Fashion always repeats itself, and the fashionistas of Gen Z have currently been gravitating toward the trends of the late ‘90s and early ‘00s. From hair clips to tiny purses to the returns of baggy and low-rise jeans, the trends of 20+ years ago are coming back with gusto. This comeback absolutely includes hairstyles, such as the iconic Rachel Green haircut, based on Jennifer Aniston's much-copied 'do during the early seasons of Friends. Now, long after she said goodbye to that particular look, the actress has some thoughts about younger folks bringing it back.
Not long after Megan Fox brought rocked a side part, Kourtney Kardashian posted a video of her getting The Rachel haircut, which is essentially a shoulder-length bob with long layers. From the mid-‘90s onward, the haircut became a massive trend, and has since made smaller-scale comebacks here and there with each generation of new viewers discovering the uber-popular NBC sitcom for the first time. It’s now back again, as moments from the show continue to go viral while never really losing their relevance, and the woman who initially popularized the cut explained her feelings regarding its newfound popularity when speaking to Harper’s Bazaar:
I’ve gone in and out of love with ‘The Rachel’ style over the years, but ultimately, I mostly enjoy the history of the haircut because of the memories that were made during its era. It’s so fascinating to me how much it resonates with the Gen Z community. All I have to say is I hope the younger generation is better at styling it than I was!
Friends has managed to stay in the public’s eye ever since leaving the air. Whether you are a Gen X or older Millenial who watched it in real-time on NBC, a millennial or zillennial who grew up with the reruns on Nick at Nite, or a Gen Z kid who binged it either on Netflix, or now with an HBO Max subscription, Friends is always in the zeitgeist. Granted, sometimes its for less than wonderful reasons, such as its lack of diversity.
People still fawn over any behind-the-scenes stories that come from the set, as well as the fun interactions the cast have had together post-Friends. The cast seems to have fun with it all, too, having maintained and evolved their friendships over the years. For example, she and David Schwimmer had a fun exchange on Instagram recently, and she's also posted little Friends Easter eggs on her IG with other castmates. Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow and Aniston all wish each other happy birthdays and hang out together regularly, so it's clear the show's name isn't just merely a title.
While it’s debatable whether Ross and Rachel were ever “on a break,” this haircut is most definitely not on any such break; it’s back with full force. While some early 2000s trends are cringey and should never have come back (low-rise jeans, I’m looking at you) it’s fun to see nostalgic styles, like The Rachel, be rediscovered and rocked by fans of Friends.
