Martha Stewart Looks Different Without Her Signature Bobbed Hair

With her quiet tones, carefully curated lifestyle brand, and mom-friendly blond bob, Martha Stewart has built an empire on looking cozy. Her rise to fame began when she catered a book release party and was asked to write a cookbook by another publisher who happened to be there, launching her into the public eye and the many books, magazines, and shows that followed. But before Stewart became the woman with a welcoming smile and signature bob that the world adores, she had a bit of an edge to her look.

Looking at this photo of a young Stewart, posted to her eponymous company's Instagram in August 2026, it is almost hard to believe that is really her. The snapshot featured Stewart standing with a cow, and the caption read, "Martha has always enjoyed working with farm animals, even dating back to her modeling days!" In the snapshot, the lifestyle icon's hair was long and sleek with a bouffant, not short and carefully coiffed as it so often appears. The steely look in Stewart's gaze was less "Let's decorate for Thanksgiving" and more "Stay away from my cow, or I'll knock you out." But one thing that isn't all that different is Stewart's wardrobe. She often wears button-down shirts when she's gardening or cooking pasta carbonara, but in this photo she left the top two buttons undone, adding a little more spice to the meal. To see this side of Stewart, the down-home elements of who she would become are all in place, but the style feels more rustic and raw.

It may seem like Martha Stewart was destined to help the world learn how to make their homes look cozy while cooking up delicious meals for the family, but the reality is her life took her in many directions before she became a household name. Born to a working-class family, Stewart helped pay for school with her modeling work. She met and fell in love with Andrew Stewart while at college, and they would tie the knot when Martha was 19. Sadly, their marriage was doomed from the start.

After graduation, Martha worked as a stockbroker, which she credits for helping her prepare for the business empire she has today. She told The Guardian in 2014, "The job was very good training for me in terms of what I've done since. ... You had to be [organized] in that job." She left that world behind during the 1974 crash, explaining, "I figured it was a good time for me to go out and be entrepreneurial." Before long, Stewart started her catering business, which led to the publication of her first book and the beginning of her empire.

As a self-made billionaire, Stewart has lived quite a lavish life, but it hasn't all been roses. In 2004, the queen of quilts found herself caught up in an insider trading case and was sentenced to five months in prison. But even prison couldn't keep Stewart from baking, which surely made her a favorite among her fellow inmates. While the trial bruised Stewart's standing in the public eye, she was able to turn it around and rebuild herself, showing the world that she still is a great homemaker. That long-haired woman with a fierce gaze is still in there, too.