Selena Gomez’s Casual Claw-Clip Hairstyle Took Me Right Back to 1996—See the Photos

Selena Gomez was born in 1992, so she definitely remembers the mid- to late-’90s. (She was a cast member on Barney, one of the biggest kids’ TV icons of the decade, after all.) Plus, the ‘90s have been “back” for quite awhile now, with elements of the era popping up in our wardrobes and our beauty routines, so I can’t say I’m totally surprised by her latest hairstyle—but it did make me extremely nostalgic for my youth!

Like us, Gomez loves an afternoon trip to Ulta, though unlike us, her makeup brand, Rare Beauty, is stocked there. The Only Murders in the Building star took a trip to the beauty retailer to see what’s new and did so in a claw-clip hairstyle that would have been perfectly on-trend 30 years ago—and is just as trendy today!

Screenshotinstagram.com/selenagomez

The joy of a claw clip is that they are so easy to use, and make errand-running hairstyling a breeze—and a little more elevated than throwing on a baseball cap or a scrunchie. (I keep one in my car just in case I need to pull my hair up between the grocery store and the post office.) Gomez parted her hair in the center and pulled the lengths up, twisted them, and clipped her hair with a medium-sized sheer white claw clip and wrapping some of the lengths over the top of the clip. Easy, right? But I’m struck by how perfectly arranged her hair looks in the upstyle: a little undone but still glamorous, cool but not overdoing it, and perfect for the weekend ahead.

To finish, Gomez pulled out two slim tendrils to frame her face on either side. She looks like my childhood babysitters and cool older cousins in their ’90s finest, or the celebrities I used to admire in my grandma’s People magazines. Her neutral-toned, matte-finish makeup, strappy black tank top, and skinny sunglasses are also very ‘90s, so thanks for the weekend glam inspo, Selena!