Ivanka Trump's Stunning Hair Transformation Over The Years
Coco Chanel once said, "A woman who changes her hair is about to change her life." From making big career moves to diving into politics to starting her own family, Ivanka Trump has certainly gone through a lot of life changes... and her hair has gone through a number of transformations, too. While former President Donald Trump has received a lot of attention for his hair over the years, his daughter's hairstyle choices certainly catch less flak. That said, Ivanka's hair still makes a splash from time to time.
While a hair transformation might seem unimportant at first glance, there's actually a lot to be gleaned from the changing hair choices that a person makes. According to Express, Toni & Guy conducted a survey in 2013 and found that, on average, women switch their hair up to 150 times during their lives. In many cases, these changes were linked to a significant change in one's life. For Ivanka, many of her hair changes have been linked to career shifts, family restructuring, and relationship milestones of her own. She has had a long career arc, from launching her fine jewelry brand all the way to the White House and beyond. Heat up the flat iron and detangling comb, because we've got a few decades of hairstyles to work through.
Flower power for little Ivanka Trump
Born in Manhattan on October 30, 1981, Ivanka Trump was actually named after her mother, Ivana Trump. Not unlike Donald Trump, Ivana was no stranger to the spotlight or the business world. She was famously involved in the Trump real estate empire, and as such, got access to coveted social circles around New York, bringing her children with her to social and professional events.
As Ivanka shared in a 2007 interview with GQ, she learned a lot from watching her mom run the Trump Castle Casino. "I remember this so clearly," Ivanka recalled. "We had just gotten off the helicopter, and we were walking into the lobby, and there was this sort of—well, the whole ceiling was just this continuous chandelier, basically. I mean, thousands and thousands of lights. And she walked in, and I swear, she didn't even look up. She just points to the general manager and goes, 'There's a lightbulb missing.' I was in awe."
Ivanka's whole life was in the media, evidenced by this photograph taken in 1987 of Ivanka in a white, floral headband with slicked-back hair. It's certainly a cute hair look for a little girl, and we have a feeling that Ivana had a hand in the flower-power styled headband.
As a teen, Ivanka Trump figured out her signature look
While she is without question known for her blonde tresses, Ivanka Trump has dabbled in other shades. As revealed in Ivana Trump's memoir, "Raising Trump," Ivanka even dyed her hair blue in the early '90s during what she called her "punk phase." Alas, the blue hair did not last long. "Mom wasn't a fan of this decision," Ivanka is quoted as saying. "She took one look at me and immediately went out to the nearest drugstore to buy a $10 box of Nice'n Easy. The color she picked out was actually three shades lighter than my natural color ... and I have never looked back!"
In the '90s, Donald Trump and Ivana Trump split up; the former had an affair with Marla Maples that turned into a full-fledged relationship. In 1993, Maples and Donald welcomed Ivanka's little sister, Tiffany Trump. Donald and Maples' marriage was officially terminated in 1999.
Ivanka told GQ in 2007 that she never fully forgave Maples for breaking up her parents' marriage. No doubt it was a tough time for someone so young. Ivanka's teenage look is the first glimpse we get of her later, adult independence, and her hair is representative of this effort to carve out a path on her own. She's sporting long, straight blonde hair parted in the middle, a look she'll return to for the rest of her life. And holding her little sister, Tiffany, it's clear that blonde hair is a Trump family trait.
Ivanka Trump's modeling career led to some edgy hair looks
In the late '90s, Ivanka Trump worked as a model after she signed with Elite Model Management Agency, thanks to a connection between the agency and her dad, Donald Trump. There were cries of nepotism, but that didn't slow her down. In fact, her father told The New York Times in 1997 that he wasn't necessarily a fan of this career turn for Ivanka. "I am only modestly in favor of this because I understand that that life is a very fast life, and at that age it is always a risky proposition," the businessman said.
But Ivanka did carve out a legitimate runway career. In April 1997, she walked for Marc Bouwer and rocked a voluminous look of heavily backcombed hair. In July 1997, Ivanka walked for Thierry Mugler and she wore a glossy, black dress with her hair up in a loose ponytail bun with fringes styled around her face. Her makeup was equally intense, with dark smokey eyes and a dark lip. It was certainly the closest we've ever seen her dip into a goth phase, and the era of her life that resulted in the wackiest hairstyles.
Ivanka Trump was a brunette for a short while
For almost her entire life, Ivanka Trump has sported blonde hair. However, she got a little adventurous with her locks in her teen years. In 1997, Donald Trump and Marla Maples separated, and the following year, Melania Trump (née Knauss) entered the picture. Melania is a natural brunette, and while this may have been nothing more than a coincidence, Ivanka dyed her own hair brown in 1999. Whether or not Melania inspired Ivanka to change her hair color and play around with darker tones, it was one of the few periods in Ivanka's life where she wasn't rocking her signature blonde.
