The Worst Hair Trends We've Seen In 2024 (So Far)

Breaking news: Hairstyles and trends are totally subjective, and everybody has their own likes and dislikes (aka signature aesthetics and style archenemies). It's the best part of fashion and beauty — you get to decide what works for you! But in the wide world of hairstyling, certain fads deserve a little side-eye for their high maintenance, poor adaptability, or utter lack of personality.

This year, we've been blessed with a lot of really good hair trends. Everywhere we turn, there are flirty bobbed cuts, flattering layers, and lush colors like decadent red wine hair. But for every win, there are also a few hair trends that don't quite hit the mark. (Bless your hearts, teenage boys of TikTok, but we see you and your inexplicable ice cream scoop hair.) And while there's still time for new hairstyle heroes and villains to rise this year, we can't help but reflect on 2024's worst hair trends so far.

Popping up like a bad penny, the wet look has been back on our hairstyle radar in 2024. A-listers like Kylie Jenner and Jennifer Lopez sported faux-damp hair at Paris Fashion Week, Florence Pugh showed off a slick, Malfoy-worthy style at the opening of a Tiffany's location in Tokyo, and Rita Ora shared shots of her oiled-back bob on Instagram. Meanwhile, the hashtag #wetlook has garnered over 73,000 posts on TikTok, and #wethairlook has over 64,000 posts on Instagram.

What's with the renewed popularity? We understand why stylists think the wet-look hairstyle is a sexy option. It's like watching a Bond girl emerge from the ocean, locks still dripping. But we'd argue that this style is totally untenable for daily wear — and, hot take, we don't even like it on most red carpets. The wet-hair style can seem sloppy or hurried in an off-putting way. Does it still work for some looks? Sure, but that's often because the overall ensemble and makeup are already strong, and that wet hair could just as easily be replaced with another, non-greasy 'do.

And, again, we have to call out the style's inability to translate for non-celebrities. When a big star like J.Lo wears wet-look hair, everyone knows it's intentional (and probably expensive). For the rest of us, it's much harder to guess whether wet hair is a style choice or the sign of someone who didn't have time to blow-dry.

Far be it from us to question any style worn by iconic fashion risk-taker Zendaya, but we've got to talk about 2024's baby bangs trend. The "Challengers" star hasn't been the only one spotted with teeny-tiny micro fringe — besides appearing on other stars like Kirsten Stewart, baby bangs have shown up in high-fashion runway shows like the 2024 spring/summer collections from Bottega Veneta, Schiaparelli, and Alexander McQueen. The hashtag #babybangs has also been racking up attention, boasting over 91,000 posts on Instagram.

We appreciate the edginess and personality of baby bangs, but this is another trend that can quickly go wrong. For one thing, the cut's short requires regular upkeep, and how many people have done themselves a terrible disservice by trying to maintain the look with a quick scissor trim at home?

Baby bangs also lack the versatility of many other hairstyles. They make a loud, unapologetic statement that can be perfect in some moments and undermine the aesthetic of another. So, if you want to try out the trend for yourself, it'll require a hefty dose of commitment — not to mention patience with the awkward length when you eventually want to grow those baby bangs out.

Headbands are staple hair accessories, coming in and out of vogue like the ocean's tide — if each upswell brought a slightly different style to the fore, that is. So, it feels reasonable that the hashtag #headband has over 6.5 million posts on Instagram and our social feeds are covered with tutorials for headband-friendly hairstyles. Rather, it's the current headband trend that has us counting the days until a new fad seizes our hair accessories.

In 2024, stretchy cotton headbands are enjoying renewed popularity, perhaps following the success of styles like the celebrity-approved tenniscore aesthetic. These breezy accessories may seem like easy wins, especially when paired with on-the-go athleisure 'fits. And if you're having a bad hair day, by all means, reach for whatever hat, hair bow, or headband will leave you feeling your best.

Still, we just aren't fans of trite cotton headbands as statement pieces. For one thing, what's the statement? Most of these stretchy headbands are criminally lacking in personality; they're just a boring stripe of color across the crown of your skull. Depending on the styling, cotton headbands can also make the terrible 180-degree turn from unremarkable to weirdly costumey, hearkening back to "The Brady Bunch" with cringey, pseudo-bohemian vibes that feel more forced than flirty. For our money, we'd rather make a real splash with chain headbands or embellished pieces that have actual character.

In the world of hair color, lived-in shades are all the rage this year. As hairstylist Samantha Cusick told Who What Wear, "2024 will be all about more lived-in shades with darker roots, providing a low-maintenance option for those who want to stretch the time between salon visits." We are all about this low-maintenance energy, and no one can be mad at a subtle, natural-looking ombré. It's no wonder that the hashtag #darkroots has racked up more than 113,000 posts on Instagram so far — some of these dark-to-light hairstyles are genuinely breathtaking.

The problem with this trend is that the execution can go terribly wrong, leading to a trend beneath the trend: chunky roots. We've spent a lot of time and effort avoiding starkly different roots in years past, and it hurts our hair-loving souls to see so many people walking around with awkwardly duo-toned tresses.

Kim Kardashian's Instagram proves that even celebrities aren't immune to the unfortunate dark roots trend. Shortly before the 2024 Met Gala, Kim Kardashian fell back on her platinum blond tresses of yore, but this time, her stylist left a blunt block of dark hair at the roots. Feel free to disagree, but we can't help but find the contrast poorly executed. It looks especially weird when the reality star wears her hair in a middle part, creating a thick stripe of black roots that too closely resembles a skunk.

Everything has its season — in fashion, hair, and life. The beauty of certain fads is that they're ephemeral, impermanent, and tied to a time and place. So, why is hair tinsel still trying to be a thing in 2024? Adding a little sparkle for New Year's Eve or a music festival is one thing. After all, you can even tie in your hair tinsel so it stays put. However, hair tinsel had its time in the spotlight, and that time was in the early 2010s when even major players like Beyoncé sported glitter strands on the red carpet. We'll even forgive the great TikTok hair resurgence of 2022. After all, everything old is new again. But enough time has passed now that this fad has officially overstayed its welcome.

Still, creator accounts — especially stylists trying to sell hair tinsel — keep trying to make it into a lasting style. "Hair trend of 2024," one Instagram user called it, adding to the #hairtinsel hashtag's 83,000 posts. Another fan on TikTok declared hair tinsel their "new 2024 obsession," as if there were anything new about it.

Now, we're not here to yuck anybody's yum. If you're into fairycore, glitter, or maximalism in general, wear whatever makes you feel good, including hair tinsel. We trust you to make it cute and promise not to judge. But do it purely for the dopamine! Otherwise, there's no pressure to tap into the dying gasps of this tired trend.