Sometimes, the most striking hair trends are inspired by centuries-old approaches. A quick search on TikTok finds the term “Renaissance hair” sitting at 5.5 billion views, filled with tutorials showcasing long, soft waves festooned with braids, ribbons, flowers, and baubles (the numbers padded by a wealth of looks inspired by Beyoncé’s Renaissance Tour, naturally). Renaissance hair is what happens when you’re ready for a new chapter of the cottagecore trend—an ode to full-on fantasy, grounded in history.
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During the height of the Italian Renaissance, hair was considered a woman’s crowning glory, as evidenced by the intricate styles visible in paintings from the era (think works like Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus and Portrait of a Young Woman, or La Bella by Titian). “Although paintings often depict allegorical figures and imagined worlds, they still represent an aspirational standard of beauty and would reflect desirable fashions of the time,” says Rachael Gibson, also known as The Hair Historian. “Hair was a way of communicating age, marital status, and an individual’s position in the period’s social hierarchy.”
Hairstylist Guido Palau brought Renaissance-esque plaits to the 2024 resort runways, his updos for Dior slung low and mimicking a raffia texture—the perfect pairing for the show’s mythological themes—while the polished twists at Elie Saab veered aristocratic, an open nod to the more decadent side of early modern Europe.
While these complex styles aren’t always the easiest to achieve—there’s a reason Renaissance maidens were surrounded by dozens of ladies-in-waiting to help them, after all—with time, patience, and a few TikTok tutorials, you can become an expert quicker than you think. And once you’ve mastered the basics, it offers a rare opportunity to flex your creativity. “The level of detail and personalization hair means it lends itself really well to the desire for individuality that we’re seeing so much more at the moment,” says Gibson.
For both Gibson and myself, the best part of donning a Renaissance-inspired beauty look in a contemporary context is the contrast. Whether worn loose and flowing or meticulously finished, the romantic styles skew cool—but still court-ready—when paired with the tees, trousers, and midi dresses of the day. “I also love the idea of seeing people dress Renaissance styles with more undone textures for a less pristine look,” adds Gibson, the better to avoid any unwanted bridal beauty associations.
“I think the ethereal nature of Renaissance hair means it has come to be a shorthand for otherworldly romance, which is why we see it referenced so often in fantasy dramas that belong to no particular moment in time or place in the world,” says Gibson. Looking for an aesthetic escape? Try ditching your slicked midi knot for something a touch more sumptuous this summer.
