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The 13 iconic haircuts that made celebrities famous.

There's something just so darn powerful about getting a fresh new haircut. From dye jobs to style changes, taking the plunge and shaking things up in the hair department can do a lot of great things for our confidence - and it can also literally make or break a look. For celebrities, a single haircut can be enough to transform their entire careers. 

Watch: Want to learn how to nail a simple braid that looks ~fancy~? Here's how to do a half head braid. 


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From Jennifer Aniston to Nicole Kidman and Marilyn Monroe, here are some of the most iconic career-changing celebrity hairstyles. As Gabriel Coco Chanel put it best, "A woman who cuts her hair is about to change her life." 

Jennifer Aniston.

While beauty trends come and go, one thing is for certain - 'The Rachel' is still one of the most iconic haircuts of all time. When Jennifer Aniston debuted Rachel Green’s chic, choppy cut on Friends (created by her longtime friend and hairstylist Chris McMillan), she not only influenced millions of hairstyles but also instantly became a symbol on the hit sitcom.

Listen: Is your hair a bit flat at the moment? Here's how to add volume to your hair, without the usual suspects (dry shampoo, we see you). Post continues below.

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But as perfect as the locks were for her in our eyes, Aniston and the iconic hairstyle weren't actually a happy match (I know, we're still processing this, too). As she told Allure, "I love Chris [McMillan] and he’s the bane of my existence at the same time because he started that damn 'Rachel,' which was not my best look."

We'd hate to say we disagree, Jen... but, yeah, We disagree.

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Mia Farrow.

Mia Farrow rose to fame with her stylish pixie cut in such movies such as Rosemary's Baby and The Great Gatsby - and it quickly became her signature style. What you might not know, however, is that not only did Farrow rock the crop but she actually cut her hair short herself with a pair of scissors. 

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What a legend.

In a 2013 letter to the NY Times, Farrow told the real story of her famous haircut writing, "I had literally cut it myself earlier that year - with a pair of fingernail scissors... My then-boyfriend, Frank Sinatra, loved the cut, and so I kept it short." So casual.


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Nicole Kidman.

Coming in hot from BMX Bandits, the Australian star wore her red curly hair loose and natural (which, by the way is absolute goals), scoring a bunch of new roles. However, when she started sporting a smoother, sleeker look in the early '90s, things definitely changed. Her straight red hair made her famous in roles like Moulin Rouge.

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Jada Pinkett Smith.

Anyone else feel like they can't remember Jada Pinkett Smith without her stylish cropped 'do? Just us?

After switching up her long brunette locks for a short platinum cut in 1998, the actress starred in the film Woo, Return to Paradise and Bamboozled. 

While she's no stranger to hair transformations (she's seriously had every cut and colour, ever), she's stayed pretty true to her form - always going back to that iconic platinum blonde pixie cut.

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Amy Winehouse.

Amy Winehouse's messy beehive is almost iconic as the late singer herself. Winehouse's modern take on the iconic '60s hairstyle left a lasting influence - it's almost impossible to think of this updo without associating it with her. 

Created by Chicago-based hairstylist Margaret Vinci Heldt, Winehouse's signature hairstyle undeniably defined her unique sense of style.

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Emma Stone.

While she appeared in many different roles with her natural blonde hair, Emma Stone truly secured her place in Hollywood after going red. 

The award-winning actor originally dyed her hair red in 2007 in her debut movie Superbad. She has jokingly said she was 'cursed' with red hair by American filmmaker Judd Apatow. 

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Speaking on the Late Night Show in 2012 the actress said: "Everything I auditioned for after that they were like 'Let's keep it red', 'How about a different shade of red?' I was like 'Maybe we could be blonde?' and they were like 'Or red!'." 

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Marilyn Monroe.

Did you know Marilyn Monroe was actually a natural brunette? No? Well, it was only once the model and actress had signed with 20th Century Fox in 1947 that she debuted that iconic platinum blonde hair we associate with her today. After her transformation, she starred in a bunch of iconic films, such as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Some Like It Hot - making her a household name.

Image: Getty 

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Jennifer Hudson.

Jennifer Hudson first captured our attention on American Idol back in 2004, sporting a head of long voluminous hair to match her incredible vocals. 

Fast forward to 2014 and the star debuted a sleek angled pixie cut, which was soon to become her signature style.

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Dakota Johnson.

Dakota Johnson traded the long golden-brown hair she wore in her first couple of roles (such as 21 Jump Street and The Social Network) for a rich, glossy brunette tone and soft feathered bangs for Fifty Shades of Grey. This chic look quickly became her trademark style, and we haven't really seen her steer away from it since.

Image: Getty 

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Image: Getty 

Michelle Williams.

Michelle Williams has rocked a pixie cut since 2007, and it almost seems weird to imagine her without it. In an interview with Elle UK, the star said there was actually a reason behind her hairstyle - she cut her hair for her ex-boyfriend Heath Ledger. "I cut it for the one straight man who has ever liked short hair and I wear it in memorial of somebody who really loved it." 

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The pixie cut has become her signature style over the years and she's kept it in movies like My Week With Marilyn, Manchester by the Sea and All The Money In The World.

Image: Getty 

Image: Getty 

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Sophie Turner.

Sophie Turner famously dyed her hair from blonde to red at age 13, for her role as Sansa Stark in the hit series Game of Thrones. 

In an interview with POPSUGAR she talked about just how much maintenance was involved in the look, saying "I'm constantly dyeing. On Game of Thrones I have to constantly dye my hair red every week."

Sheesh!

Since then, the actress has gone back to her blonde roots - but there's no denying just how iconic her red hair was in GOT.

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Image: Getty 

Image: Getty 

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Brigitte Bardot.

Similar to Marilyn Monroe, Brigitte Bardot shot to fame after she was asked to dye her hair blonde for Mio Figlio Nerone in 1956. Combined with her chic bangs, her iconic hairstyle is still as popular today as it was back then.

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Scarlett Johansson

Throughout the years, Scarlett Johansson has proven she's the ultimate hair chameleon pulling off almost any hairstyle - from brunette to blonde and everything in between. 

But her most famous look would have to be her blonde waves, which cemented her fame in signature roles in films like Vicky Cristina Barcelona, He's Just Not That Into You and Match Point. 

Image: Getty 

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Feature image: Getty

What's your favourite iconic celebrity hairstyle? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.

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