You may have noticed a lot of fluffy hair on teenagers lately. Some people think it looks like broccoli florets, and that’s why the popular look has an official name: broccoli hair.
A certain green vegetable is making a comeback, but not in the way you might think.
Often pushed to the side of the plate at dinner, broccoli has become an unexpected source of inspiration for teenagers’ hairstyles as they recreate the vegetable’s florets on their own stalks.
The look, a cross between a taper fade and a bowl cut, has been aptly dubbed “broccoli hair” due to its resemblance to the flower bud, PopSugar reports. Some even go so far as to get a perm to get the “curly and unruly” look on top while maintaining a “tapered and textured” look on the bottom, Marie Claire reported.
“This is achieved by cutting the hair into short, uneven layers, reminiscent of the florets of a broccoli,” Rene Fris, a hairstylist to the stars, told PopSugar. “The side can be cut completely short or shaved very close to the scalp (like a fade).”
While the resurgence of broccoli hair is relatively new, the unique hairstyle has been a topic of conversation online, often as a meme, since at least 2021. The first mention online dates back to a 4Chan post in which a user pokes fun at the look of the “hairstyle,” which he calls a “Zoomer perm,” according to KnowYourMeme.
The demand for broccoli hair is high; even boys as young as 12 are running to the hairdresser to imitate the look of their peers, influencers and even Superman.
Broccoli hair has become ‘very desirable,’ says stylist
Jasmine Burnside, another celebrity hairstylist, told Marie Claire in June that part of the reason broccoli hair is so “popular” is because it “suits a wide range of people,” and it’s versatile and easy to personalize.
“Whether you’re looking for a quirky and fun style or a trendy and fashionable cut, the broccoli haircut can be adapted to suit different genders, hair types and personal styles,” Burnside said. Popular TikTok users and celebrities have also pushed the trend online, making the cut “highly desirable” among teens and young adults, according to Burnside.
The look of broccoli hair has also evolved over time, with teenagers opting for a loose perm instead of the typical perm, TikTok influencer Kris Grippo told GQ.
“The broccoli cut became a meme. And after that, I mean, you don’t want to be a meme anymore,” Grippo said, telling GQ that the “super tight, super curly look is no longer cool.” Broccoli hair is here to stay, according to Grippo, despite the slight modification.
And that’s because it “complements most face types.”
“It suits everyone. It doesn’t matter if you have a round or narrow face. It looks attractive even if you have a large forehead. If you feel insecure about your face, it can cover half of it,” Grippo concludes.
The biggest haters of Broccoli Hair are online
Although Broccoli Hair appeals to a young male demographic, parts of the internet (what a surprise) are not huge fans of the cut. It is often a point of contention, even ridicule. Others still don’t understand why the haircut has become so popular.
Check out what people are saying and have said about the broccoli haircut below:
