You’re standing there in front of the vanity. Your villager looks... fine. But "fine" isn't what you're going for when you’ve spent forty hours terraforming a literal five-star paradise. You need that specific look. The animal crossing pop hairstyles pack is usually the first big style upgrade players hunt for in New Horizons, and for good reason. It’s not just about vanity. It’s about not looking like a default character while everyone else on Nookazon looks like a fashion icon.
Getting these styles isn't exactly rocket science, but there’s a weird amount of confusion about where they actually come from and why they aren't showing up for some people.
Honestly, the Nook Stop terminal is your best friend and your worst enemy. You’ve got to hoard those Nook Miles. It costs 2,400 Miles for the "Top 8 Pop Hairstyles" pack. That might seem like a lot when you’re still trying to pay off your first room expansion, but think of it as a long-term investment in your brand. Or your virtual ego. Same thing.
The Secret to Unlocking Animal Crossing Pop Hairstyles
So, here’s the deal. You can’t just walk up to the machine on Day 1 and expect to see them. You need to upgrade your Resident Services from a tent to an actual building. Tom Nook needs his desk. Isabelle needs to be there to complain about the weeds. Once that happens, the Nook Stop inventory expands.
What’s actually in the pack?
People call them "pop" styles, but they’re really just the classics from older games like Wild World and City Folk. You get the pigtails. You get the messy "bedhead" look without having to leave your game off for a month. You get the spiky "cool" hair that every 12-year-old in 2005 used to have.
Actually, the "Top 8 Pop Hairstyles" collection specifically includes:
- The high-volume ponytail (very popular for cottagecore vibes).
- Natural pigtails that sit a bit lower.
- The "faux hawk" look.
- The messy, spiked-up style.
- A very round, smooth bowl-cut variant.
- Short, flipped-out layers.
It’s a mix. Some are great. Some? Not so much. But they give you options.
Why Your Mirror Isn't Working
You bought the pack. You saw the little animation where your character "learns" the DIY. Then you go to your vanity and... nothing? This happens way more than it should.
First, check if you’re actually using a vanity or a mirror. Any item that lets you "change your look" works. If you don't have a mirror yet, keep shaking trees or popping balloons. Or just craft the wooden full-length mirror. Once you interact with it, a menu pops up. The new animal crossing pop hairstyles will be mixed in with your defaults. They aren't in a separate tab. You have to scroll.
It’s annoying, I know.
The Bedhead Mystery
A lot of players think the messy "bedhead" style is part of the Pop pack. It isn’t. Well, one of the styles looks like it, but the actual "Disheveled" look only triggers if you don't play the game for about 15 to 30 days. When you log back in, your character hops out of bed and shakes their head, and boom—new hairstyle unlocked forever.
If you’re a time traveler, this is easy. If you play every day, you might never see it.
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Comparing Pop to Cool and Stylish
Don't confuse the Pop pack with the "Top 8 Cool Hairstyles" or the "Top 6 Stylish Hairstyles." The Cool pack is where you find the undercut and the mohawk. The Stylish pack—which came later in a free update—is where we finally got better representation with textures like fades, braids, and locs.
If you're going for a specific aesthetic, you probably need all three.
- Pop: The "Classic" Nintendo look.
- Cool: Edgy, short, and structured.
- Stylish: Modern, diverse, and highly textured.
Customizing Your Look Beyond the Menu
Hairstyles are just the foundation. If you really want to maximize the animal crossing pop hairstyles, you have to think about the hats. Nintendo’s hitboxes for hair are... interesting. Some hairstyles completely disappear or flatten when you put on a beanie.
The "Pigtails" from the Pop pack, for instance, look completely different under a wide-brim straw hat compared to the "Ponytail."
The Harriet Factor
If you’ve unlocked Harv’s Island and started donating to the stalls, you need to find Harriet. She’s the pink poodle who ran Shampoodle in the old games. In New Horizons, she sits in the middle of the plaza.
She will give you a "random" haircut for free. These aren't in the Pop pack. These are exclusive styles you can only get from her. After she cuts your hair once, that style is added to your permanent mirror menu. It’s worth the trip just to see her. Even if the first haircut she gives you is an absolute disaster (she’s a bit out of practice).
How to Earn Nook Miles Fast for Hair Upgrades
If you’re sitting at 200 Miles and feeling broke, stop fishing for a second. Look at your Nook Miles+ goals.
- Planting flowers: Quick 100-200 Miles.
- Selling fruit: Easy money, easy miles.
- Talking to neighbors: Literally free miles.
- Taking a photo: Takes two seconds.
You can grind out the 2,400 Miles needed for the animal crossing pop hairstyles in about twenty minutes if you focus. Just keep cycling those mini-tasks.
Common Mistakes and Misconceptions
One thing people get wrong? Thinking they need a "hair salon" building. There is no Shampoodle building in New Horizons. Everything is handled via the mirror in your house or a vanity you find in the world.
Another big one: Gender-locked hair.
Nintendo actually did something cool here. In New Horizons, hair is not gender-locked. If you want the "feminine" pigtails from the Pop pack on a "masculine" character, go for it. The game doesn't care. You have total freedom.
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The Cultural Impact of the Pop Pack
It sounds silly to talk about the "cultural impact" of a digital haircut, but for the Animal Crossing community, these styles are iconic. The "Pop" styles are the ones you see in the old official art. They represent the transition from the GameCube era to the HD era.
When people talk about the "classic" Animal Crossing look, they are almost always talking about one of the eight styles in this specific Nook Miles pack.
Expert Tip: Using Wigs
Sometimes, the animal crossing pop hairstyles aren't enough. That’s where the Able Sisters come in.
Check the back left corner of the shop daily. Wigs are treated as headwear, not hairstyles. This means you can have a "hairstyle" from the Pop pack underneath, but visually, you’re wearing a Gothic Headdress or a Tiara Hairpiece.
Wigs often have more detail and physics than the standard haircuts. If the Pop pack feels a bit flat to you, the "Matronly Bun" or the "Visual-Punk Wig" might be more your speed.
What to Do Next
Go to your Resident Services building right now. Access the Nook Stop terminal. Check the "Redeem Nook Miles" section. If you don't see "Top 8 Pop Hairstyles," you haven't progressed far enough in the story. Keep doing what Tom Nook tells you.
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Once you buy the pack, find a mirror. Don't just settle for the first one you see. Try on every single style with your favorite outfit. Change the color. The Pop styles look radically different in "Natural" colors versus the "Bright" or "Cool" color packs (which, yes, are also separate purchases at the terminal).
Start by unlocking the Resident Services building if you're on a new island. Save up 2,400 Miles. Buy the pack. Visit Harriet on Harv's Island to round out your collection. You'll have every "classic" look in the game within an hour of effort.