do in your black hair. This amazing “do” is timeless, protective, and looks incredibly beautiful on any hair length. So, if you are looking for a new style for your Type 4 hair, try the twists, girl!
25. 90s Layered Hairstyles
Long layers from the pre-2000 era are a great way to switch up your hairstyle without sacrificing length. The perfectly cut layers create depth and dimension in your manes and make you even more stylish. You can play with the lengths of the layers to flatter your face shape and personality like none other.
26. 90s Party Hairstyles
Subtle front twists with butterfly clips were one of the most favorite party hairstyles amongst 90s kids. While the twists with cascading hair are soft and feminine, the colorful clips provide the right amount of chicness for a beautiful “do.”
27. Feathered Bangs
Feathered bangs are loved by women every decade. The soft, fluffy fringes create plenty of movement, bounce on your forehead, and blend seamlessly with the rest of your hair. It doesn’t matter if you have wavy or straight hair; feathered bangs will make you look cute and feminine always.
28. 90s Dreadlocks
Styling your dreadlocks with 1990s style can be edgy and cool. The beads placed here and there in the dreads highlight them even better and let your style stand out without trying hard. Besides allowing the deadlocks loose, you can also try other hairstyles for a versatile appearance.
29. With Headband
A wide headband could be your savior if you want to cover your forehead in the most fashionable way. This super popular hair accessory from the 90s is still popular in the 2000s because it keeps your hair out of your face and looks ultra-stylish. Also, headbands work with all hair lengths and face shapes perfectly.
30. Blonde With Highlights
If blonde seems too bright for you, try adding muted highlights to it for a not so OTT outlook. Even though 90s divas loved this hairstyling technique to freshen up their look, it is popular today. Try adding highlights that would make your tresses vibrant but not too flashy.
31. Undone Curls
Step up your hair game with messy, natural-looking undone curls and be a heartbreaker, ALWAYS! Better suited for medium to long hair, this style creates enough volume and body in the manes while still being subtle. Flaunt this relaxed 90s hairstyle with an edge and attitude.
32. Center-Parted Straight Hair
Even though Cher made the middle-parted straight hair a “thing” in the 90s, this hairstyle is still popular in the present day. From Kim Kardashian to Meghan Fox, and even on Chanel’s SS22, the middle-parted sleek straight hair still is donned to attract all the attention from the crowd.
33. Wild Curls
Let your curls run wild to grab the attention of the crowd instantly. The long tousled curly tresses give a very relaxed, carefree vibe to your whole look and make you look like a boho-chic!
34. 90s Bandana Hairstyle
A beautiful hairstyle with a bandana would transport you to the era before 2000 in a jiffy. Even though you can create a whole lot of styles with this piece of cloth, tying it on the temple with long open hair is highly fashionable and chic. Try to use colorful bandanas for this “do” it makes it pop out even more.
35. 90s Rubber Band Hairstyles
Versatile rubber bands add a touch of playfulness to your black hair instantly. Although you can create a lot of rubber band patterns in your black hair, when you pair it with a super sleek and straight ponytail, the result is super classy. It is fun and comfortable and looks good on any hair length.
36. 90s Scrunchie Hairstyles
Colorful scrunchies redefine the appeal of space buns greatly. These “it” hair accessories from the 90’s era not only hold the buns securely in place but also elevates the charm of the “do” considerably. Use matching scrunchies to make your buns look even more beautiful.
37. Half Up 90s Hairstyles Scrunchies
Give your hair a much-required style spin with a half-updo with a scrunchie. This easy, breezy, messy hairdo provides a super relaxed vibe to your hair, while the colorful scrunchie adds just the right bit of charm to it.
38. 90s Rave Hairstyles
Double fishtail braids were one of the most favorite rave hairstyles during 1990, as well as today. As it ties down all your hair into amazing braids, this hairdo ensures you can enjoy your wild night out without having to manage your tresses!
39. Tomboy Haircuts
Fashion-forward ladies in the late 90s loved a tomboy cut because it is fierce and feminine at the same time. When combed back gently, this amazing style adds subtle softness and glamour to your look. You can achieve both comfort and style with this interesting haircut.
Celebrities Of the 90s
1. Britney Spears Classic Bangs
This amazing updo worn by 90’s sensation Britney Spears is all about comfort and style combined together. At the same time, the hair at the back is tied up in an inverted ponytail, the bangs at the front frame the face precisely. You can try this popular style in your tresses regardless of the length.
2. Baywatch Beach Waves
The voluminous beach waves that Pamela Anderson rocked in “Baywatch” is sultry and ooze glamour. The big bouncy, bombshell waves in long golden blonde hair looked hot on her and set trends for decades to come.
3. Long Hair, Don’t Care
Julia Roberts ruled the fashion scene with her signature long chestnut brown hair adorned with big, messy curls. This hairdo was a big hit in the 1990s and still has the same appeal. Try it out if you are up to some volume in your long manes!
4. It’s A Curly Kinda Day
J.Lo’s dark ringlets during the 90s started a trend that actually never died down. The tiny, bouncy curls all over the attract attention and look flattering on all hair lengths. Search for your perm rods if you still want to sport this style in your manes.
5. The Rachel Cut
Jenifer Aniston’s “Friends” character Rachel made this layered haircut super popular in the 90s. Featuring choppy layers falling just above the collarbone with chunky blonde highlights, this 90s hairstyle is still as popular as it was back then.
6. Gillian Anderson Retro Waves
“The X-files” was popular in the 1990s and so was Gillian Anderson. Because she did it, this retro waves with blonde hairstyle was an instant hit back then, even though it was just for a mere photoshoot.
Final Words
All the 90s hairstyles we have listed and talked about represent the 90s hairdos for women perfectly. However, this doesn’t mean you cannot try them in the 2000s. Because these styles are timeless, you can adorn your manes with them and look uber stylish.
Try any of these, and let us know your thoughts.
