These 10 Haircuts Should Have Stayed In The Past

Some hairstyles instantly transport you back to an era you might rather forget. Trends that once ruled the salon scene now look painfully out of place. Time hasn’t been kind to these outdated looks, and style experts agree it’s best to leave them behind. Keep reading to see which haircuts deserve a permanent spot in the style archives, and why they just don’t work anymore.

Bowl Cut

Who thought putting a literal bowl on someone’s head was a styling strategy? Back in medieval days, it saved money on barbers, but it also screamed DIY disaster. The Beatles made it cool for a moment in the ’60s, yet that perfect circle of hair still flatters almost no one.

Comb-Over

This is the classic illusion of hair where there is none. Born in the 1920s, the comb-over tried to hide thinning crowns by sweeping what little was left across the top. Sadly, everyone else could still see the truth. It’s like optimism with a side of denial.

Frosted Tips

The 2000s called, they want their boy-band highlights back. Frosted tips once ruled the MTV scene, glowing proudly under club lights and teenage bravado. Justin Timberlake rocked them, and we forgave him. However, those bleached ends now scream “Wi-Fi-free era,” not “trendsetter.” Time (and toning shampoo) have moved on.

Rat Tail

You know that feeling when your haircut looks halfway done? That’s the rat tail in a nutshell. One lonely strip of hair hangs at the nape like it missed the memo. Though it shouted individuality in the 1980s punk scene, today it mostly whispers regret.

Beehive

The 1960s had a motto: the higher the hair, the closer to glamour. The beehive required backcombing, hairspray, and a prayer. Audrey Hepburn made it look chic; everyone else made it look exhausting. Nowadays, it’s less “movie star magic” and more “helmet with volume.”

Jheri Curl

Shiny and famous in the ’80s, the Jheri curl looked like liquid gold until the upkeep hit. Between constant moisturizing and reactivator sprays, it was a full-time job. Sure, Michael Jackson pulled it off, but for most people, it just turned into a slippery situation, literally.

Emo Fringe

Hiding behind your bangs because life is so deep was the emo fringe era. One eye covered, dyed-black hair, and an existential playlist to match. It was a mood, back when MySpace was still a thing. These days, it just looks like the haircut version of a teenage diary.

Skrillex (Half-Shaved)

For a brief moment in the 2010s, half-shaved heads were the definition of edgy. One side buzzed, the other flowing like a shampoo ad. The style looked fierce on stage lights, sure. Yet on laundry day? Less punk rebellion, more “ran out of time halfway through the haircut.”

Flat-Top

Nothing says “precision” like hair that could double as a carpenter’s level. The flat-top stood tall in the 1950s, military-grade sharp and immovable. Keeping it that crisp took endless trimming, though. And for most, it just reads as geometry class on your head.

Crimped Hair

Crimped hair was the 1980s’ answer to subtlety: none whatsoever. Those zigzag waves were fun and full of hairspray. The texture shouted, “I own leg warmers.” But today, all that crimping feels like a time capsule of neon energy, and your straightener’s worst nightmare.