Emily Ratajkowski is already rocking spring’s biggest hair trend—and when we say biggest, we mean that literally.
Ratajkowski was seen sporting larger-than-life disco curls at Paris Fashion Week—a style that’s set to take over spring and summer hair trends. Already A-list approved, this do has attracted lots of fans in the first months of 2024. Kiernan Shipka, Blake Lively, and Keke Palmer have worn their own takes on the voluminous look.
Leaning into a more-is-more beauty ethos, larger-than-life disco curls are a stark contrast to the countless quiet-luxury trends we’ve seen in beauty this year. “The disco-curl trend is giving extra, over-the-top, and bold, and it’s so exciting as a hair dresser to see,” Sarah Potempa, celebrity hairstylist and founder of The Beachwaver Co., tells Glamour. “We’re seeing such a large contrast between this style and tamer, sleek trends.”
As for what’s inspiring the bigger-is-better movement? Potempa points to the rise in beauty tutorials on social media. “On top of just feeling creative, social media has helped give tips and tricks surrounding hair care that has encouraged so many people to improve their hair care routines and begin to see real changes in the health of their hair,” she says.
“Once you have a system like that down, you can have so much more fun with styling your hair!” Potempa says. It’s true: Curling your hair is not unlike riding a bike in that way.
Equipped with more beauty know-how, consumers are also becoming increasingly open to embracing texture and volume, says celebrity hairstylist Joseph Maine, cofounder of Trademark Beauty. “Last year we saw a lot of bouncy blowouts, hot rollers, and Velcro rollers,” he says. “This disco curls look pairs that voluminous blowout with an equally voluminous curl.”
Another benefit to disco curls? They instantly elevate a look, essentially functioning as a statement piece. “Disco curls make your outfit stand out,” Raven Hurtado, hairstylist at Chicago’s Maxine Salon, says of the voluminous hairstyle.
Ready to recreate disco curls yourself? Start from scratch after using volumizing shampoo and conditioner, says Hurtado, then apply heat protectant before you begin heat styling.
The next part depends on your natural hair texture. “If you have naturally textured hair, a diffuser is great to enhance the texture and volume,” says Potempa. If you want to add texture and volume, however, Maine suggests flipping your hair over as you blow-dry. “Using a blow-dryer brush like the Trademark Beauty Easy Blo, flip your head over and continually brush toward the ground,” he says. “This will push your roots upward and allow some extra fluff in the hair.”
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Next, curl your hair using a ¾- or 1-inch curling iron. “Wrap your hair around very tightly to the base of the iron and allow the strands to cool completely before brushing them out,” Maine says. If your hair struggles to hold its curls or tends to fall, however, Potempa suggests going with the smallest barrel possible, such as the Beachwaver S.75. “This will help give a tight, springy curl,” he says.
“Continue making tight curls throughout this section, alternating the direction of the curl between away and toward the face,” Potempa continues. “Alternating the direction of the curl will help create more texture throughout the curls once we style them.” And be sure to let your curls cool completely before touching or styling them further, as this will help set the curl pattern, allowing for longer-lasting curls.
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Once your curls have cooled down, brush them out with a wide-tooth comb or styling brush, and finish with texturizing spray for additional volume. “This will add grit and lift to hair, and will also mattify it for a more natural-looking hairstyle,” Potempa says. “Play around with flipping the bangs or the part for even more volume for a very extra disco-curl look.”
Ready to boogie? Grab your bell-bottoms and shop Emily Ratajkowski–inspired disco-curl essentials below.
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Danielle Sinay is the associate beauty editor at Glamour. Follow her on Instagram @daniellesinay.
