These 2 Brunette Hair Trends Will Be Everywhere This Summer

Although Taylor Swift and normal people alike are taking the peroxide-blonde plunge one by one this spring, not everyone else in the world is following suit.

In fact, for brunettes, there are two new, very specific trends brewing, officially christened by none other than Kate Middleton and Vogue: 80s headbands and 70s bangs. As a bonus: these two new ‘dos are decidedly not catering to the male gaze. In fact, they’re basically your best option this summer for showing boys you DGAF what they think about your appearance. Fun!

Now let’s review these two not-so-new hair options.

The 80s Headband

Kate Middleton attended an incredibly British-sounding event called the Houghton Hall International Horse Trials last weekend. And judging by her facial expression, the horse in question was probz found guilty :'(

Kate, too, was guilty — of sporting some major mom hair. The royal pushed back her famous mane not with a pair of Gucci sunglasses, but with a tortoiseshell headband. Major Dawn from “The Baby-Sitters Club” vibes!

This super preppy look is adorably referred to as an “Alice band” in the UK, according to the Mirror, and it actually has a pretty storied royal history. Princess Diana, the 80s and 90s patron saint of all things basic and appropriate, loved to rock a headband in her single years, just like pretty much everyone alive during that time period.

Headbands like Kate’s are incredibly uncool, but here’s the thing: like Juicy tracksuits and leggings as pants, they’re suuuuuper comfy. Don’t you remember the last time you wore a headband, back in ’96 or so? Your hair stayed out of your face all day like it was in a ponytail, but you got the feminine bonus of wearing your hair down. Headbands truly rival half-up-half-down style when it comes to versatility and comfort.

The only issue: if you had a large-ish dome, then by the end of the day, you’d have a dull ache behind your ears from where the headband was digging in.

Now for the real question: is Kate Middleton’s 80s headband look for you? If you’re a teacher, a librarian, or generic prepster, then yeah, sure, go for it. I can see anyone from a blacked-out girl from your school’s “classy” sorority to a Connecticut yacht club young mom following in Kate’s footsteps and reaching for a headband this summer.

And there’s always the possibility of wearing it in an ironic hipster way, like the Great Scrunchie Comeback of 2014. Which brings me to our next look…

The Tousled 70s Bang

The go-to festival look for 2016 is the one seen above on Natalie Prass (and even farther above on Katie Crutchfield): a tousled, banged, unbrushed look straight out of the 70s, Vogue has proclaimed.

Lauren Mayberry of Chvrches, Courtney Barnett, Elena Tonra of Daughter, Natasha Khan of Bat for Lashes, and Patti Beranek of St. Lucia are also sporting the look. Well, they probably won’t be now that Vogue’s pointed out they all look exactly the same, but still.

This look is tough to pull off, but it doesn’t matter. Like Kate Middleton’s #tbt headband, it’s more a statement of style and nostalgia than an attempt at looking pretty and polished. And like Taylor Swift’s current bleached-out bob, we suspect it’s going to be ev-er-y-where this summer, especially on the festival circuit.

So which one are you gonna go for: the preppy headband look or the unbrushed rocker-chic bang? Despite having totally different style connotations, they’re both low-maintenance and refreshingly man-repelling. Choose wisely.

SEE ALSO:

14 Hot Topic Items to Help Taylor Swift With Her New Look

How to Stop Worrying & Turn Your Red Hair Blonde

Someone Finally Asked Kate Middleton How She Stays So Skinny

Gimme More Beauty


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