1. THE TREND: Really, really, ridiculously long hair
2. WHO’S DOING IT? Teyana Taylor; Jules on Euphoria; Meg Stalter; Adéla; FKA twigs; ravers in Glasgow, Reykjavik, London and Berlin; girls on the train platforms; the fashion set
3. HOW CAN I GET IT? Grow it and grow it and then keep growing it until it can’t grow anymore! Plus get micro-trims, avoid heat, braid your hair before bed and keep it hydrated.

Everyone is growing their hair as long as possible. Teyana Taylor showed up to the Balenciaga couture AW26 show in July with copper hair that reached down to her knees. On Euphoria, Hunter Schafer’s Jules opted for extreme lengths at Nate and Cassie’s wedding, with a 50 inch-long wig that Kim Kimble, the show’s hairstylist, called “modern-day Rapunzel”. FKA twigs and Adéla both have pink hair that reaches down to their hips, while Yoonchae from KATSEYE played around with length with the help of Evanie Frausto’s SHOWPONY collection. Red carpets have seen the likes of Meg Stalter, Zoe Kravitz, Lisa, Nicole Kidman, Kylie Jenner and Lila Moss all opting for flowing XL locks, and ultra-long hair reigned supreme at the latest Met Gala.

But while red carpet and catwalk aesthetics do often trend towards the extreme – in 2023, we saw a bout of long hair from designers like Collina Strada, Ashley Williams, Blumarine and Avavav – what’s different is that, this time, the style has made its way off the runway and onto the streets, spotted on tube platforms, in supermarket aisles and at the club. 

Long hair was seen at Arca’s album launch party in Glasgow, at Björk’s solar eclipse rave in Reykjavik, during London’s Maiden Voyage festival and at Berlin pride parties. During fashion week, editors and influencers were wearing their hair at waist-skimming lengths. “The street style set pushed hair length to extremes, indicating that ultra-long hair is well and truly back,” British Vogue wrote. 

In the salons, hairstylists say they are “100 per cent” noticing the growth. “The bob is phasing out in terms of a trend right now,” says Maisie G.B. at Studio Studios. “More people are coming in wanting to grow their hair or asking for minimal off, which I’m into – especially the long, undone, textured look.”

Luke Hersheson, stylist and creative director of Hershesons, has found the same. “Hair is getting longer again, but not in that overtly glamorous, hyper-styled sense we’ve seen before. It feels much more minimal,” he says. “Longer hair softens everything. It feels calmer, more sensual and more timeless. There’s less appetite for obvious layers, obvious styling or anything too performative.” He references Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, who returned to the spotlight earlier this year following Ryan Murphy’s Love Story, as an example of the trend: “clean, healthy, unfussy hair with movement and restraint.”

Throughout history and mythology, long hair has symbolised many things. On figures like Mary Magdalene and Botticelli’s Venus it is a symbol of femininity and purity. For many Native Americans, it is linked to strength, power and virility, while during China’s Han dynasty it was a symbol of wealth for men. In Sikhism, the kesh practice involves allowing one’s hair to grow naturally out of respect for the perfection of God’s creation. For European Victorian women, long hair was a sign of health, hygiene and wellness. In contrast, during the 1960s and 70s, long hair became associated with druggy counterculture and rejection of societal conformity.  

So what does the long hair of 2026 represent? The unpoetic answer is that, in a time when the cost of living is on everyone’s mind, long hair can help save money on products and salon appointments. “Given the sociopolitical environment we are in, the economy feels quite up and down, and I think this informs people’s choices, whether consciously or not, to go longer between appointments and choose longer styles that require less maintenance,” says James Oxley, colourist and cutter at Studio Studios. On top of that, he says, after a period of domination by shorter styles like mullets and French bobs, longer hair is now “the new”. 

Alex Brownsell, founder of Bleach London, grew out her hair for her wedding last year. “I don’t think longer hair is any better than short hair but it’s definitely representative of different things – maybe a romanticised idea of ‘coming of age’ and womanhood,” she says. The recent trend for long hair, she suggests, could point towards austerity and “financial reasons”, or even a return to a form of conservatism and tradition. “Out with provocative, daring DIY and in with the beautiful, luscious locks untouched by light, heat or human hands!”

While long hair can indicate a more conservative bent, thanks to its association with a traditional vision of femininity, the contemporary MAGA aesthetic isn’t particularly focused on length. Erika Kirk’s hair does hit waist-length, but prominent examples of the Mar-a-Lago aesthetic like Karoline Leavitt and Ivanka Trump don’t have particularly long hair, neither do tradwife influencers like Nara Smith or Hannah Neeleman (Ballerina Farm). Conservatives are more focused on colour (peroxide blonde) and style (big bouncy blowout) than length.

For Hersheson, this long hair trend – which is more Kajillionaire than Kirk – is a rejection of excess, performance and artifice. “Fashion and beauty react to the mood of the moment, and right now people seem exhausted by excess,” he says. A rejection of what he calls “Instagram hair” is another factor that Hersheson points to. “People are craving authenticity again. They want hair that moves naturally. It’s almost anti-performance,” he says. “There’s something reassuring about healthy long hair. It signals wellness, ease and confidence.”

If you’re looking to grow out your hair, Brownsell says there isn’t a quick, easy fix. “Don’t go on holiday. Don’t use too many products. Eat better. Sleep better. Use a silk pillow. Don't have fun basically,” she jokes. Her more serious advice is to reduce heat styling, braid it before bed and use lots of Bleach London Reincarnation Mask (a recommendation I co-sign). Founder of Studio Studios, Jadah Dale, also advises a micro-trim every two to three months – “your hair grows about half an inch a month, so as long as you’re always taking a bit less off than the amount that grew in, you’ll end up getting long, strong hair.”

And finally, don’t compare yourself to what you are seeing on the red carpets or on your screens. Brownsell says that there’s danger in long hair becoming a status symbol, as it can be very unattainable. “In the case of celebrities and influencers, they’re often dabbling in wigs and extensions, which are great but it’s tough if you’re looking at yourself in the mirror asking why your hair doesn’t look like that,” she says. “Because, in reality, theirs doesn’t either.”