There's No Sign of 'Dune' in Zendaya's Retro, Wavy Oscars Bob

"On Hollywood’s biggest night, it was only right to go with classic glamour waves and flair," her hairstylist says.

Zendaya at the 2024 Oscars red carpet
(Image credit: Getty Images)

At the 2024 Oscars, all eyes were once again on Zendaya—partially to see her take the stage as a presenter, and partially to absorb her entry to the best red carpet fashion and beauty looks of the evening. To no surprise, Zendaya wore one of the standout combinations of the night: a Barbieheimer Armani Privé gown, paired with a 1960s-esque lob that ends in a bouncy, retro curl. For her short, wavy hair, we can thank celebrity hairstylist Tai Simon.

The look is a massive departure from Zendaya's Dune: Part Two press tour, where she embraced sci-fi, slicked-back hair and silver makeup. "On Hollywood’s biggest night, it was only right to go with classic glamour waves and flair," Simon tells Marie Claire. "With her gown being absolutely sublime, it was best to keep her hair demure yet whimsically free-flowing.” 

Zendaya at the 2024 Oscars red carpet

Zendaya walked the 2024 Oscars red carpet in a pink and black Armani Privé gown, with a low-cut neckline to emphasize her short haircut.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

To create the look, Simon relied on affordable, high-performance haircare brand Joice. (Translation: Zendaya's Old Hollywood hair is attainable with products from your favorite beauty supply store.) What's more, you can also achieve Zendaya's style at home, because Simon detailed exactly how he crafted the flirty, feminine look.

 "Starting with clean damp hair, I mixed and emulsified Joico’s Dream Blowout and Defy Damage Protective Shield to create a protective barrier before shaping & styling the hair with T3 Hot rollers," the hairstylist says. He stresses that heat protection is a crucial first step, and that you'll thank yourself in the long run for taking the time to do it.

Zendaya appears on the 2024 oscars red carpet wearing a printed armani gown

Zendaya's high-glamour hair was achieved with surprisingly affordable products.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Then, he says, he released the rollers and subsequently "sparingly sprayed Joico’s Power Spray while pin-curling each curl to hold until completion. Once her hair was finished, I did a one-time finger run-through with Joico’s K-Pak Color Therapy Luster Lock Glossing Oil to maintain shine." The finishing step? "One distant spray of Joico Flip Turn Volumizing Finishing Spray to seal this look."

For an especially dramatic flair, opt for a diagonal, dramatic side part like Zendaya did. The move will have you feeling like a Hollywood star instantly.

Gat the Look

Gabrielle Ulubay
Beauty Writer

Gabrielle Ulubay is a Beauty Writer at Marie Claire. She has also written about sexual wellness, politics, culture, and fashion at Marie Claire and at publications including The New York Times, HuffPost Personal, Bustle, Alma, Muskrat Magazine, O'Bheal, and elsewhere. Her personal essay in The New York Times' Modern Love column kickstarted her professional writing career in 2018, and that piece has since been printed in the 2019 revised edition of the Modern Love book. Having studied history, international relations, and film, she has made films on politics and gender equity in addition to writing about cinema for Film Ireland, University College Cork, and on her personal blog, gabrielleulubay.medium.com. Before working with Marie Claire, Gabrielle worked in local government, higher education, and sales, and has resided in four countries and counting. She has worked extensively in the e-commerce and sales spaces since 2020, and spent two years at Drizly, where she developed an expertise in finding the best, highest quality goods and experiences money can buy.

Deeply political, she believes that skincare, haircare, and sexual wellness are central tenets to one's overall health and fights for them to be taken seriously, especially for people of color. She also loves studying makeup as a means of artistic expression, drawing on her experience as an artist in her analysis of beauty trends. She's based in New York City, where she can be found watching movies or running her art business when she isn't writing. Find her on Twitter at @GabrielleUlubay or on Instagram at @gabrielle.ulubay, or follow her art at @suburban.graffiti.art