Zendaya and Olivia Rodrigo bring back the crown braid, the ultimate bohemian hairstyle
Zendaya was spotted wearing two delicate braids with her long hair left loose, and just days later she reappeared with a thick plait coiled into a bun. That stylistic leap threw a spotlight on a trend few saw coming: the bohemian hairstyle inspired by the 1960s is back, and it is making a surprisingly powerful statement in 2026.
Zendaya and Olivia Rodrigo, the new faces of a retro-chic look
Two of pop culture’s biggest names have put this hairstyle firmly back in the conversation. Olivia Rodrigo and Zendaya have both gone for versions of the crown braid, but with distinctly different takes. Olivia Rodrigo chose an XXL interpretation with a retro-chic aesthetic that flirts with Victorian-era romance, delivering an immediately dreamy effect.
Zendaya, meanwhile, showed just how versatile this style can be by wearing it two different ways within the space of a few days. First in a structured version, with a single thick braid starting from the centre of the scalp and coiling into a bun at the back. Then in a much softer, more bohemian direction, with two fine braids and the rest of her hair left flowing loose.
Zendaya’s dual approach perfectly captures the richness of this style: the same hairstyle can yield radically different results depending on how you choose to interpret it.
A history that stretches back well before the 1960s
To understand why this bohemian hairstyle holds such enduring appeal, you have to go back to its roots. The crown braid actually had its first moment in the 1940s. Yet it was the late 1960s and early 1970s that gave it its most iconic image, carried forward by the hippie movement.
During that era, the style sat naturally alongside the dominant bohemian-chic aesthetic. Women who wore it would create one or two plaits framing the face, adding considerable volume to the hair. Some finished the look with a headscarf to emphasise its accessorised, free-spirited feel.
After a long absence, the crown braid enjoyed a first revival in the 2010s. It became a fixture on red carpets and at festivals, most notably Coachella, whose popularity was exploding at the time. The style then was looser, more casual-chic, with some wearing two braids starting from either side of the scalp. Many assumed that revival would mark the trend’s final chapter. It was not.
How to wear the crown braid today
The strength of this bohemian hairstyle lies in its adaptability. In 2026, two main directions coexist, and Zendaya’s looks are the clearest illustration of both.
- The romantic, structured version: a single thick braid running from the centre of the scalp and coiled into a bun at the back, for a Victorian-inspired, polished effect.
- The soft, undone version: two fine braids on either side with the hair left loose, for a relaxed, bohemian finish.
- The accessorised version: a headscarf completes the look, in keeping with the tradition of the 1960s and 1970s.
- The XXL version: a bold, voluminous crown braid like the one worn by Olivia Rodrigo, for maximum visual impact.
Each of these options is built on the same basic principle, but the end result varies considerably depending on the thickness of the braids, how many there are, and how the rest of the hair is handled.
Why this bohemian hairstyle is winning over a new generation
Trends always come back around, but not all of them manage to win over new generations. The crown braid has made that leap. Its bohemian-chic sensibility allows it to slot into today’s aesthetic codes without feeling dated.
This comeback is part of a broader movement: the beauty world has seen a surge of interest over recent weeks in trends from the 1990s and 2000s, while hairstyles are drawing from even more distant decades. The crown braid, with its roots in the 1940s and its hippie associations from the 1960s, is the perfect embodiment of fashion’s cyclical nature.
What makes this bohemian hairstyle particularly compelling is that it never simply returns unchanged. It reinvents itself with each decade, absorbing the aesthetic codes of the moment to stay relevant. In 2026, championed by icons like Zendaya and Olivia Rodrigo, it proves once again that it is a timeless style built to outlast any era.
