10 Glamorous Hairstyles From Our Favorite Starlets of the 1950s

By Jess Catcher Updated: January 5, 2019

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nostalgia

The decade of the 1950s was filled with glamorous starlets known for their gorgeous outfits, makeup, and hairstyles. Of course, those ladies probably had a lot of help making sure they looked amazing — including taming each strand of their ‘dos — but that doesn’t make their timeless beauty any less impressive when we look back on them today. After all, there’s a reason actresses like Marilyn Monroe, Lucille Ball, and Elizabeth Taylor have remained just as iconic as ever after all these decades. We were especially struck by how their classic coifs always seemed to hold the perfect balance of volume and style.

Although it would be impossible to list all of the famous females from the ’50s and honor the lovely locks of each one, the women listed below definitely set themselves apart from the pack with their strands. Whether they achieved these styles with perms or dyes (or were simply lucky enough to be born with great hair), each one is absolutely enviable. Take a look below to see the hairstyles worn by all your favorite starlets from the 1950s!

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Audrey Hepburn

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Whether she grew her hair out or kept it cropped close, the Belgium-born actress was known for her fluffy fringe bangs.
Marilyn Monroe

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We would be remiss not to pay homage to Ms. Monroe's wavy platinum locks — after all, they're the reason she's the most iconic blonde bombshell in film history.
Grace Kelly

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Even before becoming the Princess of Monaco through her marriage to Prince Rainier III, the actress always exuded regal elegance.
Elizabeth Taylor

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Liz was known to wear her hair long and short throughout the 1950s, but no look was quite as memorable as this 'do from Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
Lucille Ball

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The famous redhead often poked fun at needing the help of dye to cover up her natural brunette strands while on I Love Lucy.
Natalie Wood

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As the go-to "girl next door" throughout the decade, Natalie tended to keep her youthful tresses cropped above her shoulders.
Dorothy Dandridge

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The multi-talented performer always looked stunning, whether out in public or in famously dramatic roles like Porgy and Bess (Dorothy is shown above at that film's premiere).
Rita Hayworth

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The actress infamously underwent electrolysis to re-shape her hairline, then dyed the strands a dark auburn before finding fame.
Shirley Maclaine

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Unlike her redheaded predecessors Lucille Ball and Rita Hayworth, Shirley's red locks were 100% natural. She usually kept them in a short pixie cut.
Brigitte Bardot

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At the end of the 1950s, the French actress ushered in an era of longer hairstyles, with her flowing mane becoming popular throughout the next decade.