14 Striking Hairstyles for Kids in the 1970s That Are Hardly Seen Today

Children’s hairstyles in the 1970s told little stories about family habits, popular television, music culture, and changing ideas of childhood style. Certain styles, such as the bowl cut and pageboy, reflected a parental desire for neatness and ease of care. Others, such as feathered wings, shag cuts, headbands, and long hair parted in the middle, captured the decade’s easy-going, expressive spirit. Natural styles, such as afro puffs, had a deeper meaning and cultural pride. Salon trends also reached children, with perms and wedge cuts inspired by real-life public figures. Many of these styles looked bold in yearbooks and family albums, but slowly faded as fashion changed.

1. Bowl Cut

The bowl cut ruled school photos, birthday parties, and playgrounds in the 1970s. Often, parents place an actual bowl on the child’s head and then cut the hair around it into an even shape. It was a neat style that was easy to keep up with and affordable during busy school weeks. It was mostly worn by boys, though younger girls could be seen wearing the same rounded shape. The haircut gained popularity in suburban neighborhoods, thanks to television stars and child actors. The face was tightly framed by a thick fringe, giving children a finished look that complemented the decade’s simple fashion trends. This style was not chosen by modern parents, as it later became associated with awkward childhood memories.

2. Shag Haircut for Kids

The shag haircut was a cool, laid-back look for kids that went perfectly with the easy-breezy style of the 1970s. The style was inspired by rock stars like David Bowie and Rod Stewart, with messy layers, feathered edges, and long bangs around the face. The haircut was sported by both boys and girls, particularly older children who wanted a trendier look for school. Her hair was often brushed over her shoulders and tossed madly on bike rides or games at the playground. Sometimes parents found it difficult to keep the layered cut looking neat, as it would easily get tangled after outdoor activities. Finally, the shag faded as the decade’s loose, rebellious fashion trends gave way to neater, more structured hairstyles.

3. Pixie Cut with Feathered Bangs

The feathered pixie cut was a popular hairstyle for young girls in the late 1970s. This hairstyle, inspired by actresses like Farrah Fawcett, featured short hair with soft, feathery bangs that curled out around the cheeks. Mothers often asked for the look because it looked fashionable and did not require hours of brushing every morning. The haircut was fun, energetic, and perfect for active kids who spent their afternoons outside. To create the feathery texture, one of the era’s beauty trends, hairspray and round brushes were used. While modern pixie cuts persisted, the dramatic feathered effect of the 1970s gradually faded as more severe, simpler haircuts gained popularity.

4. Pageboy Cut

Many children of the 1970s had a neat look with the pageboy cut that felt formal but not too serious. Girls would often wear it with their straight hair tucked under at the ends, creating a smooth curve near the chin or shoulders. It seemed controlled, camera-ready, and so the style made it into family portraits, school programs, and Sunday outfits. Parents liked it because it stayed tidy and brushed easily. Some boys also wore shorter pageboy versions, especially when longer hair became fashionable. In later years, more exciting layered styles, perms, and looser hair trends took over, and the cut slowly lost its charm.

5. Long Center-Parted Hair

A long center-parted hairstyle was one of the most obvious indicators of 1970s childhood fashion. Boys and girls parted their hair in the middle and often let it grow past the ears or shoulders. The look had a gentle hippie vibe, especially among families who loved denim, folk music, and natural fashion. It showed up in playgrounds, in yearbooks, in photos from family picnics. Most of the time, parents went for a simple style, just brushing, trimming, and very little product. Center parts are back today, but in a modern way. The loose, untouched 1970s kid version rarely had the same innocent, sunlit charm.

6. Feathered Wings

Feathered wings sprouted from the face, giving children a breezy grown-up look. This style became popularized by the television icons of the 1970s, most notably Farrah Fawcett, whose feathered hair influenced almost every age group. Older girls copied the flipped sides, and some boys wore softer versions with longer layers. The hair needed brushing and blow-drying, and a bit of patience, so mornings turned into a kind of small beauty ritual. It looked dramatic in school photos and blew well in the wind. The style vanished as the fussy feather shape was replaced by simpler cuts and now exists mostly as a nostalgic snapshot of the decade.

