For most of us, having silky, luscious, and manageable hair is our ultimate crowning glory. Not only does the hair on our head frame our face and the rest of our appearance, it sure give us a load of personality as well.
And let’s be honest, it’s awfully easy to experiment with our tresses and adopt trending styles (like this heart-shaped fringe spotted by South Korean model Gianna Jun) in order to switch up our looks, due to the transient nature of our locks.
In following the biggest trends over the last ten years, some of us at Daily Vanity have intense mixed feelings looking back at the decade’s most popular hair styles we emulated — some we loved, some we find regrettable even till this very day. Scroll on to take a look at the good, the bad, and the very ugly of the past decade and you might just recognise some of these looks on yourself too.
2010 — Blunt bangs
Ah, it seems like this early 2000s trend effectively spilled over into this decade, likely because to its aptness with naturally straight and thick hair — the typical Asian hair, especially here in Singapore.
Cropped off right below the brows, this relatively low-maintenance style of fringe dominated the early ’10s, lending a youthful glow to those who sport it.
Blunt bangs seem to go in and out of style every now and then.
However, be warned as this trend is definitely not one for all! Those with an oval face would benefit most from the shortening effect blunt bangs bring about as the sharp cut and added density across the forehead reduces overall face length.
In recent, the blunt bang has seemingly evolved to take on the form of wispy bangs as well as curtain bangs. Regardless, these versatile styles can be easily dressed up or down — here are 10 easy ways to style fringes of all lengths.
Bangs might require frequent trims and are not recommended for those with acne-prone skin.
2011 — Wild highlights
Some time after the decade started, colourful highlights began taking over the scene with their vibrant streaks. These additions added dimension and a pop of colour against dark hair while inserting a playful persona.
Nothing subtle here.
These saturated hues also arguably popularised clip-ons that grew in demand during this time period. Instant yet temporary, clip-on hair strands are still available in bright shades like these.
In an updated version of this style, BLACKPINK member Jennie made the edgy blonde fringe a thing earlier this year and we’ve been obsessed with this chic look ever since.
2012 — Pastel colours
Thanks to Singaporean blogger @xiaxue, we were left in a serious bout of envy when she first dyed her tresses a soft baby pink shade. Her iconic transformation left a mark on us, immediately igniting a burning need for us to colour our hair every pastel shade of the rainbow.
Perhaps this trend pioneered the mermaid hair trend that soon ensued whereby individuals opt for stunning combinations of blue, pink, green, and purple.
As cute as they may seem, pastel shades require high maintenance to prevent hair from turning brassy.
Finding a good colourist is as important as choosing the right colours that complement your skin’s undertone. Fortunately for you, we’ve done the leg work and rounded up 17 hair colouring salons in Singapore for beautiful brown, burgundy, and even rose gold hair.
2013 — Ombré
Then came the ombré. Meaning “darker to lighter” in French, Ombré is a colouring technique that depicts a gradual colour change that applies to the tresses, nails art, clothing apparel, and more — essentially anything with colours!
A reason why the ombré hair was in such high demand was due to its easy maintenance. Typically done in the style of black at the roots, a lighter brown midway down before ending with any colour of choice, touch-ups are required less often as dark hair grows out, blending well with the graduation of shades.
Ombré with an amber brown shade and subtle touches of pinks.
When it comes to this style in particular, home DIY colouring are especially difficult to pull off as precision is often needed to produce a tasteful, subtle effect. Be sure to known exactly what you’re going for when recreating this look and it’s important once again to pick an experienced hair artist who understands your needs!
2014 — Side shave
In 2014, Hollywood’s top models and actresses took on red carpet glamour with an unbelievable chic that is the side shave. Alongside this bold move was the equally edgy and asymmetrical undercut and faux half-shaved looks spotted on the likes of Rihanna, Alice Dellal, Scarlett Johansson, and Kristen Stewart.
Senior Marketing Executive Peony rocking a side shave and electric purple hair.
This striking look definitely isn’t one for the faint-hearted. For those not ready to take the leap, other hair-friendly options include tightly woven braids along the scalp.
2015 — Top knot
Remember the messy bun? The style received an upgrade back in 2015 as everyone from celebrities to gym rats threw their hair way higher up into a sleeker and more sophisticated version that is the top knot.
Perfect for literally any occasion, from parties to errand-running days, this quick yet chic style perhaps drew attention with its high customisability as well. Whether you like zhooshing your knot up with some hair accessories or prefer a casual half up knot to keep just the right amount of hair out of your face, you can be sure to find something up your alley.
For that just rolled out of bed look.
Looking to replicate the look? One tip we found helpful was to blow-dry your hair upside-down. This helps to introduce some volume to the roots, making the top knot appear more purposefully done and less my-hair-is-greasy-hence-the-bun.
