The Fluffy Hair meme, also known as the ‘Yeah bro I got fluffy hair’ TikTok trend, is a hairstyle popularized by Gen Z and Gen Alpha boys. Characterized by straight hair styled or permed into one big curl coming off the forehead, the meme hair trend gives off a distinctive look, akin to a shovel placed atop the head due to its rounded and elevated shape.
Text overlay on TikToks related to the trend read “Bro: ‘yeah I have fluffy hair’, Bro’s hair:” or “Yeah I have fluffy hair” with the person with a typical hairstyle followed by “me too” and then switch to footage of themselves with the over-the-top looking straight-out forehead curl.
- Meme/trend creator: Unknown
- Meme type: meme challenge, catchphrase
- First appearance: Late 2023
- Origin source: TikTok
- Used to convey: Amused disdain for the “fluffy hair” trend, also known as broccoli hair.
- Peak popularity: November 2024
Origin and spread
This trend emerged as an evolution of the “boy perm” and “broccoli cut,” both popular hairstyles among Gen Z, potentially to poke fun at young men who unsuccessfully attempt trendy looks.
According to Jenny’s Salon, “The broccoli head haircut, also known as the ‘bird’s nest’ or simply ‘the perm,’ is characterized by voluminous, tightly curled hair on top of the head, often with shorter sides. The name comes from its resemblance to the top of a broccoli floret. This style has gained immense popularity among young men and boys, particularly through social media platforms like TikTok.”
The fluffy hair meme appears to have evolved from this desire to have curly hair, with young men using a variety of products to try to achieve the look. But due to their hair structure or how they applied the product, the look doesn’t quite land every time. It is also a reference to the Sigma Face meme, a trend that grew in popularity on TikTok in late 2024, as many of the TikTokers participating in the Fluffy Hair trend run their pointer finger along their jawline and “mew.”
There are currently 96.4K posts that use the #fluffyhair hashtag, both used to show off their broccoli perm styles and also to participate in the growing meme trend.
Cultural context
Redditors discussing the latest hair trends mused that it was likely due to the rise in mixed-race children and boys embracing their curls.
Redditor u/Egans721 wrote, “I feel like it might be starting with mixed-race kids becoming more common… a couple of years ago I saw it more common with kids who perhaps came from families who definitely had more of a mixed background that naturally gave them natural curls. and then translated to non mixed background kids getting perms. I also feel like Patrick Mahomes style might be an influence, along with Timothee Chalamat in the ‘embracing curls’.”
u/crazyparrotguy agreed with u/Egans721 and added, “Yep, you got it exactly. And honestly, not even just mixed-race, but guys with curly hair. It’s like, you find a style that works (and allows you to actually have hair), you stick with it forever.”
Meme examples
@edwin.vivar How to get real fluffy hair !! #hair #hairstyle #haircut #fluffyhair #fringe #hairtutorials #glowup ♬ TU TATA NAO PARA – KR BEAT
@pauljehll Who tell him ? 🤦🏼♂️ #hairstyle ♬ don pollo x cancun sega – ☆Tumpula☆
@guillaumelenglet0, and @edwin.vivar, @pauljehll did not immediately respond to the Daily Dot’s request for comment via TikTok direct message.
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