The Best ’80s Hair of All Time, From Joan Jett to Madonna

Since its debut on Netflix earlier this summer, there have been countless blog posts dedicated to decoding the formula that has made Stranger Things a viral sensation. The campy, episodic sci-fi horror-thriller tinged by comedic interludes is certainly helped along by its roots in the past—look closely and you’ll see hints of The Goonies, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Poltergeist, and even The X-Files—not to mention the incredible type face of the opening credits; the synth-heavy soundtrack; and the excellent casting.

And then, of course, there’s the hair, which, in its own right, invites a collective nostalgia for the decade’s distinctive self-styling. Between Eleven’s buzz cut, Nancy’s girl-next-door side-sweep, and Barb’s Molly Ringwald-meets-Mary Stuart Masterson strawberry-blonde crop, the ’80s archetypes come fast and furious throughout the show’s first season. Factor in the choppy, good-bad proportions of Joyce’s modified shag—played by ultimate era queen Winona Ryder—and it’s enough to inspire some serious reminiscing about some of our own all-time favorite iconic cuts from the decade.

We’re talking about the electro clash, rock-inflected headbands, scrunchies, and side-ponytails popularized by Chrissie Hynde, Debbie Harry, Madonna, and Cyndi Lauper; the gender-bending razor-shaves of Annie Lennox and Grace Jones; the teen-queen feathered bangs and braids that made Phoebe Cates and Jennifer Jason Leigh instant heartthrobs to an entire generation of Fast Times at Ridgemont High fans; the sheer number of cans of mousse it must have taken to keep the cast of Heathers at full volume for the duration of filming; and the bigger-the-better ringlets that took Julia Roberts from playing a small-town pizza-slinger in Mystic, Connecticut, to an international superstar.
In fact, with chic new ’80s-minded sartorial statements turning up on the recent Fall 2016 runways from Isabel Marant to Saint Laurent, it’s no stretch to imagine just such experimental, individualistic beauty influences making their way above the neck in a few short weeks. Consider this a photographic archive for your next trip to the salon—or your next DIY experiment with a pair of scissors and a dimly lit bathroom, if you want to keep things authentic.

 

 

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