beauty
From her signature blonde ringlets to her 'Folklore' bangs
By Chelsea Candelario
•
Published Nov 30, 2023
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Most of us are familiar with Taylor Swift’s impressive catalog, her stylish concert looks and her dedicated fan base. In the 10+ years that she’s been in the public eye, she’s completely transformed her sound and her beauty looks, too. From her signature blonde ringlets to her Folklore bangs, we compiled 36 of the most iconic Taylor Swift hairstyles since 2006.
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2006: CMA Awards Debut
In 2006, we were first introduced to the country singer at the 40th CMA Awards, where she rocked a head full of tight ringlets and a deep side part.
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2007: Signature Ringlets
This hairstyle will always be associated with the early days of Tay. She wore super tight curls that often cascaded past her shoulders and a side bang that swooped across her forehead.
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2007: Low Bun
When she didn’t have her curls fully on display, the “Teardrops on My Guitar” singer tried simple updos. She wore a twisted low bun and a swept bang for the CMA Awards.
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2007: Low Ponytail
Swift occasionally switched things up by wearing her curls loose and tied back into a low ponytail, as evident at the 41st annual CMA Awards.
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2008: Fearless Curls
By 2008, the singer released her second album Fearless and a new version of her curly locks. At the 50th Grammy Awards, Swift showed off shoulder-length curls and a darker blonde hue.
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2009: Terrific Tendrils
While Tay Tay enjoys her side bangs, she swapped them out for two tendrils at the 17 Again red carpet. She kept the rest of her hair in a low messy bun to keep the focus in the front.
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2009: Faux Lob
The songwriter made us do a double take with this faux lob during the 43rd annual CMA Awards. Tip: Tie your hair back before tucking your ends in and securing them with a few bobby pins throughout to create a similar effect.
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2010: Side-Swept Hair
The Speak Now era ushered in this side-swept style for the Time 100 Gala. Taylor’s wavy tresses laid nicely on her left shoulder and gave us a peek at her stunning drop earrings.
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2010: Sleek and Straight
The “Mine” singer surprised fans with this sleek style at the 2010 CMT Music Awards. The straight look showed off her lengthy mane and striking blonde shade. Plus, it paired nicely with her burgundy dress and black hoop earrings.
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2010: Full Bang Fun
By November 2010, T.Swift wanted to try bolder looks. She sported straight locks again, but this time she added brown highlights and a fuller bang that completed her edgy ensemble for the American Music Awards.
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2010: Sleek Ponytail
That year, the songwriter also wore another hairstyle to the AMAs, where she won the award for “Favorite Country Female Artist.” This sleek ponytail featured full fringe and loose tendrils.
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2011: Ash Brown
The curls were back for the 46th CMA Awards. Swift’s loose curl pattern and ash blonde shade stole the show at the event.
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2011: Met Gala Slick Back
For her first Met Gala, Taylor decided to experiment with her hair. While rocking a fringe was nothing new, she tried a slicked-back style that put the spotlight on her bold lashes, vibrant red lipstick and rosy cheeks for the night.
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2012: Fringe Updo
The Red era was all about full fringe and a darker hair color, as seen at the 54th annual Grammy Awards. The 23-year-old went for a simple updo that evening, which gave her stunning gown all the attention on the red carpet.
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2012: Layers, Layers, Layers
Later that year, the sleek look returned with some additional layers and hints of brown highlights woven throughout.
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2013: Braided Beauty
Well before Folklore, the award-winning star sported a braided crown at the 55th annual Grammy Awards. And of course, you can’t forget the star of the show: her full fringe that grazed her brows just so.
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2013: Punk 'n Pretty
Inspired by the 2013 Met Gala theme, Swift stepped out of her comfort zone with this edgy look. The textured tresses, bold eyeliner and striking gown screamed “punk and chaos” (in a good way).
