The Old Hollywood hair trend is making a very modern comeback
Every season, the Row does something that leaves the fashion world in a frenzy, whether it’s the latest incarnation of the cult-favorite Margaux bag, a high-vamp jelly sandal in lollipop red, or, as was the case for spring/summer 2026, a hair comb (or several) tucked ever so neatly into a sculptural, modern take on a French twist.
It was the updo seen around the world, with photos quickly coursing through Instagram and TikTok, prompting an uptick in French-twist tutorials. The runway look was created by legendary hairstylist Guido Palau, who credits its virality to its familiarity. “When there’s a hairstyle that has one foot in the past and one foot in the future, people respond well to it,” he explains. “The combs could trigger a memory, maybe from a grandparent wearing hair combs in her hair or from a painting.” It’s a style that is also accessible. “There’s something nostalgic, but it feels feminine, sculptural, and modern all at the same time — and something people could try at home,” Palau adds.
While Palau has had a hand in the style’s revival, the French-twist boom is a part of a larger pendulum swing from sweatpants, messy buns, and frictionless athleisure to glamour and a little effort. “Fashion is moving back toward refinement and intention, and the French twist delivers that instantly,” says renowned hairstylist Jawara Wauchope, whose clients include Rihanna and the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. “The resurgence really comes from its versatility and restraint. You can take hair in almost any state — messy, wet, or meticulously clean — and pin it up in a way that always feels chic. It’s elegant and strong, effortless but disciplined. I think people are craving beauty that feels composed and minimal, yet with real presence.”
Twisted updos have been around since ancient Greek and Roman times. Ivory and wooden combs were even found in Egyptian tombs, used not only for grooming and securing hairstyles but also to signify wealth and status. Marie Antoinette may have popularized the elaborate pouf, but it was Audrey Hepburn’s perfectly coiffed French twist in 1961’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s that made the style so enduring. The image of that teased updo, fixed with a tiny combed tiara, still reigns across thousands of Pinterest boards as the ultimate inspiration. A version of the twist was even spotted on the red carpet at this year’s Golden Globe Awards, where Zoë Kravitz and hairstylist Nikki Nelms adorned their take on a twist with a diamond flower pin at the crown and loose, face-framing tendrils.
An updo without an accessory is like a house with no foundation: It would fall apart. Gossip Girl and get-ready-with-me videos ushered in the era of the oversize headband; claw clips have come back into popularity, along with everything else resurrected from the ’90s. The comb-studded French twist is the natural evolution of our obsession with hair ornamentation.
Only this version is less precious. If the original ’60s iteration evoked a lifestyle where women had the proclivity (and time) to reach for coiffed, shellacked, no-strand-out-of-place precision, today’s French twist is meant to fit the times, so it’s okay if it’s a little imperfect or, for lack of a better phrase, effed up. “We’re allowing texture, movement, and individuality to live within the shape,” Wauchope says. “The modern twist feels softer, more human, and more inclusive of different hair types and textures.”
Fashion stylist Kate Young, who works with Dakota Johnson and Scarlett Johansson, has been French-twisting her hair for decades. Years of slicked-back styles have led to bun fatigue; a twist offers the same benefits, but “it feels cooler than a chignon right now,” she says. Young recently wore the style to two fancy events, noting that “it feels very uptown and elegant.” She secures her twists with combs and bobby pins, then adorns them with brooches, earrings, or even a giant vertically placed grosgrain bow, pulling inspiration from Matthieu Blazy’s Chanel Métiers d’art 2026 show in New York. For her, though, it’s not just a nighttime look: “I often wear a messy one in the day with one big comb holding it up.”
This is the crux of the appeal of the modern French twist: There is no “perfect” way to do it. “It’s most important to have fun with the look,” says hairstylist Bobby Eliot, who works with Gracie Abrams and Miley Cyrus. “It’s all about making it lived-in. Flyaway and wispy hairs are your friend, because that’s what will make it look cool and modern.” Pulling out hair from a polished French twist may feel counterproductive, but Palau echoes the importance of undone front pieces to create texture.
If you’re a French-twist novice, Palau suggests using bobby pins to shape the twist and even to secure the hair accessory. Don’t worry about disguising the pins either. “There was a time that you needed to hide the bobby pin, but now bobby pins are an accessory too — and something else that’s nostalgic,” adds Palau, who gave a master class in the style at the Khaite Spring 2026 runway show. While shoulder-length hair or longer is ideal, it’s not impossible to twist and pin shorter hair. (Even bobs can get in on the action.)
For a long-lasting twist, use a dry shampoo or texturizing spray, like one from Oribe, to instantly add grit. Or opt for a styling cream or balm, like Crown Affair the Finishing Gel, to avoid hair that’s “too clean and slippery,” Wauchope says. It’s a style that’s particularly great on second- or third-day unwashed hair. If you have gone too gritty, soften hair with an oil like Hair Rituel by Sisley Precious Hair Care Oil. “The goal is movement, not stiffness,” Wauchope adds. “The hair should still feel alive.”
While Palau’s creation for the Row requires an extra set of helping hands (or maybe a degree in architecture), tutorials can be helpful to learn the motions of a basic twist. Once you’ve mastered the flick of the wrist required for a French twist, there’s a certain confidence that comes from tossing your hair up and off your shoulders in a style women have been wearing for generations. It’s why a French twist looks just as right at a gala as it does at the gym.
