Chappell Roan's chunky highlights make a case for red and blonde

Chappell Roan has given red hair a distinctly graphic treatment: broad strawberry-blonde highlights running through a vivid crimson base, worn straight with a short, choppy fringe. The singer appeared in the look at a Los Angeles gathering, swapping her familiar curl-led silhouette for a finish that made the separate colours especially clear.

Hairstylist Virginie Pineda created the style. Our take? The useful idea here isn't simply to add blonde to red. It's to make the contrast intentional, with sections wide enough to register as part of the hairstyle rather than disappear into an all-over blend. That distinction is what makes this a reference worth taking to a colour appointment.

What happened

Roan's hair combined three distinct elements: a saturated red background, noticeably lighter strawberry-blonde sections and a straight finish. The fringe was cropped high on the forehead with an uneven, piecey edge, adding another strong line without turning the whole style into a perfectly uniform block.

The colour placement recalls the conspicuous highlights associated with early-2000s hair. Instead of using very fine strands to suggest a gradual change in shade, this approach lets you see where one colour stops and another begins. The separation is the point, not something a colourist needs to disguise.

Straight styling matters to the result. With fewer bends interrupting the lengths, the lighter pieces read as longer ribbons. Put similar placement through curls or waves and those ribbons would curve, overlap and appear differently as the hair moved. Neither finish is better; they simply show the colour differently.

The short fringe also changes the balance. It leaves the face more open while the lengths carry the contrasting shades. You don't need to copy that haircut to borrow the colour idea, though: a longer fringe or no fringe would give the same palette a different frame.

For a gentler interpretation of the warm, pale shade involved, our take on a strawberry-blonde bob offers another reference. Roan's version stands apart because strawberry blonde is an accent against a much stronger red, rather than the overall colour impression.

The background

Chunky highlights are about the width and visibility of the lightened sections, not one fixed shade combination. They can be placed close to the face, distributed through the top layers or tucked underneath. What connects them is their readable separation from the surrounding hair.

Fine highlights divide the hair into smaller pieces, which can produce a more blended effect. Balayage describes a freehand application technique rather than a guarantee of subtle colour. At a consultation, showing the size and location of the sections you like is more useful than relying on a technique name alone.

Red and blonde need a shared plan

Strawberry blonde sits in the warm blonde family, with a peachy or reddish cast. Crimson is a much more saturated red. Pairing them creates a substantial difference in depth while keeping warmth in both shades, so the effect isn't the same as putting icy blonde against red.

Getting that combination on your own hair depends on the starting colour and its history. Previously coloured lengths may need a different approach from uncoloured roots. Tell your colourist about permanent dye, lightener and any henna used on the areas you want changed; each can affect the available options.

A strand test can help a colourist assess how the hair responds before committing to larger sections. Ask what shade is realistically achievable and what condition the lengths are in. A reference picture establishes the destination, but it doesn't prescribe a safe, identical route for every head of hair.

Placement should also account for how you actually wear your hair. A central ribbon can move out of view when you switch your parting, while an underneath panel might appear mainly in a ponytail. Our guide to fuller-looking hairstyles without a haircut explores how partings and shape alter the overall finish.