Remember back in the ’90s when the Spice Girls were all the rage and pretty much all of us wanted to get chunky highlights in our hair so we could be more like Ginger Spice? Those thick blobs of blonde on an otherwise dark mane (or vice versa) were basically the pinnacle of trendy, but they were also kinda unsightly if we’re being honest with ourselves. That’s why it’s somewhat shocking to hear that chunky ’90s highlights are apparently making a serious comeback for 2021.
- Bella Hadid is even taking part. In a new Instagram selfie posted just after the new year, Bella Hadid is seen sporting flame-red chunky highlights in her brown hair. It’s an obvious callback to Geri Halliwell and a pretty awesome homage, but it’s also a harbinger of things to come in popular culture, no doubt.
- To be fair, a lot of stylists have been playing with this look. All you have to do is scroll through popular hair accounts on Instagram to see that these block highlights are back with a vengeance for 2021. I suppose given everything else going on in the world, we’re all ready to harken back to better, simpler times, and embracing this retro look is one way to do it.
- Not everyone can pull it off. Putting such intense highlights in your hair isn’t for the faint of heart, and you have to be as bold as they are to pull it off. If not done well, they can look clunky and kinda trashy, so it’s important that a qualified stylist creates this look. In other words, avoid trying this in your bathroom mirror!
- There are subtler ways to incorporate this, of course. If you can’t really commit to going whole hog on chunky ’90s highlights, you’re not alone – I don’t think I can either! However, you can go with more subtle highlights like balayage that still give you a hint of different color without requiring too much commitment (or needing too much correction if you change your mind).
