Old Hollywood-Inspired Hairstyles That We Want To See Trending Again

It is a truth universally acknowledged that every little girl dreams of someday walking down the red carpet. From the glitzy gowns to the roar of adoring fans, it's only natural that this version of Hollywood glamour would capture the imagination of young girls worldwide. 

If you're one such girl who's ever fantasized about what you might wear to the Met Gala or practiced your Oscars acceptance speech in the shower, you're in luck, as Vogue reports that "Old-Hollywood drama" is one of the first trends to come out of the 2023 award season. 

However, in addition to the "clean lines and "structured silhouettes" of Old Hollywood-inspired gowns, vintage hair also seems to be having a moment right now. Celebrity hairstylist Gregory Russell tells Elle that "the saying 'trends repeat themselves' doesn't just apply to fashion," but also includes trends in hairstyle. It's unsurprising, then, that many of the latest hair trends — from the comeback of the bob to the Kardashian-inspired blowout — have their roots in Old Hollywood (via Glamour). 

Contrary to popular belief, achieving these Old Hollywood hair looks doesn't take an entire glam team. Thanks to technological advances, anyone with the right tools can achieve a red carpet-ready bouffant or chignon. To inspire your 2023 dream board, here are the top 20 Old Hollywood hairstyles we want to see trending again. 

Forget the Hadids and the Kardashians of the world; 2023 is all about the Hepburns and Haywoods.

Pop star Billie Eilish stunned the world when she appeared at the 2021 Met Gala in an ultra-feminine blush and blonde look, clearly paying homage to Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe (via Glamour). 

From her unforgettable subway grate scene in 1955's "The Seven Year Itch" to the instant classic "Diamonds are A Gir's Best Friend" from 1953's "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes," Marilyn is a paragon of mid-century beauty and will always be known as the originator of the shockingly blonde bob (via TCM). 

"I've always wanted to do this," Billie shared on the Met Gala carpet, "I was just scared." Speaking with guest interviewer Keke Palmer, she said it was no easy task to unleash this sultry, feminine side of her persona. "I didn't feel comfortable in my skin," Billie says, before adding that now "it was time." 

This year we want to channel some of the singer's fearlessness in our own looks and see more women infusing platinum blonde playfulness into their own life, à la Marilyn.

Often called the "undone Marilyn bob," celebrity hairstylist and cofounder of Beauty Club London, Moe Harb, tells Glamour that this is a look that flatters all face shapes, despite the bob's intimidating reputation. For those who dare to go full 1950s bombshell for the new year, Harb shares, "The key to getting the look is all in the cut," adding, "Ask your stylist for a chin-length bob with slightly longer layers in the front."

Let's take it back to the early days of Hollywood — the 1910s — when stars like Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford ruled the screen and the "talkies" were still a decade away (via NPR). 

If you were to step out of a movie house and into the streets of any major American city during this era, you were bound to run into what was then called a Gibson girl. But what is a Gibson girl?  According to Mental Floss, these women — named after the famous fashion illustrator Charles Gibson — were considered the "Kardashians of the early 1900s." 

Known for her buxom figure and tiny waist, the Gibson girl of the 1900s was not a singular woman but a feminine ideal that many women strove to achieve during the early days of the 20th century (via Glamour Daze). Along with her daring silhouette and independent attitude, Gibson girls were also easy to spot thanks to their signature hairstyle.

What is now called the "Gibson tuck" can be described as long hair "pulled ... back into an updo bouffant or pompadour style." More ambitious than the side chignon, yet fresher than the top knots of the 2010s, the Gibson tuck is a unique way to walk into 2023 with some Old — and we mean, really old — Hollywood charm. With just some bobby pins and hairspray, you, too, can transform into a Gibson girl (via All Things Hair).

If you want something a little more eccentric than the soft, romantic curls of the Rita Hayworth variety, then the zany poodle cut is the perfect style for you. Named for its close resemblance to the tight coils of a French poodle dog, this classic 1950s hairstyle was made famous by comedy legend Lucille Ball (via Beauty Launch Pad). 

The television pioneer broke barriers during her 30-year-long career and entertained millions as the star of "I Love Lucy" (via Women's History). Not only did Lucille open doors for women comics everywhere, but she also proved that you could be beautiful and be a boss, serving as the co-founder of her very own production company, Desilu Productions (via Britannica). 

There's never been a better time to try modernizing this quirky style, as Refinery29 forecasts that statements curls will be all the rage in 2023. Renowned stylist Amanda Tua told the publication that opting for a curled bang look is "the easiest way to soften your face and enhance cheekbones." The Australian beauty specialist advised readers to "choose from a shorter style or longer tendrils which will frame the face when your hair is tied up."

