Southern Hair the Year You Were Born

The shift in fashion between the 1930s and 40s also brought a big change in hairstyles. Feminine flapper gowns were traded in for structured suits with ‘dos to match. Married four times and ever bold in her style choices, Texas born Joan Crawford was always ahead of her time. We love Crawford’s take on the pin curl updo, a popular look of the decade.

Born in Smithfield, South Carolina, and a darling of the classic Hollywood cinema era, movie star Ava Gardner always sported her dark curls shoulder length and pinned back to frame her gorgeous face. Remember her in those famous flicks, such as The Killers and Mogambo? With arguably the strongest Carolina drawl in all of Hollywood, this starlet made sure her Southern roots were never forgotten.

Houston, Texas native Gene Tierney owed much of her Hollywood fame to her acclaimed beauty—hair included. Here, sculpted, pinned back curls make another appearance, and it’s no wonder this hair style was such a hit —out of the way and universally flattering, it allowed for her famous face to take center stage.

She won an Oscar for her first starring role in The Song of Bernadette (1943), survived breast cancer, and lived a full life until the age of 90. The Oklahoma native was a trendsetter with those memorable bumper bangs, which became a hairstyle that swept the country and is still popular today in rockabilly culture.

This American jazz singer was called the First Lady of Song, the Queen of Jazz, and Lady Ella. And while “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair” may have been one of her hits, we imagine that perfectly coiffed hair of hers that became almost as famous as Virginian herself (born in Newport News, Virginia) was put right back in place post-wash.

This Louisiana native and World War II pinup girl could most often be seen with her jet black hair parted straight down the middle and tightly curled to frame her face. Crowned Miss New Orleans as a teen in 1931, she went on to be a pillar of Southern beauty both on and off screen for more than 50 years.

Yes, men are making our list too. The eccentric billionaire from Humble, Texas was the producer of many films from the 1920s to 1950s. His distinct side part reflects the groomed style worn by many men during the time. And it is an iconic look that is still so popular today.

Short, tight curls and a side part characterized Irene Dunne’s hair for the majority of her career, as was the case for many other Hollywood celebrities of her time. The difference? Dunne’s ‘do, and her career, came with a dose of unrivaled Southern pride—especially for her home state of Kentucky. In her later life, she wrote that her life of stardom failed to match the joy she garnered from a simple trip down the Mississippi river.

The country singer-songwriter and film star was born in Uvalde, Texas in 1912. She was also the third wife of the singing cowboy Roy Rogers. The Texas born beauty brings together two 1940s looks we've always loved—the cowboy hat and the omelet fold hairstyle.

Kentucky native Patricia Neal started her acting career on the cusp of the decade—transiting from the more structured, sculpted curls of the ‘40s, to a looser rendition in the ‘50s, her hairstyle was often on the fence as to which era it belonged. Like her hair, her acting appealed to a broad audience and in 1963 she reached her career peak by taking home the Academy Award for Best Actress.

There’s no doubt about it—the Bettie Page bang is alive and well today. It’s been going strong ever since it’s namesake debuted her modeling career in the ‘50s. Dubbed the Queen of Pinup, Page, who was born in Nashville, Tennessee, was an icon in her own right— though nothing about her career stood the test of time quite so well as her cropped frontal fringe.

Mother to Star Wars icon Carrie Fisher, Debbie Reynolds from El Paso, Texas, rose to her own fame in 1952 as the start of Singin in the Rain. It was her first leading role and one that paved the way for a hugely successful Hollywood career. Like her predecessors in the 40s, her hair adhered largely to a tightly curled and cropped style, though it did loosen up and evolve along with her career.

If you’ve seen Hitchcock’s Psycho, you know the magic that is Vera Miles. With cropped platinum blonde hair and a show-stopping gaze, it should come as no surprise that she spent her early years collecting pageant crown in her home state of Oklahoma. She went on to sport both longer and shorter styles as trends evolved, but always stayed true to her signature champagne color.

Before the Queen of Soul, there was the Queen of Rhythm & Blues— Virginian Ruth Brown. Brown was born in 1928 in Portsmouth, Virginia. Crowned for her mastery of the R&B genre, her cropped, curly ‘do was the perfect pairing to her musical mastery.

As the biggest celebrity of the decade—and arguably, of the century—the King’s stardom was largely defined by his overall persona, and, of course, his hair. Slicked back, jet black, and never out of place, Elvis Presley sported the original pompadour style that now lives on atop the head of many an imitator. The King was born in Tupelo, Mississippi in 1935.

James Brown’s influence is seemingly unending—with a roster of iconic musicians like Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger, and David Bowie all crediting him for their success to some degree. It’s no surprise that the Godfather of Soul who was born in South Carolina and spent his last days in Atlanta had a look that was just as funky—and Iconic—as the genre he created.

