You just landed in Alola. The sun is beating down on Hau'oli City, and honestly, that default hat is already starting to feel a bit sweaty. You head over to the salon because you want to change your look, but then you realize something. Choosing hairstyles in Pokemon Sun isn't just about looking cool for the Battle Tree or your next Link Trade. It’s actually a surprisingly deep system that locks you out of certain looks based on your character's gender and requires a decent chunk of PokeDollars before you've even cleared your first Trial.
Most players just breeze past the Salon. They pick the "Modern Quiff" or the "Braids" and call it a day. But if you're trying to hit that 100% completionist vibe or you just want to match your trainer's aesthetic to your shiny Decidueye, there is a lot of nuance you’re probably missing. Alola isn't like Kalos or Galar. The vibe is different. It's tropical, it's relaxed, and the hair options reflect that perfectly.
The Financial Barrier to Entry in Alola
Let’s be real for a second. Being stylish in the Alola region is expensive. When you first walk into the salon in Hau'oli City—which is usually your first stop—you’re looking at 4,000 PokeDollars for a cut and color. If you just want a cut, it’s 2,000. For a player who just started their journey and is trying to save up for Great Balls and Potions, that is a massive investment.
Is it worth it?
Well, yeah. The default look is fine, but it lacks personality. If you're playing the male protagonist, you start with that basic, medium-length Caesar-style cut. It’s boring. The female protagonist has those pigtails that feel a bit too "young" for some players. Changing your hairstyles in Pokemon Sun is the first real moment where the game stops being a scripted RPG and starts being your story.
You’ll find salons in major hubs like Heahea City and Konikoni City too. The options don't change much between locations, which is a bit of a letdown compared to later games, but the consistency means you don't have to backtrack to Melemele Island every time you want a trim.
The Gender Lock Problem
Here is something that still bugs a lot of long-time fans. The hairstyle options are strictly gender-locked. In 2026, we’re used to more fluid customization in modern titles, but back in the Sun and Moon era, Game Freak was still very rigid about this.
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If you chose the male trainer, you have access to:
- Short and straight
- Medium and wavy
- Modern Quiff
- Braided cornrows
- Caesar cut
If you went with the female trainer, the list is a bit more varied:
- Short bob
- Medium and straight
- Long and wavy
- Romantic tuck
- Cornrows
- Braided pigtails
The "Romantic Tuck" is arguably the best-looking style for female trainers, but it feels weirdly formal for a kid running around through tall grass fighting Team Skull grunts. It’s also important to remember that some styles only reveal their true potential when you take the hat off. Yes, you can finally remove your hat in this generation, but the game sometimes feels like it was designed with headwear in mind, leading to some "flat" textures on the top of certain cuts.
Decoding the Color Palette
It isn't just about the shape. It’s about the hue. Hairstyles in Pokemon Sun offer a decent range of colors, though it’s not as expansive as the rainbow we got in later entries. You have your basics: Black, Honey Blond, Dark Brown, and Light Brown. Then you get into the Alola-specific ones like Cornflower Blue, Wine Red, and White.
White hair is a fan favorite. It gives off that "Aether Foundation" vibe or a sort of "Veteran Trainer" look that makes your character stand out during the cutscenes where everyone else is rocking natural tones.
Getting the color right is tricky because the lighting in the Alola region changes based on the time of day. Since Pokemon Sun is synced to your 3DS (or 2DS) clock, the midday sun can make "Honey Blond" look almost neon, while the evening glow turns "Wine Red" into a deep, muddy purple. If you're picky about your screenshots, you’ll want to check your hair under different lighting conditions before committing your hard-earned cash.
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Why the Hat Matters (More Than You Think)
For some reason, some hairstyles in Pokemon Sun just don't play nice with hats. If you choose the "Cornrows" or the "Braided Pigtails," the hat sits on your head in a way that looks slightly clipped or just... off.