Melania and Donald married in 2005. There's been a lot of speculation about Melania and Ivanka's relationship over the years, but Ivanka has expressed that she didn't resent Melania like she resented Marla Maples. "I sort of first met Melania when I was a sophomore in boarding school," she said in GQ. "They've been married a short period of time, but they were dating for maybe six years before they got married. ... Melania didn't do anything to my family. She didn't affect our family unit. ... So it was much easier for me to accept her."
Ivanka Trump rocked a blonde updo at the Born Rich premiere
Ivanka Trump quickly returned to her blonde style of choice and we saw her rock it at the premiere for the "Born Rich" documentary, which came out in 2003. The documentary, which was created by Jamie Johnson of the Johnson & Johnson dynasty, brought the already famous Ivanka to a new level of notoriety. True to its title, the film followed some of America's richest children, including Donald Trump's eldest daughter. "I'm absolutely proud to be a Trump, and I'm proud of my family name and proud of everything they've done and ever accomplished," she said in the documentary, per Slate.
Ivanka attended the premiere at The Screening Room in New York City. Her hair choice at this event is significant, since she returned to her blonde style and wore it in an updo. She styled it with a necklace and a strapless black dress. It's the classic Ivanka look that we've seen on her ever since. The documentary was a major moment in her life and her celebrity, so it's fitting that she has returned to her signature blonde at this point.
Ivanka Trump brought the bob to the 2005 Met Gala
Like so many people looking to make a drastic change to their 'do, Ivanka Trump had her own bob era in 2005. The daring, shorter cut came about after she started working with the Trump Organization. "I tried to assimilate. I wore my hair in a bob. I wore a black pantsuit," she told Forbes in 2013.
At the 2005 Met Gala at the The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, Donald Trump's daughter showed up dressed according to the theme. The big night that year paid homage to the House of Chanel with the Chanel Costume Institute Gala. Ivanka donned a spaghetti strap black gown with an asymmetrical hemline, a black boa scarf, and black heels. The all-black ensemble certainly fit right in at the Chanel-inspired event.
As striking as the outfit was, her cropped blonde hair, which was styled just below her ears, certainly got tongues wagging. The look was one of the shortest 'dos we've ever seen her wear. She also wore long, silver earrings that hung beyond her haircut. While Ivanka looked great with a chin-grazing bob, she ultimately ended up growing it out.
Ivanka Trump revisited her go-to style for The Apprentice after party
The reality show "The Apprentice" marked a whole new era for Ivanka Trump. She starred alongside her father, Donald Trump, on the reality show that gave the world the catchphrase "You're fired!" The series, which kicked off in the early 2000s, made Donald a fixture of reality TV. Ivanka joined him on Season 5 of the show, and became a judge in Season 6. "The Apprentice" displayed Ivanka's ability to work well as a sidekick to her dad. She stood out amongst her siblings as the prominent Trump offspring in the line of succession, and the choice remained consistent all the way to the White House. Ivanka worked well with her dad, and the two were comfortable not just in front of paparazzi, but in front of cameras.
At the finale after party for "The Apprentice" Season 4, which took place on December 15, 2005, Ivanka showed up with flowing tresses; her 2005 bob was a thing of the past. Approximately 14 years later, she would give the style another shot with a slightly longer chop. After Ivanka debuted her 2019 bob, master hair colorist Stephanie Brown told the Daily Beast, "She wants to mean business now. Since no one is taking her dad seriously." Eesh.
Gold highlights for the Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry launch
Ivanka Trump had another major milestone for her personal brand. In 2007, she launched Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry, trying her hand at retail in a luxury market. She opened a brick and mortar store on Madison Avenue in New York City. For the launch, she wore a black, strappy dress and her hair in its now-familiar middle part, with her blonde ends stopping past her shoulders. Her golden highlights matched the event's gold aesthetic perfectly.
The fine jewelry launch led to several other eponymous brands. In 2011, Ivanka launched her clothing line, which would also include shoes and handbags. The lines were incredibly successful, until Ivanka joined her dad, Donald Trump, in the White House. Those who were opposed to her father's leadership boycotted Trump brands, including Ivanka's lines. In 2017, she stepped down from her brand as many department stores announced that they were dropping her line. In July 2018, Ivanka shut the line down.
Ivanka Trump went with romantic wedding hair
Ivanka Trump met her husband, Jared Kushner, in 2007 and the two wed in October 2009 at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey. Ivanka's life was completely transformed by her relationship and subsequent marriage to Kushner. She converted to Judaism, following the Orthodox Jewish faith of her husband and that of his family. "It's been such a great life decision for me. I am very modern, but I'm also a very traditional person, and I think that's an interesting juxtaposition in how I was raised as well. I really find that with Judaism, it creates an amazing blueprint for family connectivity," she said, per Us Weekly. In fact, Jared and Ivanka split up briefly before they married because of faith differences.
