The hottest hairstyle for spring is a blast from the past

Perms are bouncing back!

The perm — short for “permanent wave” — hit its peak in the ’80s with Jennifer Beals shaking her curls in “Flashdance” and Jon Bon Jovi banging his in the band’s every music video at the time.

Now, the big, bold style is having a moment with It gals such as Emily Ratajkowski, 31; Bella Hadid, 26; Katie Holmes, 44 and Nicole Kidman, 55, riding the wave.

Some are getting the look with styling methods either permanent or temporary, while others are just embracing their natural bounce.

Thanks in part to TikTok tutorials and new hair products, many people are finally learning how to create and manage curly hair.

Celebrity hairstylist Tommy Buckett told The Post that he’s noticed an uptick in perms, but some have given it a new twist.

It’s “not the old 80s look anymore,” Buckett, a stylist at Marie Robinson Salon in NoMad, said. “It’s definitely different and a bigger, more loose curl or even a spiral wave.”


Emily Ratajkowski, 31
Emily Ratajkowski, 31, has been spotted with curls springing from her head on several photoshoots and outings this year.
Emily Ratajkowski / Instagram

Nicole Kidman with a lose perm
Nicole Kidman, 55, recently debuted a subdued version of the style she sported for much of the ’80s and ’90s.
@nicolekidman/Instagram

Kidman is perfect proof. The Australian actress posted several photos on Instagram this week showing off long spiral curls — a more subdued version of the signature style she rocked for most of the ’80s and ’90s.

Hadid, meanwhile, was recently seen bouncing around Vegas with her spiralized locks, while Emily Ratajkowski has been jet-setting with disco curls. (Her hair was, however, stick straight for a recent makeout session with Harry Styles.)

Professional hairstylist Luis Payne confirmed to The Post that he’s seen more people going curly.

“You can wake up shake your hair a bit and look effortlessly trendy,” Payne said.


Bella Hadid attends the grand opening of Stanton Social Prime at Caesars Palace
Bella Hadid, 26, celebrated five months of sobriety with an alcohol-free trip to Las Vegas where she stepped out with tight curls.

Katie Holmes with a perm
Katie Holmes, 44, pranced around New York City in February showing off her new curls.
GC Images

But, it typically takes some work to get to that low-maintenance point.

Payne added, “A lot of effort goes into rolling the hair on rods to design a pattern that looks natural; chemically altering the structure of your hair so you can appear effortless.”

“That’s the funny thing, isn’t it?” the pro continued. “No style is truly effortless.”