The Most Popular Haircut Trends In The Decade You Were Born

It's not unusual for the fashion and beauty trends that a person came of age alongside to get the nostalgia treatment, ranking higher on the list compared to other style eras. For example, those who grew up in the '60s might appreciate the celebrities who've rocked chic curtain bangs, while millennials likely carry a soft spot for zig-zag parts and butterfly clips. These rose-colored nostalgia glasses are understandable, but they don't mean that the trends from other decades should be overlooked.

Specifically, the trendiest haircuts and styles from the decade you were born are worth taking note of, even if they look wildly different from what dominated your youth. For one, these once-trendy looks provide a glimpse into the ever-changing fashion landscape, informed by beauty norms, cultural events, and more. A lot of trends inevitably come back around, too, so you might even find that the most popular hairstyle from your birth decade is worth updating for modern-day wear.

With victory rolls reigning supreme in the 1940s, the Middy Plus was one of the decade's most popular haircuts. The Middy has a characteristically rounded shape, shorter on top and on the sides. The Middy Plus is a slightly longer variation of the cut, especially suited to victory rolls.

For those unfamiliar, this style featured one or two sausage-shaped coils of hair rolled inward and worn at the side or top of the head. As women were tasked with taking over the workforce during World War II, this style easily met job safety standards.

It's hard to know exactly which '50s hairstyle was the most common among everyday people, but the poodle cut is definitely up there. Popularized by Lucille Ball of "I Love Lucy," it featured tight curls worn atop the head in a fashion that resembled a groomed poodle, hence the name, while the sides of the hair were pinned closely to the scalp. Overall, the fashion of this decade shifted toward more glamorous styles for women as the wartime constraints of the '40s were being left behind.

Beehives are one of the most memorable hairstyles of the 1960s, taking the volume of the bouffant to the next level with exaggerated height. If you're unfamiliar, the beehive is a tall, cone-shaped hairstyle created via teasing and hairspray. Its creation is credited to hairdresser Margaret Vinci Heldt, who was asked by a hairstyling publication to create a decade-defining look. While it maintained the sculptural glamour associated with the '50s, the beehive also had a unique edge recognized by stars like Amy Winehouse decades later.

Fashion and beauty mellowed out as the '60s progressed, and the '70s saw the rise of the free-flowing Farrah Fawcett cut. The eponymous blond bombshell first debuted her feathery layers in the movie "Logan's Run," but the 'do is most associated with her iconic stint on "Charlie's Angels." As a reminder, the style includes curtain bangs alongside lots of layers, cut with a feathering technique, finished with a blowout and volumizing products. When it comes to the once-popular fashion trends from the '70s, this look continues to stand out.

With hairstyles from the 1980s being all about volume and texture, it's no surprise that the shag ranks as a top look from the decade. A natural evolution of Farrah Fawcett's iconic 'do, the look incorporates even more layers around the crown for a shaggy look. This feathery style is most associated with Heather Locklear, but celebs like Stevie Nicks and Kelly LeBrock also sported variations of the shag. Given that this decade was all about boldness, innovation, and excess, the statement-making shag feels right at home among power suits and neon shades.

The Rachel haircut undoubtedly dominated the '90s. Named after Jennifer Aniston's character on the hit show "Friends," the style is a shoulder-length cut with distinct layers; a variation on both the shag and classic bob. It was created by the star's hairstylist Chris McMillan and was prompted by the actor's need to recover her damaged hair. While there are '90s trends that Aniston still wears today, she admitted that she was never really a fan of the haircut she popularized. Even so, it remains one of the most defining hairstyles of the decade.

The 2000s definitely saw some unique hair trends, with chunky highlights and crimped styles at the forefront. Still, straightened hair with long layers and side-swept bangs were the most common style from this period, fitting into both Y2K futurism and the McBling aesthetic. Aaliyah definitely embodied the cool-girl energy of this look, setting the stage for other notable figures to wear it later on. Regardless of the middle vs. side part debate that arose online in the 2020s, this side-parted hairstyle lives on as a decade-defining look.