So Ivanka's wedding hair, which she wore in loose, classical, romantic curls, seems very significant. It was the beginning of a new era of her life, one that led to having a family and so her traditional hair choice is an apt one. She was starting a whole new chapter with Kushner, and her romantic hair choice was fitting. And as for her hair accessories? They were reportedly nothing short of luxe. According to the New York Daily News, Ivanka's wedding day hair clip cost a cool $45,000.
Ivanka Trump's hair looked sleek on the campaign trail
When Donald Trump announced his run for the presidency in 2015, Ivanka Trump turned toward politics as she aided his campaign and tried to do damage control. Ivanka regularly spoke up on her father's behalf, defended his controversial comments, and backed his platforms. "Look, my father is very blunt," Ivanka admitted to CNN's Poppy Harlow in 2015. "He's very direct. He is not gender specific in his criticism of people, and people that he doesn't particularly like or people that he does like but thinks they're wrong on a particular issue." That same year, she told Fortune's Pattie Sellers that even in the wake of all of the criticism and concerns regarding his behavior toward women, she was confident he was the man for the job. "He's a great leader, business man and negotiator," she said. "And he's been an unbelievable parent."
In the months leading up to the election, Ivanka made sure to fit the part of presidential right hand. Ivanka became the all-American political daughter. Her hair, as she entered the political arena, was as neat as a pin. She wore it longer and styled it either completely straight or flawlessly curled. Since Donald was such a wild card, Ivanka as his counterweight, couldn't have a hair out of place, both literally and figuratively.
Ivanka Trump's presidential chignon
While she initially wasn't interested in working in the White House, Ivanka Trump became a senior advisor to Donald Trump, along with husband Jared Kushner. Ivanka began her position as an advisor to the president in March 2017. The position was met with considerable disdain around the world, with cries of nepotism over Ivanka's lack of previous political experience. However, considering Ivanka's close working relationship with her father for years, it was a natural fit for the Trumps, no matter what anyone else thought of it.
While the family faced no shortage of controversy during Donald's run, they turned up the celebration for the inaugural ball. Ivanka arrived at the event in a champagne glimmering gown by Carolina Herrera. Though she regularly wears her hair down long, for this festive occasion, Ivanka pulled her back into a voluminous chignon. The hairstyle was notably different from her later looks during her father's presidency.
Ivanka's style, especially her hair, changed a great deal when she was in the White House. As previously noted, she wore her hair shorter for a period, wearing a blunt bob that cut off just above her shoulders. "I think that anytime someone does this chop, it gives off a 'take me more seriously' vibe," stylist Devin Toth told the Daily Beast in 2019. "You appear more intentional, precise, and discerning. Just think of Anna Wintour."
The aftermath of Donald Trump's presidency
After Donald Trump lost the 2020 election to President Joe Biden, Ivanka Trump started a new life chapter. The former first daughter and her husband, Jared Kushner, headed to Florida amidst reports of the two being not welcome in New York City and Washington, D.C. Ivanka went to great lengths to distance herself from Donald Trump's presidency following his time in the White House.
However, the lasting tremors of Donald's presidency weren't far off. In 2022, she stated that she believed former attorney general Bill Barr's assessment that election fraud did not take place in 2020. (Perhaps unsurprisingly, Donald dismissed his daughter's testimony.) She testified before the House panel in January 2023 about the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.
And in November 2023, she appeared in New York's Supreme Court to give her testimony about her father's fraud case. During her time on the stand, she insisted she had nothing to do with financial documents in question. While her hair was straight as a rod in the aforementioned 2022 video deposition, she went with a different look for this later testimony. In a deliberately subdued styling, Ivanka wore a dark blazer and simple white top. She wore her blonde hair parted down the middle and wore loose curls. She looked polished but was in no way aiming to draw attention to herself in any way.
Ivanka Trump wants to 'prioritize joy'
Ivanka Trump wakes up at 5 a.m. every day in order to have quality time with her kids in the morning, so her hair isn't always going to be at the top of the priority list. Following her time in the White House, a friend of Ivanka's told the New York Post that she wants to "prioritize joy." For her, this means more quality time with her husband, Jared Kushner, and their three children. As for her hair? It seems the severe styling of her political era and the careful personal branding for her eponymous brands are things of the past. When it's time for an event, the former first daughter goes with either simple straight tresses or soft curls.
Over on Instagram, Ivanka's given glimpses of her life post-White House, and her go-to hairstyles are a bun or a ponytail. While this look isn't as glamorous as some of the earlier versions of her hair, we get it. With the Florida heat, and her focus on her children, a simple hairdo makes the most sense. Nothing's easier than pulling one's hair up and heading out the door. We've seen Ivanka walking around with a big sunhat on, and we've seen her hitting the waves as she's taken up surfing. Her hair is either wet from time in the water, or in a style that's as uncomplicated as possible. By all accounts, the former White House advisor has embraced this low-key chapter.