It’s pretty common knowledge, even among the most hardcore of fans, that pro-wrestling fashion tends to be between five and 10 years behind the times. But if one can look past the often out-of-date styles and visual imagery of sports entertainment, there are sometimes moments of shockingly on-point style and incredibly intricate fashion. Pro wrestling, like drag and haute couture, has its own idiosyncratic version of glamour that doesn’t make sense out of context.
Outrageous hairstyles are one of many components in the visual language of pro wrestling and have helped to define the art form’s unique aesthetic. From the flowing manes of ‘80s wrestlers like the Macho Man to the bleach burnt locks of Ric Flair to Stone Cold’s shiny dome, wrestlers’ hair (or lack thereof) often functions as the punctuation to the sentence of their look. Hair, especially for women, helps accentuate the movement of the bodies in the ring and signals toward the athletes’ grace.
But the hairstyles of this newest generation of pro wrestlers have become severely underappreciated and under-examined. While many of the performers of this generation remain stuck in bizarre style time capsules, others excel as examples of how a simple haircut can establish an entire character.
So, who’s got the best do?