The Best (and Worst) Oscar Hairstyles

I write lots of reviews of red carpet outfits, and I often mention hairstyles in passing, but there have been some absolutely stunning hairstyles on the red carpet over the years - and some real duds. Here are some of my favorites and least favorites from past Oscars. I wonder who'll join the list after this year's ceremony?

Natalie Portman, 2009

Portman was nominated for her role in Black Swan that year, so some kind of a bun was practically required. Her hair was gently swept back from her face, rather than sleeked into a tight bun, and her chignon of twisted curls was topped with a gorgeously sparkly crescent-shaped diamond clip. The style complemented her pink Grecian-inspired gown beautifully.

Berenice Bejo, 2012

Bejo had sported a variety of wigs for her role in The Artist, so it was nice to see her gorgeous natural auburn hair on the red carpet. Pulled into a French braid along her hairline, her hair was twisted into a low chignon at the nape of her neck. Elegant but not fussy, it showed that Bejo is stunning in any era.

Sarah Jessica Parker, 2009

As much as a love an elegant updo on the red carpet, lush bouncy waves are sometimes the right look. I'm not always a fan of Parker's style, but her healthy, shiny cascading waves were picture perfect.

Reese Witherspoon, 2013

Witherspoon also rocked full soft waves a few years later, with this side-parted and sideswept 'do that cascaded over her right shoulder. I especially love the hint of peekaboo bangs barely falling over one eye a la Veronica Lake.

Hailee Steinfeld, 2011

Steinfeld's youthful but elegant loopy chignon/French twist hybrid, topped with a tiny headband, was a good precursor for her perennial best-dressed status on future red carpets.

Julia Roberts, 2001

Paired with one of my favorite Oscar dresses ever, and lovely black-and-white vintage Valentino, Roberts' hairstyle channeled old Hollywood glamour with its high, sweeping bouffant and slicked to the side front. Reminding people of Audrey Hepburn is never a bad thing.

Halle Berry, 2001

Berry sported a super-short pixie when she took home the Oscar for Monster's Ball. It was the perfect accessory for her super-feminine, super-sexy sheer dress with strategically placed hand-painted flowers.

Jennifer Lawrence, 2013

Another low chignon with pretty details, Lawrence's hair was pulled back not too tightly and gathered with a few loops of her own hair right below her crown, then looped into a very loose (but not messy) chignon at her nape. It was polished without being overly fussy, and suited both her looks and her personality.

Rooney Mara, 2012

Not many women could pull off such a severe hairstyle, with straight, short bangs and a tight chignon, but Mara's perfect skin, impossibly glossy black hair, and and impeccable cut all worked together for a striking look that was the perfect topper for her plunging white gown.

Jennifer Lawrence, 2016

Sometimes a perfect haircut is the best style of all, as demonstrated by Lawrence's angled, face-framing, asymmetrical blond bob from 2016.


And of course, what would any fashion or hair blog be without a few fails? Here are some Oscar hairstyles that, um, fell a bit short of the mark.

Jennifer Lopez, 2002

J-Lo rarely makes a misstep on the red carpet, but this voluminous hairstyle was one of them. Not only was the volume of the curls out of proportion with her slim gown, but the sheer height of the pulled-back top section made her look like a giant lollipop.

Marcia Gay Harden, 2004

Another 'do with just too much volume, Harden's beehive updo was coiled with a lovely braid, but it was just too big and shapeless to be flattering.

Scarlett Johansson, 2005

 

This style was actually terrific in concept, with a coronet-type shape held back with a trio of diamond clips and with a few wisps of curly bangs. But the execution was simply...fuzzy. Oh, so very fuzzy. And the messy French twist in back covered with a tangle of what looked like a narrow leather thong held in place with dozens of visible hairpins, didn't improve things.

Lisa Rinna, 2009

I think Rinna's stylist forget that you're supposed to comb out the hair after you take the curlers out, not just shellac the whole thing as is.

Sharon Stone, 2011

That's a lot of height even for the 60s or the 80s, but this was in 2011. Nope.

Jennifer Hudson, 2014

Hudson's hairstyle had a number of pretty aspects, but it was too much of a mashup, combining 20s marcelled waves with 60s beehive height and 90s sausage curl hair extensions. Too much, and yet not enough.

Scarlett Johansson, 2017

Like her 2005 style, the concept was solid but the execution was lacking. First of all, the portion of hair pulled up to stand up were asymmetrical, with the stand-up portion starting noticeably higher on the right side of her head. Also, the attempted "swoop" at the right temple looks messy and uneven, and breaks up the pretty line of darker roots (and when do I ever approve of dark roots? But it was working). Johansson's gorgeous bone structure, especially with the feminine pink and gold makeup, balances the severity of the style beautifully, but it was just too awkward for my taste.

Katie Holmes, 2017

This ding isn't so much for the hair style as it is for the hair accessory. Holmes' smooth, side-parted bun was lovely, but then it was covered with ugly plastic beaded...things that reminded me of a 1970s beaded curtain. They were tacky and shapeless and ruined the whole look.

Helena Bonham Carter, 2006

Bonham Carter is known for wild, voluminous curls on the red carpet, and she usually makes even the craziest styles work. But something about this poufy half-up, half-down style feels off-balance, even for her. The top is too big, and the soft waves are too fussed-with to let this be a wild and messy style. It just doesn't go far enough either way.


So there's 10 of the best and 10 of the worst hairstyles we've seen at the Oscars in the past 15 or 20 years. And in just a few more weeks, we'll see if we have any additions to either list!