It’s impossible to discuss hair trends of the last century without referencing Audrey Hepburn. From her tiara-bedecked beehive in Breakfast at Tiffany’s to her gamine pixie in Sabrina, Hepburn and her hair rewrote the narrative of Hollywood glamour. “She was the antithesis—and this includes her hair—of the Hollywood pinup,” says writer and author Bronwyn Cosgrav. “You would see women like Betty Grable and Marilyn Monroe with cascading blonde locks, and her look was dramatically different. She was very slim, not curvaceous, and her hair was very well-groomed.”
meet the expert
Bronwyn Cosgrave is a writer and best-selling author of books like Made for Each Other: Fashion and the Academy Awards.
Cosgrave notes that while the hair of many of the era’s stars was as curvaceous as their famous figures (think Elizabeth Taylor), Hepburn’s was coiffed and in keeping with the style of Hubert de Givenchy, for whom she served as muse for much of her career. “Even though his colors and prints were quite exuberant, above all, that guy was a minimalist,” says Cosgrave. “So Audrey Hepburn’s hairstyles were very much in tune with the look of her clothes. She was the inspiration, she was the glamour inspiration, I think, for a lot of women who didn’t conform to that standard look of Hollywood.”
Hepburn’s looks were also largely informed by European influence and aesthetics. “She was very much a product of Paris and one of the stars that looked away from the studio system and had her image made in Paris and London,” says Cosgrave. “She was very sophisticated, and she kind of imported that.” This meant leaning into fashion and couture over the overt glamour of the Hollywood machine—and creating a collection of classic, artfully understated styles in the process.
Whether you’re looking to re-up your knowledge of hair history or are seeking inspiration for a new style of your own, these 10 Audrey Hepburn hairstyles are timelessly chic.
Pixie Cut
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Hepburn’s pixie offers a worthy starting point for a discussion of her hair journey. “Her hair was decidedly European—and it was short!” says Cosgrave. Hepburn’s pretty pixie, perfected in the 1954 film Sabrina, was a revelation for the era, proof that a Hollywood star could exude glamour (and perhaps more glamour) sans all of the usual trappings.
Feathered Shag
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Pre-pixie, Hepburn wore her abbreviated lengths in a shag reminiscent of the current hair conversation. Though these days, the cut tends to communicate a certain irreverence, Hepburn proves that a few classic details transmute the shag into a forever sort of style.
Coiffed Bob
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Hepburn donned a variety of bobs during her career, but this curled and shapely style demands a second look. Parted and feathered away from her face in a loosened interpretation of a finger wave, the chop combines multiple decades of references into one unique look.
Petite Pigtails
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Hepburn’s glossy side bang and ribboned pigtails evoke a certain “coquette” vibe in Love in the Afternoon. And given fashion’s recent love affair with bows and ribbons, the look is practically made for the current trendscape.
Regal Chignon
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“[Famous French hairdresser] Alexandre de Paris created the false chignon for Charade,” says Cosgrave of this sumptuous updo. Along with Hepburn, de Paris (aka Loiuse Alexandre Raimon) worked with Greta Garbo, Elizabeth Taylor, and Process Grace of Monaco. “This is hair as a fine art,” says Cosgrave. “He was the creator of ‘haute coiffure.’” Though faux, the chignon provides ample inspiration for holiday parties and beyond.
Baby-Bang Beehive
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The impact of Breakfast at Tiffany’s on beauty, style, and the manic pixie dream girl trope is impossible to ignore. Hepburn’s iconic beehive style—a lifted crown woven with highlights and baby bangs offering a certain level of ingenue innocence—was finished in a tiara but would make an equally strong statement minus accessories.
Bouffant Pigtails
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For Hepburn, letting one’s hair down (at least in Tiffany’s) meant a sophisticated half-up bouffant culminating in pigtails. Far from childish, these are the pigtails of a metropolitan woman—and a style primed for personalization.
Mod Beehive Pixie
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The 1960s brought a want of mod, which Hepburn embraced by amply teasing her close-cropped lengths. A full, side-swept bang and styled sideburns (along with era makeup) offer a one-look encapsulation of the era.
Parted Pixie
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Deeply parted and styled to frame her face, this interpretation of the actor’s pixie cut skews elegant and a touch more serious. It also provides a less costumey take on mod for those who wish to pay homage to the era in a wearable way.
Long Bob
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Finally, Hepburn’s long bob, accessorized with a black headband in Two for the Road, is easy to love and proof that a career spent testing styles can still lead to happy hair. “She did see a very famous London trichologist, Phillip Kingsley,” says Cosgrave. Hepburn visited the stylist for a moisturizing treatment to revive her career-worn lengths—and the effect was noteworthy.
