Short Hair Color Trends: 31 Ideas Inspired by 80s Nostalgia

Feeling like your hair is stuck in a time warp? You’re not alone! Many women with short hair find themselves wrestling with the frustration of bland hairstyles that lack personality. Enter the world of 80s nostalgia hairstyles for women with short hair—where volume, wildness, and unapologetic flair reign supreme!

Let’s face it: the 80s were a glorious time for hair, and who doesn’t want to channel a little retro magic? But here’s the kicker: as we age, finding styles that not only embrace our fabulousness but also complement our skin tones can be a bit tricky. Dont worry, With these 31 ideas inspired by 80s nostalgia hairstyles for women with short hair, you’ll have all the inspiration you need to rock a look that feels as vibrant as those classic tunes. Plus, if you’re considering a splash of fall color or a shag cut that defies age, we’ve got you covered too!

Classic 90s Short Bob

 Revive the iconic 90s short bob with this timeless cut. Featuring blunt ends and a chin-length style, this versatile look suits all face shapes and ages adding brightness. Lob tips dyed in mermaid-inspired blues and greens.

Layered Pixie Cut

 

A chic hairstyle for older women, this layered pixie cut offers volume and texture while keeping maintenance low.

Braided Crown with Undercut

Combine braided hairstyles with an edgy twist in this crown braid featuring a bold undercut.

 

Asymmetrical Bob with Pastel Lavender and Purple

 This short bob haircut with an asymmetrical edge gets a modern update with soft pastel highlights.

Parisian Chic Streaked lob with vibrant Roots: A sassy hair option for older women, this textured crop features vibrant colored roots for a youthful pop.

Vibrant red hair color

In 80s nostalgia hairstyles for women with short hair, vibrant red shades—from deep auburn to fiery copper—are trending. These hues create a bold statement, especially on darker bases, resulting in a rich cherry tone; lighter hair can achieve a maraschino red. To keep the color vibrant, use products like L’Oréal Paris Magic Root Cover Up in Red. Another popular trend is dimensional brunettes, which adds subtle highlights or lowlights for depth and visual interest, perfect for refreshing short hair.

Sleek Bob with Neon Tips: A sophisticated short hairstyle for women gets a bold update with neon-colored tips.

This hairstyle features a bold and artistic take on the classic pixie cut, showcasing avant-garde flair with its vibrant color combination of forest green and crimson. The curly texture adds dimension and whimsy to the short, edgy style, creating a striking and unique look that blends punk aesthetics with high fashion sensibilities. The combo of vibrant red and green creates a bold and eye-catching color contrast that is sure to turn heads. If you’re unsure how short you want to go or need inspiration for a style that suits you, take a look at our hair length chart to visualize different lengths and find the perfect short hair length.

Tousled Bob cut, characterized by its deliberately messy, textured waves that create an effortlessly chic appearance. The vibrant color of her hair adds a bold and playful element to the style, resulting in a dynamic and eye-catching look that’s both fashionable and expressive

The striking combination of pink and blonde hues adds a vibrant, edgy twist to the classic mullet, creating a unique and eye-catching look that blends punk aesthetics with contemporary fashion.

The messy choppy pixie cut showcases a daring and textured short hairstyle, characterized by its deliberately tousled appearance and uneven, razor-sharp layers. This edgy look is further enhanced with vibrant color, adding a bold and personalized touch to the choppy pixie, creating a striking and fashion-forward aesthetic.

Modern mullet nunk inspired with Color: An avant-garde hairstyles, this look features a mohawk

Pixie-Bob Hybrid with Pastel Ombré: Merging two popular short hairstyles for women, this pixie-bob hybrid features a soft pastel ombré effect.

Featuring a bold combination of pink and blonde hair that adds a vibrant, edgy flair to the classic style. Her modern mullet is complemented by visible tattoos, creating a striking and individualistic look that blends punk aesthetics with current fashion trends.

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   Undercut with Geometric Patterns: A bold and vibrant short haircut that shines with brightness, featuring intricate geometric patterns shaved into a striking undercut design.