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2013: Vintage Curls
The 1989 era introduced a shorter cut for the singer. During the 2014 Vanity Fair Oscar Party, she showed off a lob with subtle bends throughout and brought back her signature side bang.
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2014: 1989 Lob
The 1989 era introduced a shorter cut for the singer. During the 2014 Vanity Fair Oscar Party, she showed off a lob with subtle bends throughout and brought back her signature side bang.
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2014: Tousled Pop
As her music started to change, so did her hairstyles. At the 49th annual CMA Awards, Swift sported wavier strands, which she wore with blue smokey eyes and dazzling gemstone earrings.
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2014: Shake It Off Shag
The “Blank Space” singer wore a lob haircut all throughout 2014, as seen at the MTV Video Music Awards. However, this version featured a full fringe and waves to give off a shaggier effect.
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2014: Angled Bob
By the end of 2014, Swift began trying out subtle, but different hair changes once more—like this angled bob she wore to the American Music Awards.
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2015: Slick-Back Singer
s she moved away from her country roots, Tay Tay embraced her new pop rock persona with this slicked-back look. While her fringe took center stage, we can’t help but admire the superstar’s striking cat eye here as well.
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2016: Bold Bob
During the 58th Grammy Awards, Swift showed off a shorter bob that grazed her jawline. The chic ‘do paired nicely with her full fringe and vibrant red lipstick.
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2016: Met Gala Makeover
Swift surprised everyone with her new platinum blonde and tousled locks. The singer committed to the Met Gala theme of “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology” from head to toe (and as far as we’re concerned, she definitely had one of the top looks that night).
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2018: Beehive Babe
The Reputation era brought out an edgier side to the pop star. During the American Music Awards, she rocked darker locks and a tousled updo that paired well with her new sound.
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2019: Lover Locks
By 2019, the Lover singersparked bronde locks and pink tips that were playful and fun for the iHeartRadio Music Awards.
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2019: Elegant Updo
Here’s further proof that T.Swift is the queen of updos. She gave us major Disney princess vibes at the Time 100 Gala with this intricate bun, complete with a chic headband.
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2019: Braided Pony
The songwriter rarely wears braids (or ponytails), but when she does, it looks chic enough for any red carpet. Case in point: This braided look she wore to Billboard Women In Music event.
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2020: Messy Top Bun
Leave it to Swift to make a tousled top bun look so effortless. The 30-year-old kept her hair simple in favor of her gorgeous floral gown during the 77th Annual Golden Globes red carpet.
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2021: Folklore Fringe
The Folklore and Evermore era had the singer mellowed out, which introduced more low-maintenance hairstyles. During the 63rd annual Grammy Awards, she showed off a low braided crown and her iconic fringe, but left out a few strands to give off a more casual vibe.
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2021: Lovely Locks
By 2021, Tay was done with short haircuts and returned to her long, luscious locks for the Brit Awards. Did we mention she also won Global Icon that night?
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2022: Middle Part
Her ninth album, Midnight, had Swift doing something she’s never done before: a middle part. She stunned fans by dividing her full fringe down the center at the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards. She also wore bedazzled eye makeup, and of course, her signature red lipstick.
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2022: Taylor Version
In 2022, Taylor released new versions of her past albums and started a new journey. To mark this new era, she refreshed her hair to a golden blonde hue, which we first saw at the Toronto International Film Festival.
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2022: Mermaid Waves
This wavy hairstyle brought us back to her earlier days. In addition to the six awards Taylor won at the American Music Awards that night, her brushed out curls, swooped bangs and rub red lips also deserve a trophy.
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2023: Eras Tour Tresses
If you were lucky to get tickets to the Eras Tour, then you were graced with Taylor’s shiny blonde blowout and Birkin bangs.
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Chelsea Candelario
Associate Editor, Ultimate Fangirl, Aspiring Beauty Guru
Chelsea Candelario is an Associate Editor at PureWow. She has been covering beauty, culture, fashion and entertainment for over a decade. You'll find her searching the internet...
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