The 'pouf' hairstyle is back—and Rosie Huntington-Whitely proves it does have a place in 2023

If there's one beauty look we couldn't imagine making a comeback, it's the pouf hairstyle (also known as 'the bump', 'the quiff' or 'the fauxhawk'). There are very few hair trends that evoke early-00s nostalgia quite like the pouf, which made its mark in the era of blue eyeliner, concealer-tinged lips and ultra-thin brows. A time we really didn't think would provide much modern beauty inspiration.

But low and behold, the pouf is back—and Rosie Huntington-Whitely is actually making us wonder why this (somewhat) iconic hairstyle fell out of favour in the first place. The pouf sees the front sections of hair pulled back in a bouffant style, secured with a couple of kirby grips or a larger clip at the back of the crown, followed by a spritz of hairspray. 

Rosie was spotted with the style during Milan Fashion Week at the Dolce & Gabbana's Spring/Summer 2024 womenswear show, wearing a structured white suit from the brand. Her honey-blonde hair was pulled back off her face, with the rest of the length super straight. Rosie makes the pouf look effortless and chic—and totally appropriate for its 2023 outing. 

Of course, Rosie's take on the pouf is a little more sophisticated than our own voluminous poufs of days gone by, which were created using a fair bit of backcombing and excess dry shampoo.

The pouf has been stealthily making its comeback for quite some time now, with celebs and influencers dipping toes back into the trend. Florence Pugh is somewhat of a fan of this style, spotted sporting the look back in 2019 with a shorter hairstyle. 

Over on TikTok, beauty and fashion influencer Matilda Djerf was responsible for a resurgence of the Y2K trend after debuting her version of the pouf on Instagram. “OMG you guys, it’s time! Get the Bumpits out! We’re going back,” TikToker @cryinginablazer tells followers. Matilda is known for her influence when it comes to hair trends. As one follower points out, 'If miss Matilda doing it we're all doing it in 3-6 months'. 

Looks like the pouf is the style to watch. We're waiting with baited breath to see if butterfly clips and side fringes follow suit.