Though the poodle cut graced our screens most famously in Lucille's fire red version, this pin-curled 'do can work for any color. It might even look best on unnaturally dyed hair, as this rare look is nothing if not a statement piece. 

Beware Googling the name "Bettie Page," as the search engine will likely serve you a bevy of old school risqué photos. A Playboy model and world-renowned seductress, The New York Times describe Bettie as "the most famous pinup girl of the post-World War II era." In the conservative 1950s, Bettie's image became synonymous with rebellion, progress, and sexual freedom. Though her line of work demanded that she wear little to no clothing, she cultivated a signature look through her bouncy jet-black bangs.

In 1957, she famously fell off the pop culture radar, choosing to end her modeling career prematurely. The mystery surrounding the siren helped create what The New York Times calls the "Bettie Page renaissance," when the American fashion world of the 1980s and '90s became fixated on the Bettie Page aesthetic.

From Uma Thurman's iconic wig in "Pulp Fiction" to the rise of burlesque dancer Dita von Tease, onyx bangs have been enshrined into the pop culture canon. In 2008, they were coined the "Bettie Bangs" by Glamour writer Petra Guglielmetti. Guglielmetti defines the Bettie Bangs as layers that "hang straight down, looking blunt, choppy and a little asymmetrical — like a kid grabbed some safety scissors and went to town."

For 2023, why not bring about a second "Bettie Page renaissance?" This daring fringe not only harkens back to retro glamour but also serves as a saucy sister cut to the now-trending modern shag (via Hair Advisor). 

If you can cast your mind back to 10th grade English class, you might remember the 1925 masterpiece "The Great Gatsby" — F. Scott Fitzgerald's odyssey of murder lost love, and raucous house parties (via Britannica). 

If there were any work of literature to model your new year's look on, this would be the one, as "The Great Gatsby" encapsulates all of the glamour and spectacle of the 1920s. Mia Farrow famously rocked finger waves in the 1974 film adaptation, where she starred alongside Robert Redford as the doomed lovers Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan (via Daily Mail). Defined by Byrdie as a "sleek, S-shaped style," finger waves were a staple of the 1920s and was the go-to look for countless Old Hollywood starlets, including Anita Page, Claudette Colbert, and Mary Pickford (via Fashion). 

Today, A-listers such as Cara Delevingne, Zendaya, and Yara Shahidi have all sported modern interpretations of 1920s finger waves, with Yara pairing hers with a youthful ponytail and her natural curls and Cara sporting an ultra-glam, futuristic version (via All Things Hair). 

This showstopping, wave-like look is not for the faint of heart, though. Cosmopolitan reports that to achieve finger waves, "you're going to need some patience/practice." However, with a bit of faith, perseverance, and a true passion for "Great Gatsby" glamour, you, too, can bring this melodramatic look to life. So gather up your favorite hair gel, mousse, and rat-tail comb, and you'll be stepping into 2023 red carpet ready.  

What comes to mind when you picture Jackie Kennedy — prestige, class, 1960s sophistication? The former First Lady of the United States was all this and more. Not only did she steer her husband's career to the White House, but she also revitalized the American art world with her patronization and became a global fashion icon (via JFK Library). 

One of Jackie's signature styles that seems to be making a comeback in 2023 is "the flipped bob" (via Southern Living). Offering an alternative to the beachy waves and never-ending hippie locks of the 1960s, the flipped bob — like Jackie Kennedy — was the very picture of elegance. 

Made even more famous by Mary Tyler Moore of the "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and Marlo Thomas of "That Girl," the silky smooth 'do quickly became associated with the new generation of independent women (via Groovy History). 

To achieve a modernized version of this look for the new year, Southern Living suggests asking your stylist for a cut that stops at your collarbones and includes "blunt ends." While applying your makeup and styling the top of your locks, including spraying down those stray baby hairs, try clipping the "bottom two inches" of your hair to achieve that classic First Lady flip aesthetic. This method will have you looking as fresh and classy as other modern adopters of the flip, such as Keke Palmer and supermodel Karlie Kloss.

Take yourself back to 1945; the Andrew Sisters were lighting up the radio, Rosie the Riveter posters greeted you on every street corner, and America had just declared victory in Europe — World War II was coming to an end! (via National World War II Museum) Enter: the hairstyle known as the victory roll. 

This fun and flirty updo was everywhere in the World War II era and only grew in popularity when it began popping up on the silver screen, sported by film stars such as Betty Grable and Rita Hayworth (via Huffington Post). 

