Love it or hate it, beauty trends are cyclical; like your favourite ex-situationship (dear God, release me from the shackles), they always make a reappearance – whether that be months or years later. The latest to reemerge? Well, thankfully, it's not Dan, John or James from Hinge but instead, crimped hair courtesy of the early 2000s and more recently, Rita Ora. Hallelujah, I say!
Earlier today [October 25], Rita shared a 19-part carousel post on Instagram from her latest tour stop in Japan. Now, as otherworldly as her antics looked, what had us 'oohing' and 'ahhing' at first glance was, in fact, her major hair makeover. As shown below, the singer's new look features peroxide blonde crimped curls, complete with a shadow root.
"What a week of shows in Japan, these crowds?!!! The ENERGY 😱🫨 I had the absolute best time on stage 💖🇯🇵🌟," she wrote in the caption of her post.
It's giving Y2K resurrection and we're not at all mad about it. To tell the truth, we're actually all for the crimped hair resolution!
Having said that, on closer inspection, it's safe to assume that Rita's crimped hair does come to us via a wig. However, that's not to say that she wouldn't rock the style on her natural lengths.
So, if you can't find your BaByliss Wave Envy crimper from decades ago (IYKYK), you best scour our hair waver round-up and contemplate investing in a new one. After all, Rita's voluminous 'do certainly makes a strong case for the throwback style!
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Lia Mappoura (she/her) is the Beauty Writer at Cosmopolitan UK, with over four years of experience reporting across the brand's print, social, video and digital platforms. Lia covers everything from emerging trend analysis to viral celebrity hair and makeup moments, making her an expert at spotting the season’s next big beauty look (before it takes over social media feeds).
In 2025, she was named The Rising Media Star at the Love Perfume Awards with The Perfume Shop, recognised for her outstanding digital fragrance content and for building genuine authority within the space. She is passionate about challenging outdated beauty stereotypes, championing inclusive representation in beauty, and educating readers on the trends, products and conversations shaping the industry today. Follow her on Instagram or find her on LinkedIn.
