A Trend with Staying Power?
The broccoli cut’s popularity is undeniable, with many boys eager to emulate their favorite TikTok influencers. Dillon Latham believes the rise in popularity is due to the fact that “young people care about their hair more than ever because of social media,” adding that “all the guys coming up on TikTok, every guy who went viral and was considered highly attractive had this fluffy hair look.”
Seventeen-year-old Jayden Williams echoed this sentiment, saying, “Our generation’s very easily influenced by social media and big influencers on these apps. If something gains popularity, we want to hop on that trend as soon as possible and as quickly as possible to claim it. A lot of people are kinda like sheep. We want to follow the trends.”
Pop Culture and the Broccoli Cut
The conversation about the broccoli cut gained even more momentum after the first photos of James Gunn’s upcoming film, “Superman,” were released. Clark Kent, played by David Corenswet, was seen sporting the curly mop on top of his head, marking a significant moment for the trend. “This is the first time I’ve ever seen Gen-Z fashion not in an explicitly Gen-Z character, but in an iconic pop culture figure,” media studies professor Matthew Ellis told GQ. “When I saw even Superman has the haircut, I was like, ‘Alright, something has happened. We’ve crossed a threshold.’”
Our first look at CLARK KENT pic.twitter.com/NDvEFTpl5l
— DCU Updates (@DCU_Updates) June 25, 2024
The Future of the Broccoli Cut
While the broccoli cut is currently enjoying its moment in the spotlight, many believe it will eventually fade, much like past trends such as mullets or the Justin Bieber mop top. “I mean, the style is probably very much a product of the time. A lot of people are exposed to it on social media so they’re like, Oh yeah, that looks good,” 17-year-old Brooks Eddy told The Cut. “But we’ll probably look back on this and it’ll be like soul patches of the 2000s or mullets in the ’90s.”
The broccoli cut is more than just a hairstyle; it’s a reflection of the influence social media has on today’s youth. As Gen-Z continues to define and redefine beauty standards and fashion trends, the broccoli cut serves as a testament to their desire for individuality and low-maintenance style. Whether this trend will have lasting power or fade into the annals of fashion history remains to be seen, but for now, it’s clear that the broccoli cut is here to stay — at least for the foreseeable future.
