The latest hair trend known as indie sleaze waves is actually not new at all — but they’re making a comeback in a big way. Picture this: It’s the early 2000s. You put your new Britney Spears CD into your CD player. Mary Kate and Ashley are on TV rocking those grungy beach waves and dark under eyeliner. This is the era when the indie sleaze waves were born. Though the style name is new, the style is not, and we’ve noticed more and more celebrities and everyday people looking for this nostalgic style that works for every occasion.
If you want to throw it back to the 2000s while also staying current with modern trends, the indie sleaze waves may just be the look for you. In order to achieve this style, you may need to consult with a professional hairstylist for the right cut, and you’ll definitely need to stock up on some texture hair products to get those perfectly messy waves you’re looking for.
What Are Indie Sleaze Waves?
You’ve seen this style many times before. As mentioned, Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen often rocked this edgy but stylish look to run errands and hit up the club. With her glitter-frosted makeup and long messy waves, Kesha rocked this style often. Basically, indie sleaze waves are loose curls that resemble beach waves, but they have a choppier, messier look that still remains stylish. Though we often see this look on longer hair, it is possible to achieve with shorter locks, too — as long as you have the right texture, products, and cut.
Source: VGstockstudio/Shutterstock.comHow to Get the Indie Sleaze Waves Look
Choppy layers are really the defining factor in this haircut. That’s going to give you both the right amount of volume and the depth to keep your locks looking just messy enough while still looking purposeful. If you already have a lot of layers in your hair, you may just need to learn how to style them. If your current haircut isn’t quite up for the job, make an appointment with a hairstylist to discuss how to make the indie sleaze waves look your own. Bring plenty of reference pictures and communicate with your stylist to ensure you’re getting exactly the look you want.
If you have shorter hair, you can definitely still rock the look — but remember that the shorter your hair, the tighter your curls. So, if you have very tight curls or extremely straight hair, you may not look exactly like your reference photo, but you can definitely make this style your own.
Once you’ve got the cut, then it comes time to style. The great thing about this style is that it really doesn’t take much time or effort to achieve the look. But, salon hair styling products are the most important tool you can have on hand when trying to achieve the indie sleaze waves. This texture spray will give that beachy look without making your curls too prim and proper. It will also help your hair hold the style better, keeping it in place whether you’re at the office or out with friends.
If you have straighter hair, you can blow dry your hair with a large round brush and use big curling rollers to hold the style in place. Once your hair has cooled, take the curlers out, run your fingers through your hair to mess the curls up a bit, and add some texture spray and light hairspray to keep them in place. If you’ve got naturally wavy hair, you can use texture spray and let your hair air dry to see how the curls come out before adjusting your styling process.
3 Reasons to Try This Trendy Look
1. It’s Easy to Maintain
One of our favorite things about the indie sleaze waves is that they’re so easy to keep up with. Once you have the right cut with plenty of choppy, blunt layers, you can achieve this look anytime at home. Unlike other styles that can take hours in front of the mirror to perfect, the indie sleaze waves are meant to look a bit messy, so you don’t have to fret about keeping every little hair in place. You can perfect this simple style in just minutes if you air-dry.
Source: Dmitry_Tsvetkov/Shutterstock.com2. It Works with Different Looks
Because the style is so simple and straightforward, it’s easy to make it work with almost any look. Wear this hairstyle to work by keeping the curls a little more time and match it with a chic blazer for a more sophisticated look or rock this style for a day by the pool. It won’t even matter if you get your hair wet because the style is so simple to recreate. Just make sure to keep your texture hair products handy.
3. It’s Nostalgic
Sometimes old is new. And in the case of the indie sleaze waves, this is especially true. We’ve seen a trend of early 2000s fashion and hair trends making a comeback, and this is one of our faves. It’s a great way to pay tribute to some of that era’s icons while also adding elements that make the look more modern.