The game allows you to go hatless, which was a huge deal when the game launched. If you've spent 2,000 PokeDollars on a "Modern Quiff," why would you hide it under a generic striped cap? Taking the hat off also changes how the NPCs perceive you in a subtle, aesthetic way—it makes the close-up shots during Z-Move animations look way more personal.
Unlocking the Secret Styles
A lot of people think what you see at the start is what you get. That’s not entirely true. While the core list of hairstyles in Pokemon Sun is available early on, your options for how you wear them can expand.
For instance, the "Fringe" or bangs options. You can choose to have your bangs swept to the side or kept straight. It’s a minor detail, but it changes the entire silhouette of the character's face. If you're going for a more "tough" look, side-swept bangs with the "Short and Straight" cut is the meta-pick for male trainers.
Then there’s the post-game reality. Once you become the Champion, you’ll probably find yourself drowning in money from Elite Four runs. This is when most players actually start experimenting with the weirder colors. You stop caring about the 4,000 PokeDollar fee. You start changing your hair to match the Type of the Pokemon you’re currently training. Grinding for a shiny Salandit? Go Wine Red. Hunting for a Dhelmise? Maybe it's time for that Dark Brown wavy look.
The Cultural Impact of Alolan Style
We have to talk about the "Alolan vibe." The hair in this game was a massive departure from the "Parisian chic" of Pokemon X and Y. Kalos was all about high fashion and sharp lines. Alola is about salt water, wind, and humidity.
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The "Medium and Wavy" style for both genders captures this perfectly. It looks like "beach hair." It looks like your character actually lives in a tropical archipelago. This level of environmental storytelling through character customization was a high point for the series. It grounded the player in the world of Alola. You aren't just a visitor; you look like you belong on the shores of Akala Island.
Common Mistakes When Visiting the Salon
Don't just mash the A button.
- The "No-Preview" Trap: Unlike modern RPGs, you don't get a perfect 360-degree preview of how the hair will look with every outfit. You see a front-facing view. If you have a specific backpack or shirt with a high collar, certain long hairstyles will clip through the texture. It looks messy.
- Forgetting the Eyebrows: In Pokemon Sun, your eyebrow color automatically matches your hair color. This can look really jarring if you pick "White" or "Cornflower Blue." Some players love the "anime protagonist" look, but if you're going for realism, it can be a dealbreaker.
- The Money Sink: If you go in for a cut and realize you hate it, you have to pay the full price again to change it back. There is no "undo" button. Save your game before you enter the Salon. If you don't like the result, just soft reset. It saves you thousands of PokeDollars in the long run.
How to Coordinate Your Look
If you want the "Peak Alola" aesthetic, pair the "Long and Wavy" hair (for females) or "Medium and Wavy" (for males) with the floral print shirts found in the Konikoni City apparel shop.
The game rewards players who lean into the theme. While there are no mechanical benefits—your Pokemon won't hit harder because you have a fresh fade—the community has always valued "Trainer PR." When you show up in a Festival Plaza mission, your avatar is what everyone else sees. A well-coordinated outfit and a rare hairstyle color show that you've put time into your save file beyond just grinding levels.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Visit to the Salon
- Manual Save is your best friend: Always save outside the door. The lighting inside the salon is different from the lighting in the overworld.
- Budgeting: Ensure you have at least 5,000 PokeDollars. You don't want to be stuck with a color you hate because you ran out of money to fix it.
- Hat Check: Take your hat off immediately after the cut to see if the "top-down" texture is actually what you wanted.
- 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 bright sparkles of the Z-Crystals. Darker hair tones tend to make the Z-Move animations "pop" more.
- Check the "Fringe": Always try the side-swept bangs first. They tend to frame the Alolan trainer's face better during the many, many story cutscenes.
Getting your hairstyles in Pokemon Sun right is the final step in truly "owning" your journey through the Alola region. It’s about more than just pixels; it’s about making sure that when you finally stand on that podium as the first-ever Alolan Champion, you look exactly how you imagined you would when you first stepped off the plane from Kanto.