Feathers are having a full-blown fashion renaissance — and the 2026 Grammys made it impossible to ignore, as the classic accents fluttered across the red carpet in high-fashion form.
Lady Gaga (who scored Best Pop Vocal album) swept onto the stage wearing a Matières Fécales gown — complete with black feathers that climbed her neckline and framed her chin.
Best New Artist winner Olivia Dean opted for a chic black-and-white Chanel look with feathers accenting her waist.
Kesha, marking her long-awaited Grammys return, went full drama for Music’s Biggest Night in an off-the-shoulder white gown dusted in soft, wispy feathers.
But feathers aren’t stopping at the hemlines of gowns — they’re also creeping their way back into hair.
Once dismissed as a boho staple, hair feathers are officially rising from the grave — thanks largely to Gen Z, a generation with zero fear of resurrecting ancient trends that millennials spent a decade pretending never happened.
In November, Kim Kardashian tucked feathers into her slicked-back bun while promoting her new series “All’s Fair” in Brazil, while pop star Tate McRae strutted the 2025 VMAs red carpet with carefully placed plumes woven into her hair.
The message was clear: feathers are no longer ironic — they’re editorial.
The trend had laid dormant since the early teens, when feather extensions were all the rage, popularized by Selena Gomez, Miley Cyrus, Hilary Duff, Bella Thorne and Ke$ha — usually crimped in with tiny beads and worn until they either fell out or grew out.
Lana Del Rey immortalized the trend in 2014 in her hit single “Brooklyn Baby,” crooning, “I’ve got feathers in my hair / I get down to Beat poetry.”
Fast forward to now, the trend has returned with social media captions reading “had the feminine urge to put feathers in my hair” and “cool girls are bringing back hair feathers,” as women in their 20s and 30s clip them in for nights out — or just vibes.
And while Gen Z may think they discovered something new, Gen Xers and Boomers know better — the concept could be seen flying everywhere as early as the hippie era, when hippies who didn’t have flowers in their hair had feathers instead.
Steven Tyler has been rocking hair feathers since before TikTok was a twinkle in tech’s eye — including during his “American Idol” judge era from 2011 to 2012.
In New York City, salons never fully let the trend die.
Feather extensions are still available at spots like Live by the Sword in Williamsburg and Salons by JC in Bay Shore — now updated for a more polished crowd.
Celebrity hairstylist Jessica Ruby, who has worked with Del Rey and owns Flamingo by Ruby salons, says this revival hits differently.
“This round feels less ‘boho souvenir stand’ and more intentional styling,” Ruby told The Post, noting that Gen Z and young Millennials are leaning into maximalism — from hair tinsel to feathers — while still wanting looks that are removable for work, auditions or tour changes.
Feathers, she explained, have cycled through hair history for decades — they were present during the ’70s and ’80s, as well as the boho explosion in the wake of the 2008 recession. Today’s version acts as a remix rather than a repeat, she said.
Mariah Carey’s lead hairstylist, Dior Sovoa, agrees. What was once DIY festival fashion has gone full fashion week.
“In 2026, it’s about editorial precision,” Sovoa told The Post. “We’re integrating feathers into high-glam, sleek silhouettes. It’s less boho and more high-fashion accent.”
Even color pros are on board. Paula Peralta, an LA-based celebrity colorist and Artistic Director for Paul Mitchell, pointed out that feathers have long held cultural and historical significance — from Indigenous traditions to the ornate flapper styles of the 1920s.
And when done right, she says, the trend has legs.
Zoomer singer McRae’s VMAs look, Peralta noted, worked because the feathers were thoughtfully placed, color-coordinated and styled to feel deliberate — not accidental.
So yes, hair feathers are here again. And while older types may cringe at the memory, Gen Z is proving that in beauty — as in fashion — no trend ever really dies.
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