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About This Quiz
We all have those embarrassing throwback school pictures. Envision the long lines in the gymnasium, the outrageous outfits, the out of touch colorful laser backdrop and the over the top hairstyles that screamed, "I'm sorry, my mom dressed me!"
Some hairstyles will never leave pop culture, the beautiful pixie cut, Farrah Fawcetts feathered bangs, Janet Jackson's box braid extensions and the lovely voluminous Afro. Whether it was the whale spout ponytail or the reverse fade, these hairstyles will give you a laugh or two, but don't be afraid to laugh at all 40. This quiz will supply you with a healthy mix of both the ageless and the ridiculous.
How many of these throwback hairstyles can you identify? Or better yet, how many have you and your friends worn? This quiz might have you asking why you ever wore your hair that way when you were young. You might even wonder why anyone wore their hair that way. It might also give inspiration for a new hairstyle with a classic twist, like the crop, which has been remixed several times throughout the decades. Find out fascinating tidbits, like which crop hairstyle was named after an English boarding school for boys, despite being worn mostly by women. It's time to let your hair down, and quiz away!
Bullet
Dull cut
Mullet
The Oxford English Dictionary gives The Beastie Boys credit for making this hairstyle popular after the release of their song, "Mullet Head," in 1994. The mullet was just hitting its peak of popularity at that time.
Bowl cut
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Short Afro
Cicely Tyson shocked her director when she walked on set with her short Afro. The night before she had long, straight hair. This style is achieved by cutting the hair really low and shampooing it until it returns to its natural state.
Bob
Big Afro
Tyson Afro
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Bang haircut
Choppy shag cut
This cut can be worn short, like Jane Fonda's famous look, or long, like the rocker diva Stevie Nicks. The choppy shag cut is achieved by creating intense choppy layers in no particular pattern.
Rug cut
Pixie cut
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Buzz cut
Fade
Comb over
Flattop
The secret to achieving the ideal flattop is on the sides. The shorter the cut is on the sides, the more square the flattop appears. Some barbers get creative and cut the top into different shapes.
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Feathered bangs
"Charlie's Angels" would have been just another TV show without Farrah Fawcett and her feathered bangs. This hairstyle became her signature. Since then, feathered bangs have taken on a life of their own.
Wavy bangs
Curly bangs
Bouncy bangs
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Crew cut
Undercut
Pixie cut
A pixie cut is worn with the front of the hair longer than the sides and the back. Classic celebrities like Mia Farrow, Audrey Hepburn and the timeless fairy, Tinkerbell, put their own spin on it.
Buzz cut
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Pompadour
The pompadour cut is all about drama. The front of the hair is styled with volume and height, and the sides and back are cut short. Celebrities like Elvis and the Fonz, played by Henry Winkler on "Happy Days," made this hairstyle popular.
Undercut
Duck tail
Ivy League cut
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French braids
Fishtail braids
Goddess locks
Individual box braids
Individual box braids are unique from traditional individual braids because the hair is parted in neat boxes or squares. These braids can range from really small boxes to jumbo-sized boxes.
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Messy shag
Lob
The pringle shingle
The pringle shingle is a memorable version of the classic bob. In 1925, Aileen Pringle shocked Hollywood when she debuted her new shingled bob cut. The hairstyle was coined the pringle shingle.
Bowl cut
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Asymmetric bob cut
Eton crop
The bob has several variations, but the Eton crop is probably the slickest and shortest of them all. It's named after Eton English School because the boys there wore their hair in a similar style.
Comb over
Pringle shingle
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Marcel waves
Marcel waves, similar to finger waves, are created by using hot curling tongs to make deep loose waves on short hair. Francois Marcel, a famous french hairstylist, invented the curling technique in 1872.
Jheri curl
Ringlets
French twist
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Blow out
Big Afro
Every short Afro has dreams of becoming a big Afro. This style is achieved by shampooing the hair and combing it in an outward motion to create height, volume and stretch out the natural coils.
Beehive
Pompadour
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Individual box braids
Fishtail braid
Goddess braids
Cleopatra's gilded braids
Cleopatra's gilded braids were unique because of the blunt bangs and gold jewels. While there is no proof that she actually wore her hair this way, pop culture made the hairstyle Cleopatra's own.
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Milkmaid braids
Frida Kahlo, the famous Mexican painter, created several self-portraits styled in these milkmaid braids. During World War II, these braids were also popular because they were low-maintenance and didn't require shampooing every day. Shampoo was among the products that were either rationed or hard to come by during that time.
Goddess braids
French braids
Rope braids
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Senegalese twist
Faux locks
Dreadlocks
Dreadlocks have been around for hundreds — perhaps even thousands — of years. Dreadlocks have no clear origination, but Rastafarians have made them a spiritual statement rather than a fashion statement.
Jumbo box braids
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Feed-in braids
Micro individual braids
Havana twists
Cornrows
Cornrows can be created by braiding the natural hair very close to the scalp in an underhand or overhand motion. This hairstyle has been around for thousands of years, with origins dating back to ancient Africa.
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Curly perm
French stylist Marcel Grateau invented the curly perm in 1870. He called it the "long-lasting hair waving technique." This style is created by using curling rods on the hair in combination with a perm cream.
Shirley temples
Chignon bun
The Rachel
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Hollywood waves
Marcel waves
Beach waves
Finger waves
This hairstyle set waves in the 1920s and '30s. Stars like Bette Davis and Anita Paige made it a classic. You get this style by using a strong hold gel, a comb and your fingers to create swooping waves on shorter hair.
