20 Edgy Alt Hairstyles to Unleash Your Bold Side

Alternative hairstyles for women are great for self-expression and style experimentation. Learn what looks suit you...

  • 5 min read
20 Edgy Alt Hairstyles to Unleash Your Bold Side

Discover the world of statement-making styles for your next major hair upgrade!

Alternative hairstyles are a modern take on the rockstar and grunge aesthetics popularized in the ’90s. Known for their bold combination of colors and shapes, these crops ooze individuality and expressivity.

Think of a vivid mullet or an asymmetrical color-blocked cut. You can even make a classic bob look more edgy with elongated, ear-framing strands and piece-y layers. Your only limit is your own imagination! Here are 20 hair ideas for women to embrace their creativity and uniqueness.

1. Hime Cut

This variation of a jellyfish haircut is greatly inspired by Korean and Japanese hair trends that feature statement side strands and a blunt fringe, offering a striking contrast with longer locks at the back of the head. Adding some pops of color makes the crop even more eye-catching.

Korean Alt Hairstyle for Women

2. Piece-y Emo Hairstyle

Emo hairstyles are back in fashion thanks to their timeless quirkiness and unique color choices. The popular black-and-pink layered look with jagged edges and overgrown bangs swept carelessly to the side gives the ultimate nostalgic feel.

Piece-y Alternative Hairstyle@nonbinhairy

3. Curly Shullet

When a classic shag meets modern mullet style, you get a perfect blend of both looks, known as shaggy mullet. The cut works great for naturally curly tresses, as it sets your hair texture free, featuring a long trail of ringlets at the back of the head and a trendy mini fringe at the front.

Curly Alt Mullet Hairstyle@rotten.heads

4. Tipped-Out Mullet

Elevate your modern mullet with a side undercut and dip-dyed ends. Lighter hair tones will look good with earthy color accents for a more natural transition between the hues. For a slightly more personal touch, match the bright tips with your eye color.

Short Alt Hairstyle@kayla.hardcorehair

5. Medium Crop with Bleached Roots

Blonde roots with a darker base color create a high-contrast look that instantly draws attention to your locks. Keep the haircut simple and neat to not overwhelm the glam with complex forms and designs.

Alt Hairstyle for Medium Hair@raeganml_

6. Multi-Tone Loose Waves

This look is both cute and bold because of the vibrant color melt and effortless styling. The wow effect is achieved with the help of neon shades that shine through the length. Soft waves only add to the depth and lived-in dimension of the style.

Loose Wavy Alt Hairstyle@jesdoeshair_

7. Racoon Striped Crop

Blonde stripes on the top of the head and on sideburns make the look much more enticing and fashion-forward. The added clip-ins with the same pattern add the overall complexity to the style, allowing you to play with the hair length.

Shaggy Alt Crop with Clip-Ins@lily_palmm

8. Vivid Undercut Style

Give your undercut pixie a creative twist with a bright, mustard-yellow hair color that takes the whole look to the next level. Pair your glam with smokey eyes or red lips for extra dramatic effect and enjoy your new transformation.

Short Alt Hairstyle with Bangs@hexgirlhair

9. Fiery Ombre Style

A layered haircut with sharp, pointy ends is a statement style on its own, as it lends some fullness and texture to your mane. But just in case you want to reveal your bold side and fiery personality, ask your hairdresser for this ombre look.

Layered Alt Hairstyle@kayla.hardcorehair

10. Disconnected Bob

A short crop doesn’t have to be plain and boring. Take, for instance, this version of the inverted bob, featuring a stacked back and elongated side strands that reach the shoulder level. A brightly colored fringe contributes to the overall edginess of the style.

Stacked Alt Hairstyle for Women@nonbinhairy

11. Dark Hair with Bright Underlay

If you have naturally dark locks and don’t want to dramatically change your style, throw in some color to the hair section just below the top layers. It will create a seamless blend of hues and let you showcase your bright strands whenever you like.

Long Alt Hairstyle for Straight Hair@rotten.heads

12. Textured Cut with Ghost Roots

This wet look is beautifully accentuated with metallic roots that create the melted iron effect. The hairstyle works well for round faces because of the textured sides that add lots of movement and dimension to the glam.

Alt Hairstyle for Round Face@studmuffinken

13. Pixie Mullet with Micro Fringe

A well-trimmed pixie mullet is the key to a life-changing hair transformation and a powerful confidence boost. Combined with a fiery hair shade like the one in the picture, the cut will definitely uplevel your style.

Grunge Alternative Hairstyle@maria.stylezz

14. Curly Style with Color Melt

Rainbow hair offers a fascinating mix of colors that complement your skin tone and eye color. Don’t limit yourself to bright shades only. Try to combine pastel hues with some vibrant splashes for a more romantic look.

Alt Hairstyle for Shoulder Length Hair@lily_palmm

15. Y2K Hairstyle

Butterfly clips are having a major comeback lately, ushering in the rebirth of popular Y2K hairstyles. Pull your vivid strands up with two large clips to enhance the feathery texture of your haircut. Experiment with other hair accessories for the maximum style upgrade.

Vivid Alt Updo Hairstyle@nonbinhairy

16. Braided Half-Updo

If you’ve decided to go for colorful hair extensions this time, here is a great styling tip on how to keep them tamed and glossy. Braid the top section of your head and slick down your baby hairs for a clean and neat finish.

Alt Hairstyle for Black Women@901.teedidit

17. Mullhawk with Hair Tattoo

This half-mullet, half-mohawk glam gives a wild yet stylish vibe. Leopard print foils look truly outstanding on the shaved side, transforming your mane into a canvas. Make sure to keep your ends spiked up for a rockstar feel.

Spiky Alt Hairstyle with Color Accent@kissysbombshellbeauties

18. Long Step Cut

Introduce long layers to your lengthy strands to create a graduation effect and enliven a boring haircut. If you feel extra bold and creative, add some lighter stripes throughout the length that will make your hair look partially bleached.

Long Alt Hairstyle@kayla.hardcorehair

19. Layered Reverse Ombre Style

Reverse ombre is a popular styling option for those who love to try something unique and less trivial for their locks. Place some brighter strands at the root area, allowing the colors to melt into a darker shade closer to the ends.

Long-Layered Alt Hairstyle@curlupndyelv

20. Shaggy Style with Pointy Bangs

This cut looks particularly flattering on naturally wavy hair, especially when paired with quirky pointy bangs. Opt for a bright hair color to make the style even more captivating and edgy.

Fluffy Alternative Hairstyle@hexgirlhair

As you can see, alt hairstyles are all about experimentation and a combination of different designs. From reimagined mullets and shaggy crops to Emo styles and rainbow strands – the variety of options is endless. You’ll surely find your favorite one!

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