“Stand Out”. The phrase defined the sense of fashion and style in the 1980s. Loud, Big, and Bright are the adjectives that defined the 80s. From clothes and make-up to hair and accessories, the adjectives were applicable to all categories of fashion and style for the women of the 80s. The best 80s hair were often those which at another point in time in history could be declared wild. However, one must bear in mind that the 80s hair was all about highlighting the individual identity. Blending into the crowd was not an option. While doing our research on 80s hair, we consulted the fashion archives and spoke to hairstylists. Here’s our list of the top 4 wildest 1980s hairstyles that surely worked when it came to garnering attention.
Mullet
This one is hands down the wildest style from the decade. The wild child, while easy to create needed a lot of commitment from the wearer due to its odd appearance. The mullet was defined by a short top and sides, but a fairly long back. While not originally given the name mullet the style’s first mention is found in Homer’s The Iliad with the hair of spearmen described as short at top and sides and long at back. The name, however, actually came from Beastie Boy’s song “Mullet Head”. Often ranking amongst the unprofessional haircuts the mullet makes it to the wildest 1980s hairstyle for a plethora of reasons, including that it just doesn’t age well, and as it grows it appears increasingly weird. In other words, you had to be a die-hard fan of the style or simply drop dead gorgeous to continue to look good with wild hair. Pro tip – if you’re considering the hairstyle as yours, do find someone who loves to look at you even when you make weird hairstyle choices. We’re glad that the mullet saw its peak in the 1980s and has been revisited limitedly.
Punk Rock
Created as a sub-culture of punk rock music, punk rock hair was all about nonconformity, anti-consumerism, and anti-authoritarian beliefs. The punk rock 80s hair was a manifestation of the punk rock belief system. The punk rock hair stood out for its shock value. Punk rock hair was characterized by mohawks, faux hawks, and other weird shapes. Often the wearer of punk rock hairstyle had the hair colored in bright, vibrant, and unnatural hues such as red and orange. The elaborate hairdos were kept in place with heavy use of product and spikes that were excessively tall. An alternative punk rock hairstyle was also to shave off the entire head. The hairstyle was merely a way of expressing anti-establishment, and don’t care about ideology. While the punk rockers did boast of a “don’t care attitude, the truth is that the maintenance of the punk rock hairstyle did need both substantial care and effort.
The High Top
Coming in at number 3, the high-top aptly qualifies to be on the list of wild 1980s hairstyles. Highly product-dependent, the high top was defined by trimmed or faded sides and a crown that reached substantial height. The sides were either shaved or faded to divert the viewer’s attention to the high crown. While the hair looked acceptable when it came to appearance it did rank amongst the unprofessional cuts of the 80s. High on maintenance regime and requiring substantial amounts of both hair wax and hairspray to hold the hair in place, the high top interestingly gave a pharaoh kind of look to men.
Shaved Sides
As defined by the very name, the shaved sides involved highly trimmed sides with long hair in the middle and back. While it is true that some people can really pull off the style well, we’re not convinced about either the overall appearance or whether it qualifies as a professional cut. Some hairstylists consider shaved sides to be an extension of the punk rock subculture, however, there is definitely a consensus that the hairstyle does qualify to be an edgy and rebellious one and certainly draws attention. Having said that, we do feel that shaved sides 1980s hairstyle for women is best left to the past.
We would love to know your opinion on the wildest 1980s hairstyles. Does our list include the ones from yours? While not necessarily bad, the wildest 1980s hairstyles did deliver on their mandate of drawing viewers’ attention. Would you like to try any of the wildest 80s hair? Tell us in the comments.