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Milkmaid braids
Corkscrew curls
Space buns
Space buns have recently made a comeback since their debut in the late 1990s. The style was made famous by the Spice Girls, but some attribute the popularity of the style to Princess Leia from "Star Wars."
Top bun
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Ombre
Balayage
Sombre
Highlights
Highlights didn't start in the '90s, but they made a new home there. Celebrities like Jennifer Aniston, Beyonce, Cindy Crawford and even boy band 'N Sync, brought this hairstyle to the front lines in pop culture.
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The Rachel
Often called the haircut of the '90s, this hairstyle is achieved by using a round brush and blow dryer to create volume on the choppy layers. Surprisingly, Jennifer Aniston, who played Rachel on "Friends," didn't care for the haircut.
The bob
The shag cut
The crop
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Asymmetrical bob
Blunt bob
Curly bob
There are many versions of the bob, and this is one of them. Achieve this look by giving the traditional bob short beach waves. The key to this hairstyle is layers that are properly cut.
Shaggy bob
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Curly bob
Half lob
Dutch curls
Pin curls
Pin curls were first introduced as a low-cost hairstyle for women during the Great Depression. After the Depression, Hollywood movie stars took the look to the big screen and made it a classic.
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Pin-up
This hairstyle has been worn in several ways. One of the most famous styles is a double pin-up in the front with half the hair down in the back. Get the pin-up look by rolling the hair inwards while tucking it with pins.
Faux bob
Finger waves
Pompadour
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Aqua Net bangs
In the '80s, the higher the bangs were, the cooler you were. These bangs were named after the hairspray that was often used to create it. Get this look by using hairspray to lift the roots as high as you can.
Feathered bangs
Crimped bangs
Wavy bangs
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The beehive
The beehive is sometimes called the B-52 due to its resemblance to the nose of the Boeing B-52 bomber. The beehive is achieved by pulling the hair on top of the head into a beehive shape.
The honeycomb
The Mohawk
Top knot
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Taper cut
Gypsy cut
The gypsy cut puts a fun free-spirited twist on the traditional layered cut. It gave pop culture a Bohemian vibe. Achieve this look by cutting uneven layers and using a blow dryer to bring extra volume.
Chandelier cut
Feathered cut
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Bowl cut
Shag cut
Pageboy cut
The pageboy haircut is named after the pudding basin haircut traditionally worn by late medieval page boys. It gained popularity during the '50s. Fetish model Bettie Page stamped this as her signature look.
Faded cut
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Dolphin fin
Lion mane
Whale spout
Singer Debbie Gibson wore this hairstyle with pride in the '80s. She didn't invent it, but she put her stamp on it. Get an updated version of this look by using a loose-fitting hair tie to add volume.
Fishtail
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Bubble flip
If you ever watched "The Brady Bunch" then you've seen Carol Brady sport this famous hairstyle. Get the bubble flip look by using a flat iron to flip up the ends in a tight curl. This style is usually done on a bob.
Layered lob
Wavy bob
Eton crop
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Halo braid
Crown braid
French braid
Fishtail
A fishtail braid is similar to a French braid except that two sections of hair are used instead of three. This gives the braid a woven or fishtail look. In the 19th century, the style was referred to as a Grecian braid.
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Undercut
Hi-top fade
Similar to a flat top, a hi-top fade begins with the sides and back cut low or off. The top is left long, usually in a square shape. This hi-top fade trend began in the 1980s and is still worn today.
Comb over
Low fade
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Mullet
Shaved sides
Pompadour
Mohawk
Art dating back to 600 BCE shows Scythian warriors wearing this hairstyle, but it gets its name from an indigenous tribe of the Mohawk nation in North America and parts of Canada.
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Butterfly clips
These hair accessories were so popular in the '90s that it was deemed an actual hairstyle. Celebrities like Brittney Spears, Christina Aguilera and the Olsen twins took the look mainstream.
Space buns
Crimps
Whale spout
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Duck tail
Slicked back
Cowlick
Jelly roll
The jelly roll was one of many haircuts in the '50s that required a lot of gel and grease. Get this look by using a thick pomade to hold the rolls in place. The sides and back are kept short.
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Pin-up
Pompadour
Quiff
During the British Teddy Boy movement of the 1950s, the quiff haircut was considered a staple hairstyle. The modern quiff is worn shorter than the 1950s version of the hairstyle.
Bubble flip
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Marcel waves
Douglas Fairbanks
This hairstyle is named after the famous 1920s silent film actor Douglas Fairbanks Jr. It became popular in the late 1920s as Fairbanks' movie career began to rise. Both men and women wore the haircut.
Eton crop
Caesar cut
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Cowlick
This hairstyle is achieved by taking any piece of hair, usually towards the front or on the crown, and gel it straight up or in a completely different direction from the rest of the hair.
Disconnected undercut
Faux hawk
French crop
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Pixie cut
Bowl cut
A bowl cut is achieved by cutting the hair in a straight fringe the same length all around to create the shape of a bowl. The bangs are sometimes cut shorter than the back and sides.
Textured cut
Buzz cut
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Relaxer
Jheri curl
Hairstylist Jheri Redding created this hairstyle in the 1980s as an alternative to the relaxer. The style was created as a way to easily manage naturally curly hair. This hairstyle requires a two-step application process.
Curly perm
Curly pineapple
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