Miley Cyrus made news for more than one reason last week: she won two Grammys, wore five show-stopping outfits, won the internet with her Flowers performance—and flaunted the first viral hairdo of the new year.

While everyone else had styled glossy hair, straight or wavy, the singer-songwriter turned up the drama and volume with her 1970s’ hairstyle with a modern, punk edge that had elements of the trending mob-wife look. Blowouts from every decade make for some of the most iconic hair looks—be it Brigitte Bardot’s backcombed bouffant in the 1960s, Farrah Fawcett’s feathered hair in the 1970s that became more voluminous in the 1980s, or the 1990s’ fluffy hair supermodel blowout. We asked two Mumbai-based hairstylists—Javed Salmani from Mary Cohr, a French beauty brand that has opened its first salon in India, and Shivani Kakka, who has worked with personalities like Prateek Kuhad—to break down the steps to get a blow-dry from different decades.

1960s

In the 1960s, hairstyles were all about bangs and volume, says Salmani, while explaining that fringes bring out “a new personality without drastic cuts, and bangs make the face look fuller, cuter”. The recent comeback of curtain bangs has revived the voluminous, rounded blow-dry trend from the 1960s.

Jennifer Coolidge with the Supporting Actress in a Drama Series award for ‘The White Lotus’ at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, on 15 January
(REUTERS)

How to get the look

Begin with clean, dry hair.

Apply a heat protectant.

Divide your hair into four sections: three at the back and one for bangs in front.

Apply any thickening lotion evenly to each section for added volume.

Use a volumising blow-dryer for maximum effect.

Start blow-drying each section from the inside, working your way outward.

When you reach the front bangs section, comb inward while blow-drying to achieve the desired 1960s vibe.

1970s

Hairstyles in this decade embraced backcombing, creating the iconic bouffant look, explains Salmani. These hairstyles lived on in Bollywood in the 1980s and 1990s as well.

How to get the look

Begin with clean, dry hair.

Use a hair mousse for lightweight yet effective texturing.

Use a round brush and a blow dryer to achieve a quaffed, bouncy blowout. Focus on creating volume and soft waves.

Once you’ve achieved the desired look, secure it with bobby pins for a better hold.

Go with your natural flow, gently brush small strands in place, and finish strong with a hairspray.

1980s

This decade gave us fun hairstyles, and large, bold hair is both versatile and easy to achieve. “With Miley Cyrus’s high-volume, teased and textured hair going viral, I see it making a comeback, especially with Gen Z,” says Kakka. For any voluminous blow-dry, Kakka says one should work on each section while holding the dryer perpendicular to the scalp.

How to get the look

Start with 50% damp hair. Use a heat-resistant spray.

Use a hair mousse to give your hair volume and hold.

Section your hair and start doing a volume blow dry.

Once done, create big hair sections and use big hair rollers that will give you that extra volume.

Change the nozzle of the dryer to a diffuser, blast it with cold air and lightly use a hair spray.

Wait five minutes and then start removing the rollers one by one.

Once the rollers are out, run your hands through your hair and set them the way you like. This will give you the perfect voluminous look.

Take one or two drops of a serum of your choice, rub it between your palms and lightly run it through your hair to tame any unwanted frizz and add shine. You can use a size 28 tong for any last-minute touch-ups you may require.

1990s

“This is my favourite decade,” says Kakka. “There’s never been greater hair inspiration than the 1990s.” This decade gave us the best hair accessories in addition to high ponytails, messy buns, The Rachel and supermodel layers. This decade’s hairstyles are still popular among celebrities and even at weddings.

How to get the look

Start with 70-80% damp hair and go in with a heat-resistant spray.

Use a mousse or a hold spray to give the hair volume and hold it in place.

Start with a volume blow-dry using a round or a Denman brush. When you reach the roots of your hair, give it an inward turn.

Next, take medium to thick sections and go in with a straightener. Similar to what you did with the dryer, start at the top and when you reach the roots, give your hair an inward turn. This will help you achieve a cleaner look.

Use a few drops of a serum of your choice and lightly go in with a hair spray to tame any frizz or flyaways.

Dhara Vora Sabhnani is a Mumbai-based writer.