The Oscars give us a lot to look forward to, from the dazzling designer dresses to the enviable makeup you'll want to recreate on your own Friday night out. But one simply can't forget the hairstyles amid the swirl of ballgowns and show-stopping trains. There's a gorgeous history of red carpet hairstyles dating back to the '50s (when the event first started to be broadcast) and spanning up to present day.
From Audrey Hepburn's pixie cut from Roman Holiday and Marilyn Monroe's finger waves in the '50s, to Michael Jackson's Jheri curls and Diana Ross's massive mane of hair in the '80s, you can look at each of those hairstyles and know exactly what decade they heralded from. That's not to say there aren't some looks in between that were historically monumental or strayed from the norm — after all, Oscars gowns aren't the only things on the red carpet that start a conversation. There have been some truly iconic hair looks over the years, and sometimes, the hair can make the actors' entire aesthetic.
So which are some of the best and most memorable? From atomic hairdos of the '60s to the low chignons of the early 2000's, ahead is the history of red carpet hairstyles. Live through the nostalgia, and look forward to what the 2017 Oscars will bring.
4Elizabeth Taylor's 1957 Tiara
She was and is a total queen, so it's only natural that at one point or another, Taylor would wear a crown to prove it.
5Miyoshi Umecki's Baby Bangs
6Shirley McClaine's Blunt Bob in 1965
The star's adorable bob at the 1965 Oscars looked perfect with her glamorous fur — and Warren Beatty by her side doesn't hurt, either.
7Sacheen Littlefeather's Hair With A Message
Native American activist Sacheen Littlefeather is shown here with middle parted, straight hair that is infamous for the 1970s, but she came to the awards ceremony to reject Marlon Brando’s Oscar for him as a stand against how American Indians are treated by the film industry.
12Halle's Trendsetting Pixie
This Halle Berry haircut (which walked the red carpet in 2002) was so iconic that even my Slavic, immigrant mother requested it at one point.
13Lupita's Natural Hair In 2014
From 2014 to present day, we've seen more and more black actresses rock their natural hair, just like Lupita Nyong'o and her headbanded coif.
14Anne Hathaway's Short Cut In 2013
Hathaway won Best Actress for Les Miserables in 2013, but her surprising, tousled short hair really stole the show.
15Emma's Old Hollywood Waves
If celebs didn't want to go the polished and straightened route, then many of them opted to tip their hats back to the '20s and '50s with finger waves, Old Hollywood curls, and Marcel dents. Not that any of us are complaining — it looks amazing.
Seeing how hair dos have ran the gauntlet in the past, it's definitely intriguing to think about what this year's trends will be. Timeless, trendy, or all-around unique — hair is one of the most interesting things happening on the Oscars red carpet.
