90s blonde is trending: How to get the effortlessly chic colour look
Supermodels and ‘It’ girls are inspiring spring/summer shades.
Nineties fashion and beauty have been popular for a while now, but the retro trend has really gone into overdrive this year with the arrival of Ryan Murphy’s Love Story, the TV series documenting the relationship between the late John F Kennedy Jr and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, who tragically passed away in 1999.
CBK, as the latter became known, was a Calvin Klein executive turned style icon who favoured minimalist fashion (think crisp white shirts, straight leg jeans and lots of LBDs) and had long, buttery blonde hair. Now, she’s among the 90s ‘It’ girls whose fair hair has become a mainstay on moodboards in 2026.
“Nineties nostalgia is massive,” says Joe Savine, artistic director at Paul Edmonds London. “I understand why it keeps coming back. The 90s were cool. There was an effortlessness to the fashion, especially compared to the volume and brightness of the 80s.”
If Madonna’s platinum locks on her Blonde Ambition tour were the peak of the bold golden girl look, by the mid-90s, it was all about soft cashmere and honey blonde, Joe says. “The supermodels were glamorous, but it was a natural kind of glamour, with entwined colour and tonal highlights.”
He highly recommends embracing the understated glamour trend now, whether you’re already blonde and want to switch up your shade with balayage or highlights, or you have darker hair and are ready for a major transformation.
“When my clients go blonde, I find it brightens them – not just like their features, but how they feel too,” Joe says. “When you're going lighter, have your roots done, or bring your balayage up it feels fresher. It just kind of warms the soul. You have that confidence.”
Plus, using modern colour techniques, we can take these retro hues and give them a cool 2026 spin. Here, Joe explains everything you need to know about the 1990s blonde hair trend, from choosing the perfect shade to maintaining your gorgeously golden colour…
THE 90s BLONDE ICONS WE LOVE
The 90s blonde hair trend incorporates a range of shades from subtle, almost mousey blonde to bright Scandi shades, all inspired by the fashion, film and TV stars of the time.
“Kate Moss was so iconic. Her natural blonde hair was just chic. It was effortless and low maintenance,” says Joe. Clueless star Alicia Silverstone had a similarly subtle look, whereas German supermodel Claudia Schiffer was the bombshell blonde with her cool-toned tresses and rock star Courtney Love put a grungey twist on the Marilyn Monroe-inspired power blonde look.
Actress Cameron Diaz, who shot to fame in 1994 movie The Mask, was “the golden Californian girl – her colour reflected her bubbly personality in that way,” Joe says, while eternal hair icon Jennifer Aniston became blonder throughout the 90s. “She got lighter in the later seasons of Friends, but it was always more of a beige blonde, and she didn't have the colour right to her roots. It was very soft.”
HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR PERFECT 90s BLONDE SHADE
Wondering which 90s blonde shade will suit you the most? At Paul Edmonds London, we believe bespoke colour is best, which is why Joe recommends taking a stylish celeb from that decade as your starting point and tailoring the look to suit you.
“We always look at suitability in terms of skin tone, eye colour, what clothes a client wears, and their lifestyle,” Joe says. “For example, if you want to stay on the cooler or ashier side, you need to be prepared to come back in every three weeks for a gloss or glaze appointment to keep the colour looking fresh.”
As for cool versus warm shades, which does he think suits a 90s blonde look better? “It could be either. I think your cool tones are a bit edgier, but I also really like warm tones, especially if it’s highlights or balayage, where the colour is entwined into the natural hair.”
HOW TO CREATE THE 90s BLONDE LOOK NOW
An innovation that started in the 1980s, using foil strips to accelerate the lightening process became widespread in the 90s, which is why highlights were so popular at the time.
Joe says. “Now we've got things like balayage – meaning freehand colour – and, which gives even more of an effortlessly blended colour.”
To create a glam 90s blonde a la Madonna or Claudia Schiffer now, Joe would still use the foil technique, but he would make the highlights more subtle rather than chunky. “How many weaves you choose to put in a foil creates the depth and softness. To bring it into the 2026 realm, I would also maybe introduce a bolder face frame or add a root tap or melt to make it a little bit more lived-in and not so pristine.”
For the Kate Moss or Alicia Silverstone super-natural look, personalised highlights are needed to “make it to look like they’ve been on the beach in Mykonos or Saint Tropez. Condition is flawless with a high shine finish. We used techniques like foilayage or Airtouch.”
HOW TO MAINTAIN THE 90s BLONDE LOOK
To keep blonde hair looking vibrant, Joe recommends a combination of salon treatments and at-home maintenance. “I always suggest the K18 bond-building treatment with any lightening service as a minimum, and a glaze or gloss service is always good in between your main colour appointments to restore the tone.”
You might think purple shampoo and conditioner is a must for blondes, but that’s not necessarily the case. “Some conditioners and masks are pigmented for blonde hair, but generally, conditioner is important because it closes the cuticle. When it sits flat, the colour doesn't leave the hair, and that's where we get our shine from.”
Joe’s top product recommendations for 90s blonde tones are the Shu Uemura Yubi Blonde and Kérastase Blond Absolu ranges. “I also love the Oribe Bright Blonde range, which has a violet-based treatment. It's applied to wet hair after washing.”
Heat protection is also important for preventing colour fade. “I love Kérastase Ciment Thermique for heat protection, and Shu Uemura has a really good anti-brass spray serum. Kevin Murphy also has a very good heat protector called Heated.Defense, and the new Shu Uemura Ultimate Reset Extreme Repair Concentrate which repairs split ends and damage is amazing.”
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is 90s blonde hair?
The 90s blonde look is inspired by the decade’s celebrities. Madonna, Claudia Schiffer and Courtney Love were bold blonde icons, while Kate Moss, Alicia Silverstone and Jennifer Aniston favoured the natural blonde look.
Are 90s blonde highlights back in style?
Yes - but the 2026 trend involves using techniques such as root tap or melt, balayage, foilayage and Airtouch to create personalised colour.
How do you get a natural 90s blonde look?
To create a natural finish, ask your colourist for soft, multitonal or ‘lived-in’ blonde tailored to your skin tone. A root melt or tap (creating the illusion of a root with a darker tone) also gives a natural look.
What blonde suits my skin tone?
As a rule, skin with warm undertones suits warmer blonde shades such as honey or golden and skin with cool undertones suits cooler blonde shades such as ash or platinum.
Why Paul Edmonds London is the place to go for a 90s blonde look
The 90s blonde look encompasses a range of beautiful shades, from glam to grunge, and the colour team at Paul Edmonds London can help you decide which is the most flattering hue for you.
Starting with a consultation, our expert colourists will consider your hair type, skin tone and lifestyle and together you can choose your most beautiful blonde.
Tempted to try 90s blonde? Book an appointment with the colour team at Paul Edmonds London.
