Embarrassing Reba McEntire Hairstyles That Will Forever Haunt Her

Ever since releasing her first studio album in 1977, Reba McEntire has been one to watch on the country music scene. And on TV. And on Broadway. And in the bookstore. Basically, the well-known redhead has conquered a whole of the creative arts, winning music awards, accolades as an actor, and hitting bestseller lists for her "Not That Fancy" lifestyle book.

McEntire has also gone through a stunning transformation over the years, keeping up with the times in terms of fashion and hairstyles. But, of course, that doesn't mean that the woman who stars in "Happy Place" always brings a smile to everyone's faces with some of her choices — especially when it comes to her trademark red tresses.  

Having been in the spotlight for multiple decades, McEntire was bound to appear with a mane look that has us vividly remembering, and actively covering our eyes. From way back in the '90s, she's proven that even though she's a survivor, her hair has taken some pretty bad hits.

The year was 1991, three whole years after Melanie Griffith's character in "Working Girl" exchanged her big hair for a poufless bob. After seeing Reba McEntire's mane moves at the American Music Awards in Los Angeles, California, that year, we're going to take a wild guess that she skipped the movie in favor of singing. While the music paid off, with the singer winning both Favorite Country Female Artist and Favorite Country Album, her lack of movie-makeover magic did not. Believe it or not, that's an upsweep — there are even more curls hiding in the back.

In a complete contrast to her earlier tress vibes, Reba McEntire walked the red carpet in January 1998 with a truly minuscule amount of hair. Viewers of the 24th People's Choice Awards in Pasadena, California, saw the same scarlet shade (here's what McEntire would look like without her signature red hair), but in a lesser quantity of tresses. An abbreviated pixie snip barely grazed the nape of her neck, and was even shorter in the front. McEntire wore the cut close to her crown, with barely any volume — there just wasn't enough hair to pull off anything more.

Besides her haircolor, one of Reba McEntire's trademark tress moves is fringe. Long, short, straight, or volumized, bangs are a constant presence in almost all of her hair looks. And remembering this style from Celebrity Fight Night XXIV in Phoenix, AZ, in March 2018, we know why. That's a lot of forehead, and she knows it. McEntire revealed the expanse of skin above her brows when she posted a casual pix on Instagram. With all her hair pulled back, she openly acknowledged her high hairline. "As [nephew] Sam would say, 'That's not a forehead. That's a 5-head!!!'" 

When Reba McEntire got ready for the 54th Academy of Country Music Awards in Las Vegas, Nevada in April 2019, we think maybe she drew herself as a stick figure to serve as mane inspiration. Stick figures usually have circles for head, and given that the "Fancy" singer's hairstyle is just as wide as it is high, her above-the-shoulder silhouette closely resembles the shape of a bowling ball. Volume at the crown is an essential element of most of McEntire's hair looks, but the teased-out sides must have used twice as much hairspray as the top.

When you're going to an event honoring Gwen Stefani, it's almost a straight guarantee the blonde bombshell is going to look stunning. So it's anyone's guess as to why Reba McEntire opted for Saturday soccer-mom hair for her pal's Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony in October 2023. Messy bangs and a rounded silhouette looked all the less spectacular next to Stefani's high pony. There's a line in the movie "Steel Magnolias" where Sally Field's hair is described as being a "brown football helmet." In McEntire's case, it was a red helmet, and very Superbowl unworthy.

Reba McEntire is all country, but every now and then, someone on her glam team, or the singer herself, tries to be a little more rock-'n'-roll, as was the case in May 2024. McEntire took to the stage to perform at the 59th Academy of Country Music Awards in Frisco, Texas, with her hair uncharacteristically shaggy. Layers were bent into crimp-like curves and pieced out, with her bangs also getting a tousled texture. She may have been going for edgy, but what she achieved was everyone seeing only choppy, unkempt edges.

An admitted fan of wigs, Reba McEntire is no stranger to the pin-and-tuck hairstyle, so much so that she's nearly unrecognizable with her natural hair. Most of the time, her faux tresses aren't obvious at first glance, but there's always the exception to the rule. At the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards in Frisco, Texas in May 2025, there was barely a doubt that her below-the-shoulder silhouette was in the not-real category — not only was the length several inches longer than it appeared just seven days before, it was too perfect in its silky texture and precise curls.