From Cosmopolitan · Beth Gillette · · 1m 30s
Crimped Hair Is Back, Runway Approved
Christian Siriano's Fall/Winter 2026 show put crimps on the runway, but glossier and less 2007 than you remember.
In brief
Christian Siriano's Fall/Winter 2026 show put crimps on the runway, but glossier and less 2007 than you remember. Crimp in scattered sections instead of your whole head, then flood it with shine oil. That contrast is what makes it read 2026 instead of Y2K. Originally reported by Cosmopolitan.
Crimps hit the runway
At Christian Siriano's Fall/Winter 2026 show at New York Fashion Week, models came down the runway in crimped hair, the same style plenty of us wore in 2007.
“my go-to hairstyle from elementary school was just on the runway”
Not your fried Y2K version
Hairstylist Lacy Redway built what she calls the "enchanted crimp": crimped texture paired with serious shine, not the dry, crunchy version from the mall era.
Folklore, not flip phones
Redway drew on folklore and modern fairytales. Smooth hair gets broken up by fine ridges and finished with a glossy, leather-like sheen.
“Smooth hair is interrupted by delicate ridges and finished with a glossy, almost leather-like sheen”
Start smooth and sleek
Work heat protectant and mousse through wet hair, then blow-dry in sections with a round brush. A blow-dry brush does both steps if your arms give out.
Crimp in patches, not all over
Place the crimping iron in scattered spots rather than doing your whole head. That sporadic, lived-in placement is what drags the look into the 2020s.
Finish with serious gloss
Press hair oil in for maximum shine, Redway used a color paintbrush to paint it on. Set with extra-hold hairspray and a mist of shine spray.
“Just pair the look with a skinny scarf, low-rise jeans, and a Walkman for the full effect.”
What matters most
Crimp in scattered sections instead of your whole head, then flood it with shine oil. That contrast is what makes it read 2026 instead of Y2K.
