By Fiorella Valdesolo | Wall Street Journal
CINDY CRAWFORD. Topanga from “Boy Meets World.” Cher from “Clueless.” These are among the retro references name-checked in the blowout hair tutorials blowing up all over TikTok. (At last count, videos tagged #90sblowout had more than 84 million views on the app.)
“[Social media] is really driving the trend,” explained Fekkai founder and CEO, Frédéric Fekkai, referencing Matilda Djerf (TikTok follower count: 1.3 million), an influencer whose signature fluffy blowout has become a frequent subject of viral posts. Jessica Gillin, a stylist at New York’s Jenna Perry Hair, sees her clients’ zeal for fluffy manes as just the latest expression of ’90s and Y2K nostalgia. Rachel Baker, the 38-year-old co-founder of the Spread newsletter, cites more distant role models. “My icons are ’60s Jane Fonda and Ann-Margret circa ‘Carnal Knowledge.’” For Nadine Jolie Courtney, 42, a screenwriter in Santa Monica, Calif., part of the appeal is what the look broadcasts. “Big hair is femininity…it’s also power.”
Buzzy tools that make home styling far easier—like the Dyson Airwrap—have also helped the trend take hold. “The Airwrap is an investment but it definitely simplifies the process and speeds up drying,” said Ms. Gillin. Can’t justify spending $600 on a gadget you’ll only trot out now and again? To corral her coiffure, Ms. Baker relies on the Revlon One-Step Volumizer. “For around 30 bucks, it’s pretty damn great,” she said.
