Pete Crow-Armstrong is fast. Like, "blink and he’s already standing on second base" fast. But lately, it’s not just his 30-foot-per-second sprint speed that has Chicago buzzing. It's the dome. If you’ve scrolled through MLB Twitter or caught a day game at Wrigley recently, you’ve seen it. The Pete Crow-Armstrong hair situation has officially transitioned from a minor prospect quirk to a full-blown cultural phenomenon in the Windy City.
He isn't just a ballplayer. He's a vibe.
Honestly, the kid plays center field like his hair is on fire anyway, so it only makes sense that he’s started treating his head like a canvas. We aren't talking about a simple taper fade or a boring crew cut here. We’re talking about "Cubbie Blue" dyes, bleach-blonde transformations, and literal stars shaved into the side of his head. It’s chaotic. It’s loud. And for a franchise that spent decades leaning into tradition, it’s exactly the kind of energy the North Side needs right now.
The Evolution of the PCA Mane
Remember when Pete first showed up? He had that classic, slightly shaggy prospect look. It was "California cool"—fitting for a kid who grew up in Sherman Oaks with actor parents. But as he settled into the spotlight, the hair started doing its own thing.
In early 2024, he walked into Spring Training and basically blinded everyone. He had dyed the top of his head a vibrant, unmistakable blue. Not a subtle navy, mind you. We are talking about the exact shade of the Cubs' primary logo. Some fans loved the commitment to the brand; others thought he looked like a character from Avatar: The Last Airbender. Actually, the internet ran with that. Reddit was flooded with memes comparing him to Aang, the Last Airbender, especially because Pete plays with a sort of kinetic energy that feels like he’s literally bending the wind to catch fly balls.
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Then came February 2025.
Mesa, Arizona, got a front-row seat to the next iteration. PCA showed up with a bleach-blonde base and giant blue stars spray-painted on. It was a total Dennis Rodman tribute. Pete even wore number 91 for a bit, which was Rodman’s jersey number with the Bulls. He told reporters at the time that he gravitates toward things that are "far from the norm." He even admitted he hoped some of his teammates would hate it. That’s the point. It’s supposed to be disruptive.
Does the Hair Actually Affect the Game?
There is a long-standing tradition in baseball of "look good, play good." For Pete Crow-Armstrong, the hair seems to be a psychological armor. When you look like a firecracker popsicle, you can’t exactly hide on the field. You have to produce.
- Confidence over everything. Baseball is a game of failure. Going 0-for-20 can break a person. But it’s hard to feel like a failure when you’re leaning into a persona that demands attention.
- The "Glove" Factor. Even if his bat is cooling off, Pete’s defense is elite. The flashy hair matches the flashy glove. When he’s diving into the ivy or robbing a home run, the blur of blue and blonde makes the highlight reel pop.
- Fan Connection. This is the big one. In July 2025, a group of kids in Wrigleyville set up a lemonade stand specifically to raise money so one of them could get the "PCA haircut." Pete actually showed up to the stand, signed some paper towels, and gave them the cash they needed. That doesn't happen if he has a boring buzz cut.
Kinda makes you realize the hair is more about community than vanity. It’s a calling card.
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Maintaining the "Cubbie Blue" Aesthetic
You can’t just dump a bucket of paint on your head and call it a day. If you’re trying to replicate the Pete Crow-Armstrong hair style, you have to understand the maintenance. Bleaching hair to that level of platinum before adding pigment is brutal on the follicles.
Pro ballplayers spend hours under a hat. Sweat, salt, and friction are the enemies of hair dye. To keep that blue from turning into a muddy teal by the fourth inning, you’re looking at constant touch-ups. Most stylists recommend sulfate-free shampoos and cold water rinses. Can you imagine Pete taking a freezing cold shower after a walk-off win just to keep his stars bright? Probably not, but his stylist certainly cares.
The Style Breakdown
- Base: High-lift bleach (often double-processed).
- Sides: Mid-to-high skin fade to make the top pop.
- Detailing: Shaved-in patterns or stencil-sprayed shapes (like the 2025 stars).
- Vibe: Pure, unadulterated "main character" energy.
What This Says About Modern Baseball
For a long time, the "unwritten rules" of baseball dictated that you keep your head down and your hair short. The Yankees still have a facial hair policy, for crying out loud. But the new generation—guys like PCA, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Elly De La Cruz—are tossing that out the window.
Pete is basically the poster child for the "Let the Kids Play" movement. His hair isn't a distraction; it’s an extension of a personality that doesn't take itself too seriously. He’s a guy who struggled early in his career, going 0-for-14 to start. He knows how hard this game is. If having blue hair makes the 162-game grind a little more fun, why wouldn't he do it?
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The reality is that Pete Crow-Armstrong is going to be a fixture at Wrigley for a long time. Whether he keeps the stars, goes back to the solid blue, or shocks everyone with a neon green mohawk in 2026, the hair is now part of the brand. It’s the "PCA way."
If you’re planning on heading to the barbershop to get the Pete Crow-Armstrong look, here is what you need to do:
- Find a barber who specializes in "hair tattoos" or designs. Not every stylist can accurately shave a star into a fade.
- Invest in a purple shampoo. If you go the blonde route first, you have to kill the brassy yellow tones before the blue goes on.
- Be ready for the attention. You can’t wear this haircut and be a wallflower. People are going to ask questions.
- Check the team colors. If you aren't a Cubs fan, maybe swap the blue for your own team’s colors, though nothing hits quite like that Chicago blue.
The most important thing to remember is that the hair is only half the battle. To truly pull off the PCA look, you have to play with enough heart to dive headfirst into a brick wall for a fly ball. The hair just makes the crash look better.