Think about a hair makeover that’s changed your life or at the very least a moment in your life when your hair was just as you envisioned it be it for a wedding or special occasion.  When hair is on point it looks great, but when it makes a statement by changing your personality to go along with it…that’s a whole other level. Celebrities are a whole other level when it comes to visibility and for the last century and even beforehand all it took was a stylist with a vision to start a trend. As we close out 2022, we took a look back at the most iconic celebrity hair makeovers of all time, the ones that shook things up and started a trend we ALL wanted to copy.

Maryilyn Monroe

“Blondes have more fun”, is a staple saying, but in the instance of Norma Jean Baker going blonde was a color change that propelled her to stardom. Born a natural brunette, Norma Jean was transformed into Marilyn Monroe following her signing to 20th Century Fox, she debuted a new platinum blonde look that dazzled the masses in her breakout role in “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”. Until Marilyn, a traditional golden blonde was the go-to color of choice, but once her more refined platinum appeared on the silver screen it ignited a trend of bottle blonde bombshells. 

Why is it iconic? Marilyn popularized the celebrity platinum blonde look that is still going strong.

Brigitte Bardot

Long before “French girl hair” became a 21st century staple hair look, you couldn’t look anywhere in the 1960s and 70s and not see the elegant, sex symbol that was Brigitte Bardot. Entering the limelight as a French dancer and model, by her teenage years she was gracing the cover of Elle magazine. After her breakout role in the 1956 film, “And God Created Woman”, she quickly became an international sex symbol. Truly coming into her own as the face of French chic fashion, it was her iconic casual blonde hair, piecey, teased and with just the right amount of “bedhead” that became a signature look. Her look became THE look for wavy, casual hair worn up, down or any which way. 

Why is it iconic? That summer casual “lived in” look we all love started with her.

Jennifer Aniston

The 90s was an iconic era for sitcoms, none more popular than the hit show, “Friends”. By the 20th episode, star Jennifer Aniston needed a new staple look for the character, but also for herself. Celebrity hairstyle Chris McMilan cut her hair into an elongated, piecey shaggy bob that would be forever known as, “The Rachel”. It became so popular that hair salons everywhere were being hammered by millions of women who wanted the same look. Though the look was high maintenance, Aniston grew to dislike the look. And yet, despite that, the look has continued to dominate as it become popular yet again last year.

Why is it iconic? This look became one of the popular hairstyles of the 90s, the most requested salon hairstyle of the era.

Ariana Grande 

When you think of the sky-high ponytail, the first image that comes to mind is singer Ariana Grande. Before taking off in music however, she starred as Cat Valentine on Nickelodeon’s series, “Victorious” and frequent red dying of her hair heavily damaged it. Once her music career took off, Grande embraced her natural color and the high ponytail because it was so comfortable. Quickly becoming her signature style, she told fans on Facebook who asked why she never tried a different style, "I wear it in a ponytail because my actual hair is so broken that it looks absolutely ratchet and absurd when I let it down," Grande said. "It's all that works for now (AND I'm comfortable for the first time in years)."

Why is it iconic? She took the ponytail, lifted it sky high and became synonymous with the look.

Cher

No one does mermaid-length hair like Cher. By the time she married Sonny Bono, at the age of 19 Cher already had what would become her signature look. Her dark hair tumbled down to her waist, paired with eyelash-kissing bangs. The Sonny and Cher show became an iconic part of American television throughout the 1970s, with everyone tuning in to see the famous family’s variety show. In the decades to come Cher evolved her look with different eras, but always came back to the one look she became most known for. 

Why is it iconic? Every summer, at the beach and on the runway the long and straight mermaid look never dies, year after year.

Tina Turner

In 1960, the musical icon that would become Tina Turner made a musical debut as part of the Ike and Tina Turner Review with a short bob cut. It wouldn’t be until the 1980s that Turner’s hit after hit of Billboard toppers saw her adopt the hairstyle she would become synonymous with. When Tina debuted her cover of Proud Mary (originally written and recorded by John Fogerty for Creedence Clearwater Revival), her hair was dyed auburn, tease and center-parted. On stage every time she sang, “rollin’ on the river”, she flipped her hair, making the audience go wild.

Why is it iconic? The 80s are synonymous with big hair and Tina Turner was one of those who popularized teasing the hair and layering on that hairspray.

Farrah Fawcett

Earlier this year the TikTok generation rediscovered an icon of the 1970s: Farrah Fawcett. The hit show, “Charlie’s Angels” was must watch TV in the Disco Era with flared pants, and platform shoes. Fawcett’s voluminous, teased waves perpetually living the beach life became a staple hair look of the era. This big, bouncy blowout featured loads of layers with highlights and ends that flicked away in all directions. This past January the hashtag #farrahfawcett racked up over 50 million views on TikTok. 

Sometimes you wear a look for so long people forget what you look like without it. For actress Zooey Deschanel, when she started to find fame in acting she needed a statement style that would fit her personality and moreover her personal brand. She told Glamour in 2013 that she used her bangs to "help create an identity" when she started acting, saying, "You could say that I'm hooked on bangs. Would I ever give them up? I have, and I might again — for a role, perhaps — but I really don't feel like myself without them." 

Why is it iconic? Zooey’s cutesy look has been popular for decades on people of all ages and she’s one of the drivers behind the enduring “girl next door” bangs.

Janet Jackson 

It’s wild to think that there existed a time when loving the hair you were born with was frowned upon. For singer Janet Jackson, in her role in the 1993 movie, “Poetic Justice” she dazzled on the movie poster with sleek, shiny and beautiful box braids. John Singleton’s drama, which starred Janet Jackson and 2 Pac, featured Jackson rocking the individual braids as she played hairdresser Justice, who writes poetry to deal with the murder of her boyfriend. Jackson often wore the braids tucked under a newsboy/cabbie cap, but also sported them in high ponytails, tossed up in a turban, and other versatile styles. Following the release of the film, the box braids trend started surging. 

Why is it iconic? So striking was her look, that girls started letting their natural texture shine and were copying her box braids.

Rihanna 

Ever since Vidal Sassoon unveiled his signature long geometric bob in the swinging 60s, the bob haircut has become a symbol of individuality and a playful, fun personality. Hailing from Barbados, Robyn Rihanna Fenty rose to fame after auditioning for American music producer Evan Rogers. He immediately signed her to Def Jam Records in 2005 and her career took off. Out of all of the hair looks she’s rocked out of the years, the one she is most known for is her angular, asymmetrical bob. Popularizing this look on women of all ages, the face-framing angles and clean part allow the hair to playfully move. It’s light, airy, yet still feminine. 

Why is it iconic? Rihanna brought the classic Vidal Sassoon bob to the Red Carpet, popularizing this look for a fun shorter cut.

Styles that Stand the Test of Time

Get ready to turn heads and make a statement with these unforgettable celebrity hairstyles! From Marilyn Monroe's classic curls to Rihanna's signature bob, these iconic looks are not only timeless, but can easily be achieved with the help of hair extensions. Whether you want to add volume, length, or a pop of color, extensions provide the perfect solution to help you recreate these standout styles. So why wait? Start experimenting with your hair today and channel your inner celebrity with these top 10 best celebrity hairstyles of all time! To get started, we recommend you check out our blog on choosing the perfect hairstyle for your face shape first!