I will be the first to admit I don’t wear the style much these days. I’m more of a free-flying ‘fro or quick puff kind of girl. But make no mistake — this bumped-up hair look was a moment and I will not let it be slandered! This hairstyle saw me through church, emo concerts, yearbook photos, and several social calls with young folks my age. And it was cute! I regret nothing about wearing my hair this way, and to be honest, I’m kind of hoping for a comeback.
Considering how easy it is to execute the look, I’m kind of shocked that it hasn’t been embraced in the way, say those little designer logo baguette bags (I hated those!) have been. It’s a simple process, really. Just grab a triangular section of hair at the top front of your head, in line with the tops of your eyebrows, as hairstylist Clariss Rubenstein advises. Clip it away for a second and then work on your ponytail, if you’re gonna wear it with one. Be sure the sides of your pony are slicked down with a pomade or a gel. “Unclip the [pouf] section and spray texturizing spray near the roots,” says Rubenstein. “Starting from the back of the [pouf] section (near the crown of your head), and working your way to the front, in inch section increments, use a teasing brush to tease the root.” You may not have to tease if your hair is already super textured — just push from the back end of the bump a bit forward and then clip it when it’s at the height and shape you like.
“When the entire section is teased at the root, flip the section back and apply more [pomade].” Use a boar-bristle brush to smooth out the hair around your face “so the first section will cover all the teased hair and look polished.” Then, attach the bump to the rest of the ponytail and secure with an elastic. Skip the ponytail part if you’re going to wear the rest of your hair loose.
Look, it’s so easy to make this style happen again — we just all have to individually commit. In the meantime, I will be waiting, gathering a small section of my hair in the front, and pushing it up just a little bit before securing it with a bobby pin.
Still feeling that 2000s nostalgia? We get it:
Now, watch Tinashe’s ballet-inspired workout routine: