Alysa Liu has always been a trailblazer on the ice. Young, fearless, and impossibly precise, but lately, she’s been sending signals off the ice that are just as arresting. Her latest hair transformation, a series of bleached stripes weaving through her dark locks, is a small but powerful act of rebellion, a wink at self-expression in a world that often prizes conformity and strict form. Figure skating is beautiful, yes, but it’s also structured: precise jumps, rigid lines, and rules that leave little room for play. Against that backdrop, Liu’s stripes feel like a delightful punctuation, a playful interruption that says, “I’m doing this my way.”
The Look
The style itself is deceptively simple at first glance. Dark hair is interrupted by several thin or medium-width stripes of bleached blonde, almost like light catching the edges of her movement on ice. The stripes are irregular enough to feel organic but intentional enough that you know this was not an accident. Some peek out from behind her ears, others trail along the nape, and when she spins or tilts her head, they catch the light in flashes, creating a kinetic halo effect. There’s a sense of motion baked into the style, a visual rhythm that mirrors the energy and flow of skating itself. Hair stylist Kelsey Miller, who helped bring the look to life, gives a behind-the-scenes peek into the process here:
What makes the look particularly special is its balance of boldness and subtlety. It’s striking, but it’s not overwhelming. It doesn’t require a full head of platinum or radical color changes. Instead, the stripes act like punctuation marks on a canvas, small statements that draw attention without dominating. That makes the style feel accessible in a way other statement colors sometimes don’t. You could imagine translating it into a single bleached stripe down one side, a nod to Liu’s style that still lets you dip your toe in, a trick Rosalía popularized with her halo ring-inspired strand. A single stripe gives that same unexpected flash of light and personality without committing to a full-on head of highlights.
How the Style Works
Stylistically, bleached stripes work especially well with natural dark or medium hair because of the contrast. They create movement and dimension, giving the hair an almost sculptural quality. In Liu’s case, the stripes aren’t stark blocks of platinum but soft, creamy tones that catch light differently depending on how she moves. The irregular spacing and varying thicknesses of the stripes make the effect feel modern and playful rather than formulaic. There’s a sense that the hair is in motion, just like the skater herself.
For anyone considering trying it out, there’s a low-risk approach before committing to multiple stripes. Start with one, either tucked behind an ear or framing the face. Placement matters: a stripe near the temple draws attention to the eyes, while one along the nape adds a hint of surprise when the hair moves. From there, you can gradually add more stripes or play with width and intensity, testing how bold you want to go. It’s a fun, customizable approach to hair that feels dynamic and personal.
Caring for Bleached Hair
Of course, bleaching, even in stripes, demands care. Hair that’s stressed or over-processed can quickly lose its luster, and the subtlety of this style depends on the contrast between healthy dark strands and bright, clean stripes. One product that works particularly well in maintaining that balance is Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector. Its restorative properties help repair and strengthen bleached strands while keeping the surrounding dark hair smooth and shiny.
Olaplex No. 3 Hair Perfector
Beyond the Ice
Part of the appeal of Liu’s bleached stripes is how they reflect a broader trend in beauty: the intersection of sport, performance, and personal expression. Athletes in traditionally formal disciplines—figure skating, gymnastics, synchronized swimming—have long been constrained by strict rules about presentation. Makeup and hair often had to adhere to standardized elegance. When someone like Liu introduces a little edge, it’s more than a visual choice; it’s a statement. And yet, the beauty of her stripes lies in the subtlety. They’re assertive without being aggressive, artistic without being chaotic. They exist as a quiet celebration of individuality that complements her skill rather than competing with it.
A Universal Appeal
Beyond the ice, bleached stripes have a resonance that makes them universally compelling. They offer a way to experiment with contrast, texture, and movement in hair without committing to a full-on color transformation. They’re flexible enough for everyday life, for sports, for editorial shoots. They catch the light in ways that feel kinetic, almost as if your hair is participating in the story of your day. And perhaps most importantly, they’re fun. These playful streaks of light remind us that even within structured environments, small acts of self-expression can feel revolutionary.
In the end, Alysa Liu’s stripes are more than a hairstyle; they’re a visual metaphor. They speak to balance: between boldness and subtlety, structure and spontaneity, discipline and play. They remind us that even in the most regimented arenas, artistry can find a way to shine. And for those inspired by her look, the beauty lies in its adaptability: whether you embrace a single stripe or a series, whether you keep the tone soft or go icy platinum, it’s a reminder that self-expression can be integrated seamlessly into the everyday without losing elegance.
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