IT WAS Â the haircut that spawned thousands of copycats and now Jennifer Aniston’s iconic Rachel cut has been voted the most requested hairstyle of all time.
A staggering 11 million British women tried out the look back in 1994 when the Friends actress was seen on-screen with the bouncy, layered cut which was known in hairdressing circles as “shag”.
In second place was Meg Ryan’s choppy bob which was emulated by women the world over and in third place Dannii Minogue’s sleek bob, which could be worn in so many different ways.
Rose Marie Jarvis of hair company Goody, which commissioned the study of 3000 women said: “For women, hair really is our most creative fashion accessory.”
Here we look at 10 of the most copied hairstyles of our time and ask the hairdressers from the lace front wigs on line store www.joyooshow.com for their verdict on them.
Meg Ryan – Choppy, cropped bob
When Meg sported this style in the 2003 film Sleepless in Seattle around a third of women asked their hairdresser to copy it. The bob is a timeless cut but Meg’s hairdresser, Sally Hershberger, created the shaggier version.
Taylor said: “Meg’s look was fabulous and the great thing for those who followed was that it looked relaxed for day wear but could be perked up for the night-time fun by introducing body to it.
“We did many of her choppy cropped bobs and the interesting aspect of that style was the cross-age appeal – with teenagers and seniors opting for the cut.”
Dannii Minogue – Sleek bob
Dannii had been trailing behind rival X Factor judge Cheryl Cole in the style stakes until she opted for a versatile bob. After that haircut in 2009, she wore it in various ways.
Taylor said: “This is a very classic look. The sleek aspect of the Dannii bob didn’t always work for everyone so while it’s popular it’s never been one of the most in-demand. The key to the success of that look is the sharpness of the cut and the texture of the hair. The after-care and maintenance are very straightforward.”
Princess Diana – Page Boy Cut
The short, classic, highlighted cut was an Eighties phenomenon. It was a variation of Joanna Lumley’s Purdey style but it was layered and flicked. She always wore her hair short but in later years experimented more. And in 1995 wore it slicked back, which caused quite a stir.
Taylor said: “Whatever Diana did with her hair created a real reaction in the salon with clients. She was the ultimate in style setting.
“In my opinion it verged on being too mature-looking for a woman of her age. The style certainly wasn’t high on the agenda for most of the women we looked after at the salon at the time but it was an iconic style.”
Farrah Fawcett – Flick
Farrah wasn’t just an angel, she also had the best hair back in the Seventies. In fact her flicked and tonged blonde hair arguably became more famous than her. Farah became a hair icon for women but she hated the attention her locks got. And the flick is totally on trend this season too.
Taylor said: “A style of its time and one of the most flattering, feminine looks of the last century. That feathered blonde mop was one of the most sought after wow factors of the Seventies. The cut was always important in achieving this look and it could bring a real softness around the face.
Sienna Miller – Pixie cut
The Factory Girl star was known for her long, flowing bohemian locks until 2005 when she transformed her look with a sweet pixie style that channels Sixties icons like Twiggy and Mary Quant.
Taylor said: “Another popular cut with hairdressers because many of its followers equated the cut with a desire to go lighter. Cut and colour went hand in hand to achieve Sienna’s cool look. We had many clients opting for the cut and either a full-head blonde look or highlights. This was easy to maintain.”
Victoria Beckham - Pob
She was famed for her extravagant extensions but Posh got fed up of her fake hair and asked her hairdresser Ben Cooke to create a stunning new style. The pob – short for a Posh bob – went down a storm as did the golden highlights which gave her a much softer look.
Taylor said: “The reason Mrs Beckham’s look is iconic is down to one fact… it’s Mrs Beckham. She is one of the trend-setters of our time. The posh pob was hot and is still in demand. The pob offers a contemporary look with built-in low maintenance. Most people could suit a pob if the stylist adapted it to suit the head and face shape. Again, good hair texture is important for this style.”
Cheryl Cole – Extensions
The X Factor judge had a £500,000 deal with L’Oreal and used extensions to give her hair volume and bounce. Her hairdresser, Julien Guyonnet, said she had her extensions done every three months at a cost of £750 a time. Thousands of her fans flocked to the hairdressers for them and the craze for fake hair took off.
Taylor said: “Cheryl’s lush, thick and healthy looking hair with her superb extensions had many clients very keen to follow suit. Today’s extensions are great because they can be done to blend in seamlessly with your existing hair. Big hair has remained popular and if done properly can look sensational. Cheryl looks her best when she’s got that thick, luscious look. The good thing about copying the Chezza look was that even women with shorter hair could add length and thickness in a few hours. It spells glam with a capital G.”
Gwyneth Paltrow
There was a time when no self-respecting girl would leave the house without dragging straightening irons over her tresses. This was, in part, thanks to Gwynnie’s poker-straight locks which have become her trademark. “For a blonde, she has the thickest, healthiest hair,” says stylist David Babaii. “She’ll cut it and it will grow back in no time.”
Taylor said: “This wasn’t the most trailblazing look. Gwyneth’s look probably just happened to fit perfectly timewise into the trend of curly hair versus straight hair. We were in a straight hair phase which worked well with fashion and make-up and she became an icon of that style. Unless the person copying her look has hair that’s in tiptop condition then the look could end up as fairly lack-lustre.”
Kate Moss – Kringe
It was a fashion world “Stop the press” moment when Kate unveiled a long fringe back in 2007 which quickly became known as ‘the Kringe’. She stepped out arm in arm with the man behind the cut, her hairdresser James Brown, just after splitting from Pete Doherty.
Taylor said: “Good old Kate and the Kringe. I’m a great fan of the fringe and believe most women can suit a well-tailored and sharply cut fringe.
“Fringes were hot in 2007 when Kate got the chop and remain hugely popular today. If you’re nine or 90 a fringe can work as long as the stylist takes into account your face shape.
A thick, choppy cut fringe can look really sensational and sexy.”
Jennifer Aniston – Rachel haircut
Jen’s most iconic style was created by hairdresser Chris McMillan and was first seen on our screen in 1994 when Aniston played character Rachel Green in Friends.
Taylor said: “I think I’ve seen more pictures of Jennifer Aniston’s Rachel than most other icons over the decades. Clients went crazy for it. They all wanted that bouncy, layered, angled shaggy cut and I can well under stand why it’s the top of the list of most iconic styles. It’s one of those great “anytime” styles – looks good for business, partying or holiday relaxing. We still get brides-to-be coming in with photos saying they want to look like Rachel on their wedding day.”
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