Cheryl Tiegs' Best Hair Transformations Over The Years

While the era of the supermodel is often attributed to the late 1980s, the origin of celebrity models can be traced back to the '40s. Despite the emergence of models such as Twiggy, Peggy Moffitt, and countless other high-profile models throughout the decades, it wouldn't be until Cheryl Tiegs came onto the scene in the '70s that "the first American supermodel" would be crowned.

After becoming the first model to appear on the cover of Sports Illustrated twice, she reportedly signed a historical $1.5 million contract with CoverGirl, breaking records as to how lucrative a career in modeling could be. As for being "the first American supermodel," Tiegs shared in a 2017 interview with Artful Living that her interpretation of the title was not exclusive to her modeling work. She said, "I think it's a way of saying that I didn't just drop out of sight after a very successful career in modeling; I went on to start other businesses." Indeed, despite not being very fashion-forward in her everyday life, a monumental collaboration with Sears to design her own line racked up nearly $1 billion between 1981 and 1989, putting her business savvy at the forefront.

Besides her mesmerizing features and fit figure, one of Tiegs' most notable features was her hair. Her California-blond look has seen many changes in length and color over the years, but of her countless iconic transformations, these are her best.

The '60s was a time of subcultures, with the hippie movement widely defining the latter half of the decade. Model Cheryl Tiegs managed to marry the styles of the times and the standard bouffant look in this Glamour Magazine editorial from 1967. Her long, straight hair draped over her shoulders in the shot, coming from a defined bump of volume behind a simple headband. The counter-culture look popularized long, straightened hair with a middle part, but the high crown was seemingly a nod to the likes of Brigitte Bardot and Jackie Kennedy.

Curtain bangs have seen a massive comeback in the 2020s, with Elle even dubbing them as "The Coolest Summer Hair Refresh" in 2026. However, the style was first popularized in the '70s in large part thanks to models such as Cheryl Tiegs. In this editorial from a May 1974 issue of Women's Own magazine, her typical platinum locks had gone dirty blond, and the draping bangs sat perfectly on her high cheekbones. While nothing flashy, it spoke directly to the fashions of the time and likely inspired a generation of women to try the layered look.

The Farrah Fawcett look is iconic today, but it even seemingly influenced models such as Cheryl Tiegs at the time. Fawcett was actually one of Tiegs' most famous friends, meaning that this fluffy, textured look from a portrait of the supermodel from 1980 was possibly a friendly homage. It also emphasized a personal style-shift for Tiegs, as her previously smoothed-out look was starting to gain some volume and a more defined curl pattern. Although she reeled in the bang a bit more than Fawcett did, they both embodied the tousled, sun-kissed beauty standard of the decade.

By 1992, Cheryl Tiegs' hair had risen to heights nearly as high as her entrepreneurial endeavors. A massive chop compared to some of her other looks, this bob framed her face perfectly and added dimension through choppy layers and a teased crown. The microbangs were also much shorter than she typically went in the '60s and '70s, but still suited her face shape perfectly. While maintaining the movement most typical of the '80s, it was the perfect look for a powerful entrepreneur who was just a few years away from her next endeavor — a line of sportswear sold on QVC.

Modeling may have been put on the backburner while Cheryl Tiegs made her pivot to business in the '80s, but by 1995, the model burst back onto the scene in another Sports Illustrated Swimsuit feature at 47 years old. In this photo of the model from the QVC "FFANY Shoes on Sale" benefit in 1997, it seems that Tiegs had remodeled her look to better blend in among the supermodels of the time. Maintaining a strong bang with the rest of her hair swept up into high twist, she easily held her own against the likes of Claudia Schiffer, Cindy Crawford, and Linda Evangelista.

Although it has varied slightly in length over the years, Cheryl Tiegs most certainly found her signature haircut in 2000. In this photo of the model at her Remembrance of World AIDs Day event in Beverly Hills, there is something so timelessly beautiful about her shapely blowout and wispy curtain bangs. The look was a little bit of Jennifer Aniston on "Friends," while still maintaining a nod to the Farrah Fawcett look and the styles Tiegs rocked in the past. Tiegs still wears a variation of this look today, emphasizing how the length, and especially face-framing bangs, can be classified as a beauty almost as classic as hers.