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Beauty

13 Strangely Appealing Early 2000s Hair Trends

Poofs, bandanas, and side bangs. Oh my!

Now that every Y2K beauty trend is new again, it’s time to pay tribute to the original iterations from whence they came. Hairstyles in the 2000s were truly something else. They were sometimes extreme, usually overcomplicated, but always fun.

Ahead, tap through to see 13 iconic Y2K hair trends and styles we still can’t stop thinking about.

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Random Braids

Why stick to one style when you can wear two? Small haphazard braids make you look festival-ready with minimal effort.

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Micro Braids

Summer is the best time of year to get your hair braided, so if you’re looking for your next protective style, you might want to give Brandy’s signature micro braids a try.

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Spikey Pixie Cut

Mary J. Blige’s piecey platinum pixie is ’00s perfection. Check out more short haircut inspo, here.

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Chunky Highlights

A 2000s roundup would not be complete without thick, stripey highlights à la Kelly Clarkson.

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Extra Bleach

In 2003, we all wanted hair like Lindsay Lohan in Freaky Friday. Now the look is more popular than ever and taking TikTok by storm.

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Bandana headbands

Bandanas never looked as good as they did on Aaliyah, but we’re tempted to give it a try.

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Deep Side Bangs

Mary-Kate and Ashley rocked twin side bangs to the New York Minute premiere and launched a million haircuts.

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High Pigtails

Tatyana Ali’s pigtails and barrettes would look still look fresh in 2021.

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Mini Buns

Before they were called space buns, these were are an iconic mall teen style. The cuteness of mini buns endures!

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Flipped-Out Ends

Gabrielle Union’s layers and flippy ends are a flirty look in any era.

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Tendrils

Bangs and face-framing layers were a critical part of Hilary Duff’s ’00s look. For the rest of us, tendrils can give any style a Y2K feel.

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Crimped Waves

Leighton Meester’s crimped waves are fitting for anyone who still has a thing for mermaids.

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The Poof

Before there were Bump-its, you could achieve this look with a little back-combing and a small claw clip.