'60s Icon Twiggy Wasn't A Fan Of Her Signature Short Hair: 'It Was Mad'

When most people hear the name "Twiggy," they think of a supermodel from the 1960s with a chic pixie cut. It's the look that Twiggy, whose real name is Lesley Hornby, is most well-known for. The young model got famous thanks to the stylish hairstyle, and it became her signature look.

But according to the model, she personally wasn't a fan of the hair at first. And if she hadn't been too shy, she would've never tried it out. Twiggy spoke about her iconic haircut during an appearance on the podcast "Table Manners" in 2020. She finally revealed her real feelings on the style. Twiggy was only a teenager in 1966 when she was in a "posh salon" getting her hair done. Faced with famous British stylist Leonard Lewis' idea for a trendy new haircut, Twiggy said she was "a bit too shy to say I don't want it done."

The process to get to Twiggy's well-known blonde mod pixie cut was a long one. The former supermodel said she had to come back the next day and spent hours at the salon. "Oh, it was mad," she recalled. After the appointment was finished, the hairstylist took photos of Twiggy. The now-familiar images were displayed at the salon, and soon enough, a journalist saw the snaps. Despite not wanting the haircut at first, Twiggy admitted, "When that haircut started, when that photograph was taken, that was the pivotal moment."

While a hairstylist was behind Twiggy's iconic hair, she was the one behind the makeup. In a 2025 appearance on "Lorraine," Twiggy talked about how she didn't have a makeup artist in the 1960s when she broke out in modeling. Instead, she did her makeup herself. So the classic Twiggy makeup look, with distinct lower lashes, was all her doing.

"It used to take me an hour and a half to do," she recalled. As for her inspiration, Twiggy said, "I copied a rag doll that I had in my bedroom." Luckily for Twiggy, it was the right call, and it helped shoot her to superstardom. Soon enough, she was on the cover of big magazines like Vogue. The model was a surprise success for multiple reasons. Beyond the unique hairstyle and makeup that put a spotlight on her as a teenager, it was also rare for someone in a working-class family to be a successful model back then.

"I was probably the first famous working-class supermodel," she told the Daily Mail. Before the 1960s, it was usually well-off or middle-class women who were models. Some even went to a modeling school or similar establishment to get their start. So Twiggy's sudden discovery and instant fame were a bit of a surprise. Twiggy said, "They modeled until they met their wealthy husband. So I came out of left field."