20 iconic hairstyles from film & television

Jennifer Aniston changed television hair when she sported her iconic style in the first few seasons of Friends. “The Rachel,” named after her character, doesn’t make as many appearances in real life as it once did, but it will always be famous. 

Uma Thurman wore the bob to end all bobs in Pulp Fiction. It’s a hairstyle that’ll never go out of style, though few people can make it look as iconic as Thurman did in the Tarantino classic. 

Wynona Rider as Lydia Deetz in Beetlejuice had a very specific aesthetic. It was more than just a goth girl, and that’s thanks to her wardrobe and her hair. The updo screamed minimal effort and care, but it requires lots of effort and care to achieve. 

Everything about Audrey Hepburn’s first look in Breakfast at Tiffany’s is iconic, but it’s the hair that really makes it special. Anyone can don a little black dress to get pastries in the morning, but only someone as classy as Holly Golightly is going to pair it with a French twist. 

Janet Jackson sported box braids in Poetic Justice, creating a moment. The film is important for many reasons, one of the top being Jackson’s hair. 

Has anyone’s hair looked more perfectly tousled than Cher Horowitz’s in Clueless? The on-set hairstylist deserves residuals for the blowout she gave Alicia Silverstone. It’s a look that’ll never go out of style.

We’d be remiss not to mention the equally iconic hair next to Cher’s in Clueless, the braids belonging to Dionne. Cher gets the fanfare, but Dionne was just as fashionable and confident. And her hair was just as good. 

Sandy’s famous perm was only featured at the end of Grease, but that just proves how iconic it is. Her transformation barely got any screen time, but it’s the most memorable costume and hairstyle from the film. 

Given that the film is called Hairspray, it makes sense that there are so many iconic hairstyles, including Tracy Turnblad’s flip. It’s a quintessential ‘60s look that instantly became famous along with the movie. 

Sharon Stone nailed the mob wife look long before the aesthetic had a name. Her half-up, half-down hairstyle in Casino is as iconic as hairstyles come, and she served as a great model for anyone wanting to mimic mob wives. 

Fran Fine is still a fashion icon, and part of her status comes from her signature hairstyle. That volume is something serious - it’s not easy to replicate. It’s much easier if you have curly hair like Fran Drescher. 

The buns that Princess Leia sported in the original Star Wars films are as iconic as a hairstyle can be. To this day, if you see someone rocking that ‘do, their source of inspiration is unmistakable. 

Sure, Blair Waldorf’s headbands are more of an accessory than a style, but they’re still iconic. Putting on a headband is a simple decision that can add so much to a head of hair in seconds. 

A buzzcut is not a hairstyle typically associated with women, but Demi Moore subverted gender expectations in G.I. Jane, and it started with her hair. She didn’t have time to have hair in the movie - she was too busy being a soldier. 

Lucille Ball is as iconic as they come in many respects. Her poodle hairstyle is very much of its era, but it’s even more iconic thanks to her unapologetically red hair. If there’s one reason I Love Lucy is still so famous, it’s Ball. 

Suzanne Somers was an absolute icon on Three’s Company. She was so sure of her character, and it was clear in every detail, including her hair. Those pigtails were quintessentially Chrissy. 

Jeannie’s updo from I Dream of Jeannie is one you’d be hard-pressed to replicate without a wig or a professional. It’s a mesmerizing updo that’s still iconic. 

Farrah Fawcett rocked her flipped-out hair for all of the ‘70s, and she was iconic for it. Perhaps her most notable project featuring the ‘do is Charlie’s Angels, but her hair transcended the film and simply became synonymous with her. 

Everyone knows that if you’re going to dress up as Wednesday Addams, you have to wear braids. Every iteration of the character has donned the famed style. 

Beyoncé wore an absolutely iconic afro as Foxxy Cleopatra in Austin Powers in Goldmember. Despite changing her hair quite often, the ‘fro isn’t a style that Queen B wears much. But she should definitely revisit it.