Even if you are only staying at home, a sparkling barnet is the trendy way to see 2022.
Although Cinderella might not be attending the ball anymore, people are still bringing the glamour into their homes for New Year’s Eve.
Much like the rise of the makeshift “kitchen disco”, which brought the dancefloor to your home during last year’s lockdown, “Hogmanay at home” looks, such as “tinsel hair”, are having a moment despite mass celebrations being called off.
Lisa Shepherd, a hairdresser and colourist, says that the recent news has put fear back in our hearts. Daily mood boosters like doing our hair will help keep us motivated.
Tinsel hair, in which people coat strands of their hair with silver pieces of tinsel, also feeds into fashion trends from the late 90s and early 2000s such as low-rise jeans and Croc shoes, which are back in vogue. The 00s have had a major impact on hairstyles. “We’re seeing so many buns that have spiky ends, and butterfly clip are everywhere,” says Rachael Gibson is a hairstyle historian.
“The original Y2K trends focused on the birth of digital culture. It makes sense that these trends are being revived.”
Katy Perry’s Las Vegas show residency featured Tinsel hair. It is about the revival and use of certain hair accessories.
Gibson says that tinsel hair was first discovered in the early 2000s, when the hair extensions market was booming. We started to see more options for fun and fashion looks like vibrant colour and feathers, in addition to the increased availability of standard services such as length and volume.
Gibson draws a line between tinsel hair and glitter hair sprays of the 1980s, as well as back to the ancient Romans who used gold dust in their hair.
Due to its immediate visual impact the style has been viewed 19 million times on TikTok. Hana Ben-Shabat is the author of Gen Z 360: Preparing for The Inevitable Cultural Change. She believes that younger people are choosing to wear styles from the past because they want to escape their current circumstances.
She believes that people revert back to the past not out of nostalgia, but to escape and find comfort and encouragement in a world that is overwhelming confusing and difficult.
Gibson believes that tinsel hair is practical because it’s easy to do and affordable. The trend was created for social media. It’s vibrant, sparkly, and a little different. She says that all factors work well to launch a new trend. “People are searching for positive statements and fun in the last few years. Glitter hair is no better than that.”