With her ultra short bangs and sleek blonde hair, this Georgia peach (born in Thomasville, Georgia in 1930) was always true to her roots, even when she made her home in Connecticut with husband Paul Newman. Variations of this fringe, not unlike the Bettie Page bang, are still a much sought-after style today.

She played leading lady to the likes of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Kirk Douglas where she (and her array of hairstyles) always held their own. Born in Amarillo, Texas, she wore her hair stick straight, jet black, and long for her role as Morticia Addams in the The Addams Family, but it was her platinum cropped ‘do that we remember most.

The six-time Oscar-nominated actress who was born in Richmond, Virginia alludes to the end of the 1950s with her chic pixie cut that may have even inspired Twiggy herself in the 1960s. Trendsetting, she made her Hollywood debut with a cropped cut in the Hitchcock film The Trouble With Harry in 1955. Probably one of our all-time favorite roles was the bitter, wise-cracking "Ouiser" Boudreaux in Steel Magnolias.

At 4’9’’, vocalist Brenda Lee from Atlanta packed a whole lot of spunk into her mini frame—and, appropriately, earned the nickname Little Miss Dynamite as a result. Her hair, piled atop her head in true 60s fashion, was just one element to this singer’s look that secured her stardom for years to come.

When country music icon Dolly Parton first came on the Nashville scene in the early 60s, her blonde locks were even more voluminous than they are today. The only thing that outgrew her hair? Her superstardom—she went on to hold the record for the most Billboard Country charts #1 hits ever held by a female musician. Here are 18 things you may not have known about Dolly Parton.

Another Tennessee native, who was born in Texas, with a noteworthy hairstyle, Roy Orbison’s coiffure was quintessential to the decade in which he found fame. The classic pompadour look was certainly a popular one (fellow musician Elvis Presley also claimed it), and it’s almost too close to call who wore it best.

First Lady Johnson was an icon for so many reasons, but most notably it was her commitment to beautifying the nation alongside her husband, LBJ, that anchors her legacy. It’s not hard to see this devotion to beauty reflected in Lady Bird herself—the Texan, who was always immaculately styled from head-to-toe (hair included), she was truly the gold standard of her time.

The pompadour found another devotee in famed singer-songwriter Johnny Cash—who is responsible for hit songs like “Folsom Prison Blues,” “Ring of Fire,” and “I Walk The Line.” His stardom rightly knew no bounds and this caliber of hair, perfected decade after decade in the same coiffed style, has been matched by few—much like his musical talent.

Though it was tragically cut short in 1968, Sharon Tate’s life was marked in part by her mastery of the bouffant hairstyle of the 60s. Staying true to her Texas roots, Tate kept the big hair. Puffed high on top and cascading down on either side, the halo of blonde hair that frames her face in every photo perfectly highlights the beauty that brought her fame.

With undeniably luscious locks and a modeling career of equal caliber, it should come as no surprise that Hutton who was born in Charleston, South Carolina graced the cover of Vogue a record 41 times. Her sandy blonde tresses often took center stage, and years later, they’re still serving this starlet well.

Standing as the most awarded female country musician of all time, it’s safe to say that Kentuckian, Loretta Lynn, will go down as one of the most celebrated country stars in history. Seemingly adhering to the age-old adage of “the bigger, the better,” Lynn’s huge hair speaks volumes for popular hair culture at the time.

Wispy, choppy layers characterized the Doors frontman’s ‘do in 1968, and though perfecting the “just rolled out of bed” look wasn’t likely his goal, the Floridian seems to have mastered it just the same. One of the greatest rockers of all time, his legacy lives on through the playlists (and hairstyles) of many a young devotee.

The Queen of Soul—and arguably the queen of the beehive, as well—wasted no time dominating an entire genre of music and making her mark in the realm of style with her icon look. Her music is alive and well on radio waves and turntables today, and now more than ever, her soulful, proud style continues to demand a royal serving of R-E-S-P-E-C-T.

Born in Port Arthur, Texas to an engineer and Sunday school teacher, Janis Joplin was a lifelong non-conformist. Genre-defying vocal talent and her signature untamed locks solidified her rock star image. In the 1970s, she would often tie feather boas into her hair to draw even more attention to her hair’s wild volume.

The country music queen is nearly as well remembered for her pillowy, bleach blonde bouffant as she is for “Stand By Your Man.” Born Virginia Wynette Pugh Bird, producer Billy Sherrill rebranded the former Mississippi beautician as Tammy in the mid-60s, explaining that her hair reminded him of Debbie Reynolds’ ponytail in the movie Tammy.

‘The Greatest’ hailing from Louisville, Kentucky has inspired generations of athletes. Today, he still remains the only three-time lineal heavy weight champion. When it came to his crown, Ali kept it high and tight in a style he sported until his death in 2016.