7. Mop Top

The mop top remained a familiar hairstyle for children in the 1970s, even after its 1960s fame with the Beatles. Boys frequently had heavy hair on the forehead, around the ears, and at the collar. The look felt youthful, musical, and slightly rebellious without being too extreme for school. It still looked softer than longer rock-inspired styles, and the parents put up with it. Boys who loved bicycles, comic books, and Saturday morning cartoons wore it often. Usually, the cut only needed a comb and an occasional trim. Later, shorter athletic styles pushed the mop top out, so it is not as common in modern children.

8. Pigtails with Plastic Barrettes

Pigtails with plastic barrettes brightened many a 1970’s classroom and playground. The young girls wore two even pigtails, tied high, low, or behind the ears, and clipped them with colorful barrettes shaped like flowers, animals, or bows. The style was cheerful and practical, especially for school days, birthday parties, and church events. Parents liked it because it kept hair out of their faces when writing, running, and eating lunch. Barrettes often coordinated with dresses, knee socks, or bright polyester ensembles. Pigtails were still common, but the daring plastic accessories of the 1970s were scarce in everyday children’s fashion.

9. Afro Puff

The afro puff was a proud and beautiful hairstyle for many Black children in the 1970s, reflecting the decade’s celebration of natural hair. Often, girls wore one or two rounded puffs secured with bands, ribbons, or bright ties. Boys, too, sometimes wore smaller, rounded shapes in the same natural style. The style was linked to the larger Black pride movement and could be found in family photos, school events, and community gatherings. It showed texture, confidence, and cultural identity at a time when natural hairstyles held strong meaning. Modern versions were still evident, but the distinctive 1970s puff had a special historical glow.

10. Long Hair with Headbands

In the 1970s, children sported a relaxed, festival-inspired look with long hair and headbands. Boys and girls wore simple cloth bands across the forehead or around the crown, especially if they had straight or wavy hair. Its style was taken from hippie culture, outdoor concerts, and the decade’s natural look. It was seen at school fairs, parks, and family vacations, where kids looked stylish yet relaxed. Headbands held stray strands in place during play and added pops of color to simple outfits. But as athletic caps, scrunchies, and cleaner hair accessories gained popularity, the look fell out of favor, and forehead headbands became strongly associated with the 1970s.

11. Dorothy Hamill Wedge

Kids went crazy for her wedge haircut when Olympic figure skater Dorothy Hamill won the gold medal in 1976. Many girls copied her short, smooth cut because it looked sporty, neat, and graceful. The hair curled around the head and was fuller in the back, framing the face neatly. Parents loved it because it looked stylish and was easy to style. The cut was seen in school pictures, skating lessons, and family albums all over America. It was fresher than longer hippie styles. By the end of the decade, the wedge was out, replaced by perms and layered cuts, but it remained a famous childhood classic of the 1970s.

12. Rat Tail

The rat tail was first seen on a few daring children toward the end of the 1970s, and it began to gain more popularity in the early 1980s. Most of the hair was cut short during the style, but a single slender strand was left long at the nape of the neck. The majority of the time, boys wore it, and it was typically a small act of defiance on the playground. The tail was braided by some of the children, while others allowed it to hang loosely against their collars and T-shirts. Immediately, either the parents found it humorous, or they found it offensive. Later on, the look became strongly associated with photographs from the 1950s and 1960s, and it was rarely seen as a serious everyday hairstyle.

13. Short Curly Perm

The short, curly perm gave many kids in the 1970s a bouncy, grown-up look that copied adult salon trends. Girls usually had tight curls around the face, and some boys with longer hair had soft permanent waves. Parents who wanted hair that would stay put liked the promise of volume, shape, and less daily curling. It showed up in school programs, holiday photos, and family events. The curls could be cute, but sometimes felt stiff, puffy, or crunchy from too many products. This exact salon-heavy version was rarely worn by modern children as softer, natural curls and simpler cuts came into vogue.

14. Ribbon-Tied Braids

Ribbon-tied braids gave 1970s girls a sweet, polished style that appeared in classrooms, church pews, and family get-togethers. Hair was parted into two braids, tied with satin, grosgrain, or patterned ribbons. The ribbons often coordinated with a dress, jumper, or holiday garment, giving the hairstyle an intentional feel. Parents appreciated that it stayed in place all day long and kept long hair under control. It was old-fashioned but still right for the decade’s colorful clothes. Braids were still popular today, but the ribbon style that went along with them was less in evidence, with elastic ties, clips, and offhand ponytails replacing the carefully applied finishing touch.

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