Anime frenzy gives rise to latest #hairhorns craze
JUST when I though I’d seen it all, yet another crazy fashion or beauty trend pops up, leaving me once again saying: “Now I’ve really seen it all!”
We’ve seen the unexpected return of the dreaded mullet cut, which left the older generation cringing while the millennials thought it was the coolest look ever. Then there was rainbow hair that had people walking around looking like they’ve been dipped in unicorn juice.
However, we can’t blame people for experimenting with their hair these days. During the hard lockdown everybody found ways to keep their spirits up and the fact that we didn’t have access to hairdressers forced us to take clippers into our own hands.
Boredom might have something to do with it as well.
The wolf cut is a perfect example of a DIY haircut gone wrong, but oh so right at the same time.
Tiktokkers standing in their tiny bathrooms chopping off their ponytails became trendy instead of terrifying. The latest hair trend is another trend that should in fact be just a little bit terrifying.
Hair horns. As I said before, just when you think you’ve seen it all, something crazy comes along.
The name pretty much sums up what the style is all about. Two tiny, or whatever size you like, tufts of hair on either side of the head that have been styled with wax or gel paste to create pointed horns.
Cute little horns. Not grotesque devil horns.
Think cute anime girl instead of Maleficent.
It should be no surprise that anime has been a strong influencing factor. It has already had an impact on other Genz fashion and beauty trends.
A quick peek into Chinese street style will give you a glimpse into the popularity of anime fashion.
Buns, twintails and long, edgy bangs are all hairstyles inspired by anime heroines.
While the hair horns style might have exploded on Tiktok – the #hairhorns hashtag has more than 64 million views – it’s no longer reserved for social media.
While Dazed & Confused magazine is calling it the latest beauty obsession, prominent hair stylists such as Guido Palau and Eugene Souleiman are documenting their own versions on Instagram.
According to The Guardian, London-based stylist Luca Spinelli says he does this type of cut at least twice a week.
“People are really starting to go for it. For some it’s horns, for others it’s more cat ears. It depends on the style of each person, and you can adapt it to suit their personality.”
He adds that the look might be weird but it’s not too weird for High Street.
“It can be mainstream as it’s versatile and you can decide when you want your horns out. It’s for people who like to experiment, but it doesn’t have to be a strong look. You’re not stuck with it.”
New York celebrity hairdresser Charlie Le Mindu told the publication: “It’s completely a trend now.”
“What’s nice about it is it’s quick to do and it’s got an edge to it. I love it,” he adds.
Whether it’s a passing craze or not, we shouldn’t take fashion too seriously these days. We can all do with a bit of fun, fantasy and weirdness in our lives right now.