A quirky new hair color trend is taking over Gen Z’s style feeds—and it’s inspired by calico cats. Called “calico hair,” this tri-color dye job mimics the signature patchwork of black, white, and orange fur seen on the feline favorite. The result? A bold, dimensional look that lets wearers showcase their personality with every strand.
Popular among Zoomers looking to stand out, calico hair combines copper, auburn, and golden blonde hues through layered highlights and lowlights. While technically possible to DIY, most trendsetters are heading to salons to ensure the perfect blend and avoid the complicated, time-consuming steps of sectioning, coloring, and washing each portion separately. New York City-based colorist Marie Nino recommends bringing reference photos and working with a stylist to customize the colors to suit individual skin tones.
Bold, Beautiful… and a bit High-Maintenance
Though visually stunning, the calico hair trend comes with serious upkeep. Some hair professionals are warning clients that this look is high maintenance because of the intricate layering of colors involved in the process. Ryan Dickie, a colorist from Miami, said, “It’s especially important to maintain that base color, which is going to take cooler water when rinsing, a minimum of heat styling, and the use of color-safe products.” A New York City-based dermatologist, Ellen Marmur, echoed these sentiments adding, “Warm water can open up the hair cuticle and make the color fade faster, whereas a cool rinse helps seal it and maintains the color and shiny appearance.”
While the calico hair trend hasn’t gone as mainstream as other cute style names like “old money blonde” or “recession hair,” it’s got a certain presence across social media. With Miley Cyrus already sporting a calico-esque look with her warmer browns and golden copper, we can already see how the trend can be toned down, or turned up, depending on personal style.
Long hair gives you more of a canvas to work with for your tri-color palette, but shorter haired Gen Z have put their own spin on it and are getting creative with calico hair and sharing their versions on TikTok and Instagram. Still, experts seem to think that the very bold nature of calico hair, along with its labor-intensive maintenance, will make the style a micro-trend that doesn’t last long. But for now, it’s got Gen Z purring with excitement.