More: Your complete, one-stop guide to all things bun-related for every hair length
2015 — Also, the perm
In the same year, the perm also started growing in popularity amongst women here in Singapore. Understandably, there weren’t many go-to options back then as compared to the vast range of perms we get these days — digital perms, ‘S’ curl perms, “Japanese”/”Korean” perms are amongst the many available now.
Perms are often done on long hair to give otherwise flat Asian flat some definition and body.
Some worries that accompany perms include looking older than one’s actual age. We can’t underscore the importance of seeking advice from experienced stylists here.
2016 — The bob
In 2016, the lob (long bob) became the next hair cut to have. Plus points if you ventured into the asymmetric realm and got your locks chopped at different lengths on each side, as seen on Rita Ora, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Margot Robbie.
This versatile cut was often paired with a deep side-part to add a touch of elegance.
Styling is definitely needed for this form of cut.
With many different variants of the bob available out there now, each best suited for specific face shapes, it’s important to do a thorough consultation with your stylist first before snipping off your hair! Check out the Best Hair Salons as voted by over 3,000 participants and judges in the Daily Vanity Spa & Hair Awards 2020 for the top services our readers prefer.
2017 — Bright colours
As we approach the roaring ’20s, then came the full spectrum of the rainbow that kickstarted the colourful shades we see now even in 2020.
Although these bold colours often take hours at the salon for the best results, home-bleaching and colouring kits were increasing being made readily available for DIY enthusiasts. Scroll through to view some of our team’s favourite shades.
This gorgeous shade of cobalt blue made Senior Writer Lynnett feel like a whole different person.
Her blue faded into a soft lilac purple after a couple of months.
“The blue did run a lot though; I’d get it on my ears, neck, shirt, and shoulders whenever I work out or shower.” She confessed, and added, “Usually, blue would fade into green if it’s done over bleached hair and I was actually worried about that but to my surprise, it faded into purple instead after roughly a month — I reckon it’s likely because the blue went over grey hair instead of plain bleached hair.”
The team’s Marketing Intern Jessica sporting a bright fuchsia.
The mermaid hair trend was spotlighted in this year too.
Editorial Intern Gwendolyn went lighter with a icy strawberry blond.
Deeper colours were all the craze as well, with purple being a popular choice amongst trendy folks in Singapore when it came to hair. Hence, it wasn’t all that surprising when Pantone announced Ultra Violet to be 2018’s colour of the year — check out these violet hues on our favourite celebrities too.
Dark violet — definitely an easier shade on the spectrum to pull off
We love a matching purple lip.
“Not sure why I thought wild hair and metallic lipstick was a good idea,” Jessica who also gave purple hair (albeit in a much brighter hue) a go shared.
Deep lapis blue works for an understated, maybe even work-approved look.
2018 — Icy grey hair
Perhaps sparked by several trendsetting K-pop idols who went full-fledged silver and grey in the year before (we’re looking at you Moonbyul from MAMAMOO and BTS’ Jimin), this shade of ash grey took the world by storm in 2018 and soon enough, everyone wanted a piece of this grandma chic.
However, as exquisite as this unique shade may looks, ask anyone who’s had a silver dye job just how difficult it is to achieve AND maintain the perfect shade. To begin, bleaching is minimally required twice through to get hair to the coolest of blond prior to colouring. For most of us with jet black tresses, that would well mean three scalp-burning, hair-damaging rounds — not to mention hours spent in the salon chair.
This full head of grey left lynnett’s hair so coarse and dry, her hair would tangle in her sleep.
Furthermore, grey hair is definitively challenging to keep with most dyes fading in weeks. To ensure the grey dye stays for as long as possible, opt for a blue or purple-hued shampoo to neutralise yellow and orange tinges that tend to appear afterwards.
Purple seemed to have stayed well into the following year.
2019 — Balayage
A freehand colouring approach, the balayage style is a highlighting technique that results in a natural, sun-kissed effect. This style is best suited for those seeking a fun addition of subtle hues.
Compared to traditional highlights, the balayage style appears more blended.
However, because this technique is hand-painted, results will likely differ from one person to the next. It’s best to pick a colourist you trust and one who understands exactly what you’re going for!
2020 — Barrettes
Finally! We’ve arrived at this year’s hottest trend, the French barrette. Whether you have curly, straight, long, or short hair, everybody could use one or two of these old school hair clips in their lives. And because of the sheer practicality these lend, we’re so glad these ’90s trend made such a huge comeback.
Besides adding a much-needed burst of colour to the otherwise gloomy 2020, these more-is-more accessories help keep hair in place while we hustle. What more could we ask for?
When carefully placed, these accessories could even accentuate your best features!
Aside from simple coloured barrettes, some popular styles include pearl-adorned clips as well as tortoise-shelled options. View all our favourites here.
Think these attention-grabbing accessories are a little over the top? Perhaps these six ways to style vintage clips might help tone them down.
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