You remember that first walk into the Hau'oli City boutique? The music shifts to that bouncy, upbeat mall track, and suddenly, you aren't just a kid from Kanto anymore. You’re an Alolan resident. Pokémon Sun and Moon hairstyles were more than just a menu option; they were a massive leap forward in making the player feel like they actually belonged in the tropical setting of the Alola region.
It was a vibe.
Previously, X and Y gave us customization, sure. But Alola felt different. It felt sun-drenched. The styles reflected that—loose waves, breezy bobs, and colors that felt like they were pulled straight from a hibiscus flower or a clear Pacific lagoon. If you spent half your Poke-dollars on haircuts instead of Great Balls, you aren't alone. I definitely did.
Why the Barber Shop in Alola Matters
Let's be real: the technical limitations of the 3DS meant we weren't getting Sims-level depth. However, Game Freak leaned into the "Island Challenge" aesthetic perfectly. When you look at the Pokémon Sun and Moon hairstyles, they aren't just "generic RPG hair." They are categorized by gender—still a thing back in Gen 7—and unlocked as you progress through the islands.
Actually, it's kinda funny how much "fashion meta" existed back then. You’d hit a new island, like Akala or Ula'ula, and the first thing most players did wasn't head to the trial site. It was checking the local salon to see if any new dyes had dropped. The game used a "Shop Rank" system of sorts, though it was mostly tied to your story progression and the specific city you were in.
Malie City was the goat for this.
Because Malie City had that Johto-inspired, traditional Japanese aesthetic, the options there felt a bit more structured compared to the messy, "just-got-off-a-surfboard" looks you’d find in Melemele. It added a sense of place. You weren't just changing pixels; you were adopting the culture of the specific island you were currently exploring.
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Breaking Down the Male vs. Female Options
Honestly, the girls had it better. It’s a common complaint in the Pokémon community that the female protagonist, Selene, had way more interesting silhouettes than Elio.
For the boys, you basically had variations of "short." You could go Caesar-style, or maybe a bit shaggy, or the "Braided" look if you wanted to feel a bit more adventurous. But the girls? They had the sideshow bob, the romantic tuck, the long and straight, the pigtails, and eventually the "cornrows" (though the localized naming was sometimes a bit hit-or-miss depending on your region).
The Color Palette of the Islands
Dye was the real game-changer. Pokémon Sun and Moon hairstyles weren't just about the cut; they were about the saturation. You had your basics: Black, Honey Blond, Dark Brown, Light Brown. But then the game threw in:
- White (Peak aesthetic for late-game players)
- Pink
- Blue
- Green
Interestingly, if you played the sequels—Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon—the list expanded. They added "Wine Red" and "Lavender," which allowed for some seriously cool combinations with the new clothing items. It’s these tiny details that made the Alola games feel more alive than the sterile environments of some older titles.
You could spend 2,000 to 5,000 Poké Dollars depending on whether you wanted just a cut, just a color, or the full "Cut and Color" combo. In the early game, that’s actually a lot of money! You were literally choosing between a cool new look or having enough Potions to survive Mallow's Lurantis. Most of us chose the hair. No regrets.
The Secret of the "Daily" Reset and Randomness
One thing most people forget—or maybe they never knew—is that the lighting in the salon actually matters. Because the 3DS had a limited color gamut, the way a hair color looked inside the salon menu wasn't always how it looked while you were running through the tall grass of Route 8.
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The "Honey Blond" in the salon could look almost orange under the Alolan sun. This led to a lot of players "save-scumming" (saving before talking to the stylist) just to make sure they didn't waste their hard-earned cash on a look that didn't work in the overworld.
Also, can we talk about the hats?
Pokémon Sun and Moon hairstyles were heavily dictated by whether or not you were wearing a hat. Some styles looked completely different—or were even compressed—when you put on that iconic chicken-style hat (the Lillie-esque sun hat). If you wanted to see your full hairstyle, you often had to go into the clothing menu and manually remove your headwear. It was a chore, but for the fashion-forward trainer, it was essential.
How to Unlock Everything
You don't just get every style from the jump. The game makes you work for it, which is actually a great design choice for an RPG.
- Beat the Grand Trials: Progressing through the main story is the primary way to unlock more "mature" or complex styles.
- Post-Game Exclusives: There are certain looks that only become available once you've become the first-ever Alola Champion.
- Gender Locking: Sadly, as mentioned before, you can't access the other gender's styles. This was a point of contention for many players who wanted more "androgynous" options, a feature that wouldn't really start to open up until Pokémon Scarlet and Violet years later.
The "Romantic Tuck" is widely considered the "top tier" style for the female trainer, often paired with the White dye. It gives off a very sophisticated, "I just caught a Tapu" vibe. For the guys, the "Medium and Layered" look was usually the go-to for anyone tired of the default bowl-cut appearance.
Impact on Later Generations
Without the experimentation of Pokémon Sun and Moon hairstyles, we wouldn't have the deep customization of the Switch era. Gen 7 was the bridge. It moved away from the grid-based movement of Gen 6 and gave us a more proportional, human-like character model.
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Because the characters looked more like real people and less like "chibis," the hair had to look better too. You could see individual strands—sort of. You could see the way the light hit the bangs. It encouraged the Pokémon Company to realize that players care just as much about their character's "fit" as they do about their team's IVs.
Actually, it’s worth noting that Alola was the first time we saw a real push toward diverse hair textures. While still limited by the hardware, the inclusion of more textured styles was a huge nod to the diverse, real-world inspirations of Hawaii that Alola is based on.
Actionable Tips for Your Next Alola Run
If you’re dusting off your 3DS for a nostalgia trip, or maybe playing for the first time on a different platform, here is how to handle your hair journey:
- Bank your money early. Don't spend it all on Poké Balls. Collect those pearls and stardust on the beaches of Melemele to fund your first salon visit.
- Save before you cut. Since there’s no "preview" that shows you how the hair looks in different lighting, saving your game before talking to the stylist is the only way to avoid a 5,000-dollar mistake.
- Visit Malie City ASAP. That’s where the most "unique" Alolan vibes are.
- Check the "Ultra" versions. If you have the choice, play Ultra Sun or Ultra Moon. The hairstyle list is objectively better and more varied.
- Coordinate with your Z-Ring. Since the Z-Ring is a permanent fixture on your wrist, try to pick a hair color that doesn't clash with the crystals you use most often. It sounds extra, but it makes those Z-Move animations look so much better.
The customization in Gen 7 proved that Pokémon is more than just a monster battler; it's a role-playing game where the "role" includes your personal style. Whether you went for the "Shaggy" look or the "Pigtails," your trainer was yours. That’s a legacy that started on the 3DS and continues to define the series today.
Focus on finding the style that matches your favorite Alolan regional variant. If you’re a fan of Alolan Vulpix, go for the White or Blue dyes. If you’re more of an Alolan Marowak fan, maybe try the Black or Dark Brown styles with a more rugged cut. Matching your trainer to your team’s aesthetic is the ultimate way to experience the Alola region.
As you move through the islands, let your hairstyle evolve. Start with a simple, short cut for the Melemele trials and gradually transition to a longer, more elaborate style as your character "grows up" through the trials of Akala, Ula'ula, and Poni Island. It adds a layer of narrative depth to your playthrough that the game doesn't explicitly give you, but that you can definitely feel as you progress toward the Pokémon League.