This unique hairstyle features a woman’s hair styled into a bun, accentuated with green dreadlocks and colorful yarn elements. The combination of the bun and dreadlocks adorned with vibrant yarns creates a striking crown-like effect, resulting in a bold and artistic expression of personal style that blends traditional and contemporary hair techniques.

Punk Vibrant Blue

 The edgy hairstyle is further amplified by a strikingly bright black and teal tie-dye shirt, enhancing the boldness of the look. This combination brilliantly fuses classic punk aesthetics with a modern twist, creating a vivid and cohesive fashion statement that radiates confidence and energy

shoulder-length wavy hair with eye-catching blue and blonde streaks positioned in the middle. The look is completed with bangs framing her brown eyes, creating a bold and playful contrast between the cool blue tones and warm blonde base, resulting in a modern and expressive hairstyle

wolfcut with Metalic Lavender

French bob with a wolfcut creating a chic and edgy medium-length hairstyle. Her hair is a striking blend of ash blonde, blue, green, and purple hues, resulting in a vibrant and eye-catching look that combines classic French elegance with bold, contemporary color choices.

This woman’s hairstyle features medium-length wavy hair that exudes a cool and refreshing vibe. The standout element is the mint blonde color, a unique and trendy shade that blends soft mint green tones with blonde hues, creating a fresh and eye-catching look that’s both subtle and stylish.

The hairstyle features a striking blue hair color, with a unique twist on the traditional root coloring. The dark roots are styled in a money piece technique, framing her chubby face and adding depth to the overall blue hue. This bold combination creates a eye-catching contrast, offering a fresh and modern take on blue-colored hair with a vibrant, dimensional look.

This showcases a stylish face-framing haircut with long dark hair, accentuated by vibrant blue streaks. Her hair is styled to create a halo effect with the blue-colored sections, while the rest remains dark, creating a striking contrast

Layered Cut with Peekaboo Neon: A sophisticated short hairstyle for women with hidden neon streaks that peek through the layers.

Space bun with colourful braids

This adorable hairstyle features a young girl with her hair styled in playful space buns, complemented by colorful braids. The space buns, positioned on top of her head, create a fun and whimsical look, while the vibrant braids add an extra element of creativity and charm to this cute and youthful hairstyle.

Modern Mullet

showcase a bold and edgy modern mullet haircut in striking black and red colors. The hairstyle features short, closely cropped sides contrasting with a longer top section, embodying a contemporary take on the classic mullet with a distinct gothic flair

This charming hairstyle showcases a young girl’s hair adorned with vibrant braids in a rainbow of colors, including pink, blue, purple, yellow, red, green, and orange. The colorful braids create a playful and eye-catching look, perfectly suited for a cute and energetic young girl.

Health Benefits

Short hair tends to look healthier and fuller compared to longer hair. This is because hair is healthiest near the roots, where it’s well-hydrated by natural oils produced at the scalp. As hair grows longer, the ends become more prone to damage, resulting in a thin, threadbare appearance lacking in protein.

A study published in the International Journal of Trichology found that longer hair is more susceptible to weathering and damage due to increased exposure to environmental factors and styling practices. By keeping hair shorter through regular trims or cuts, you’re essentially maintaining the healthiest portion of your hair, resulting in a thicker, more vibrant appearance.

Additionally, shorter hair can contribute to better scalp health. According to Head & Shoulders, “Shorter hair means that there’s less weight pulling on the scalp, which can help to improve blood flow and reduce tension on hair follicles.” This improved circulation can promote healthier hair growth and potentially reduce issues like dandruff.

Styling and Coloring Advantages

Professional colorists often recommend shorter hair for achieving vibrant colors like rose gold, lilac, or burgundy. The reduced hair length allows for more even color distribution and easier maintenance of bright shades.

For those seeking a new look, short haircuts like buzz cuts or curtain bangs can provide a dramatic makeover. These styles are often easier to maintain and style daily, requiring less time and product use.

Short hair is particularly advantageous for achieving and maintaining lighter shades. Bleaching shorter hair typically results in more uniform lightness and less damage compared to longer strands.