The Tamesis
In 2026, we are not ghosts, but ghosts taking root.
As a result, we’re used to thinking of hair coloring (and focusing on the roots) as a corrective routine treatment to cover gray hair. But there’s a twofold shift happening in the hair color world: We’ve been embracing our natural grays, and we’ve been experimenting with shades beyond blondes, brunettes, ebony, and auburn. Looking forward to the edgiest hair trends of 2026? Ghost roots.
While monthly trips to the barbershop for rejuvenation may feel mechanical, the Ghost Roots trend does the opposite, subverting and reinterpreting roots as a playful form of self-expression. Alternative fashion girls have long embraced ghost roots: Just look at Billie Eilish at the 2024 Golden Globes and Grammys, where she showed off rich red and neon green roots, respectively, that contrasted with her jet-black hair. Others prefer acid pinks, baby blues and peroxide golds. A recent example? Rosalia and her bleached halo hair.
Photo: Getty Images
Embrace the Ghost Root Hair Trend
Onigune isn’t new: It’s reminiscent of Japan’s enduring angel-ring hairstyle, which you’d see on emo kids and anime characters in the early ’00s—but now, it’s becoming trendier and chicer. Looking back, Sam McKnight brought his colorful roots to the runway for the first time in 2020 for Dries Van Noten.
Legendary hairstylist McKnight bleached the roots in the center of the head and the length above the ears and hairline for a contrast that both defined and illuminated the face. It pairs perfectly with the colorful collection, inspired by the nocturnal glamor of the 1980s. Instead of dyeing the model’s hair, though, McKnight applied neon-colored synthetic feathers to the roots, applied gel, and ran a comb through them. What happened a few years later? Billie Eilish’s own spiky green ghost roots.