Vintage Hairstyling reports that these circular, cinnamon bun-looking shapes were named "victory rolls" after a famous "spin maneuver" performed by American fighter pilots as they retreated from successful missions. The mid-1940s were defined by this sense of jubilation and the feeling of a new era just beginning. The victory rolls, with their eye-catching look and celebratory name, encapsulate this exact vibe.  

Though we've come a long way since style trends were named after battle reports and "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy" was the song of the summer, the victory roll still carries with it a youthfulness and the sense of a new beginning that we need in 2023. 

Don't worry; you won't be alone in reviving this Old Hollywood hairstyle. Victory rolls have also appeared on the runway at the Resort 2020 fashion show and have been worn by stars such as Lady Gaga, Gwen Stefani, and Scarlett Johansson (via All Things Hair).

Looking for something a bit more severe this new year? You might be interested in trying out the "Lulu bob." Dubbed "cinema's most imitated haircut" by the British Film Institute (BFI), this statement-making bob is as sharp as a blade, sweeping across the cheekbones and curling slightly at the ends. 

Made famous by the silent screen star Louise Brooks, this cut is synonymous with her man-eater energy, loaded with what Britannica has called "the corrupt sensuality" that defined Louise's public image. Her career — and her haircut — first erupted onto the pop culture radar with 1929's "Pandora's Box," where she was cast in the role of Lulu, a sexually liberated femme fatale. Thus, the "Lulu bob" was created. 

According to BFI, the Lulu stood apart from the other bob styles that were taking off in the Jazz Age by tapping into the "Egyptomania craze" of the era. The severity of the cut and its ebony black colors was more Cleopatra than Clara Bow — offering a version of the bob that was fit for an independent leading lady rather than a "Jazz baby" ingenue (via The Guardian). 

It takes guts to rock the "Lulu bob," but if there was any year to go full Old Hollywood, it's 2023, as this year not only marks our proper entrance into the new "roaring 20s," but it also happens to be the 100th anniversary of the birth of the iconic "Hollywood" sign (via The Hollywood Sign). 

If you were born after 1970, you might think that pop princess Ariana Grande invented the concept of the "gravity-defying" ponytail (via Vogue). However, if we turn back the clock to the tail end of the Old Hollywood era — the 1960s — you'll see that screen sirens had been rocking luscious high ponies long before Ariana ever hit her first whistle note (via BBC). 

From sex symbol Raquel Welch to the original genie in a bottle and star of "I Dream of Jeannie," Barbara Eden, the it-girls of the era often opted to add a flip to the end of the pony (via Glamour). Together, these stars and their whip-like 'dos represented a new version of woman that had been birthed by the sexual revolution and proto-feminism of the 1960s — one who was ultra-femme, covered in pink, and also in full control of her own life (via Yahoo). 

It's no wonder, then, that Sotah Hair refers to this style as the "Barbie Pony."

Jennifer Lopez just recently rang in the new year with her own version of the top-of-the-crown look, sharing the finished product on celebrity stylist Andrew Fitzsimons's Instagram page. Sleek, bouncy, and ultra-femme, the caption simply reads, "Middle part, glam pony." If you need even more inspiration, look no further than Hailey Bieber's iconic Met Gala look from 2020. Fit with a black velvet bow, Hailey's crowning achievement that night was, without a doubt, her flipped-out high pony. 

Last but not least, we predict that vintage adornments will take the world by storm in 2023. Whether it's a Jackie O-inspired pillbox hat or a Hepburn-style headscarf, the perfect addition to your new 'do this new year will be an Old Hollywood accessories. 

We're not alone in forecasting the return of headwear either, as contemporary designers have also been soft-launching these accessories over the past few years. Notably, the Dior menswear collection of 2021 styled every model with "head scarfs neatly pulling their hair back" in a style Vogue has coined as "haute-homespun."

Reading the proverbial fashion room, InStyle anticipates that couture hair pieces are "going to have a moment in 2023," including everything from wide hairbands to sleek metallic pins to boisterous bows. If you take it back 60 years, though, you'll find that this fresh trend has its roots in the Old Hollywood era. From the 1950s and 60s, big-name stars like Audrey Hepburn, Ingrid Bergman, Elizabeth Taylor, and Janet Leigh were all known for their overly-adorned crowns. 

Audrey Hepburn especially shook the fashion world with her various looks as Holly Golightly in 1961's "Breakfast at Tiffany's." With her chic lampshade hat, too-big sunglasses, and "white pom-pom fascinator," Audrey unknowingly laid the groundwork for one of this year's biggest trends (via Haute History).