18 Hairstyles That Defined The Movies

Coco Chanel once said, "A woman who cuts her hair is about to change her life." It's the one part of our style that, aside from a few makeup tricks and manicures, is the easiest way of making ourselves over. Hair can be our identity, capturing an entire attitude and adding character. Would Marilyn Monroe be Marilyn Monroe without those white-blonde waves? Is it possible to separate Amy Winehouse from that beehive? We associate certain styles with certain women, not just because they looked fantastic, but because their hair defined their entire personality.

And, like Lolita's heart-shaped sunglasses, certain hairstyles are so ingrained into a film's aura that it is near impossible to separate the two. The cinematic thrill, the moment in time a certain coiff captures — and the epic imitators for generations. In fact, sometimes, it's the hair that we remember the most. In others, they become icons for an entire generation. These hairstyles aren't just pretty, edgy, and at times boundary pushing — they have characters of their own.