The Best Wedding Hair Styles of All Time, From Brigitte Bardot to Diana Ross

Vogue
Updated

The ring has been sized, the dress tailored, the venue booked, and the RSVPs accounted for, but, as a bride, you still have one more major decision ahead of you: What to do with your Wedding Hair. We capitalize this in George Saunders–ian acknowledgement that the desire to express one’s whole self visually in a single hairstyle is nearly as difficult to do as it was to distill your essence into your now-defunct online dating profile.

The requirements are simple enough: something blithe, timeless, and not overworked; understated glamour with ethereal panache. A look back at history’s chicest brides should be proof enough that the very best version of yourself is waiting on the other side of a sleek blowout, a romantic braid, gently tousled waves, a neat knot, or, in the case of marrying a rock star, era-appropriate volume. From Diana Ross’s baby’s breath-adorned chignon to Kate Moss’s slept-in waves and Jane Birkin’s untamed floral crown, here are the best wedding ideas to come to fruition and make their way down the aisle.

1. Cindy Crawford

<h1 class="title">Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber</h1><cite class="credit">Photographed by Arthur Elgort, <em>Vogue</em>, December 2004</cite>

Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber

Photographed by Arthur Elgort, Vogue, December 2004

The Year: 2004
The Look: Barefoot and blissful, Crawford's laissez-faire waves compliment her casual beachside wedding.

2. Margherita Missoni

<h1 class="title">Margherita Missoni and Eugenio Amos</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Matteo Ferrari</cite>

Margherita Missoni and Eugenio Amos

Photo: Matteo Ferrari

The Year: 2012
The Look: For a fresh twist, Missoni accentuates her classic braided updo with a glinting silver tiara.

3. Solange Knowles

<h1 class="title">Solange</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Solange / @saintrecords</cite>

Solange

Photo: Courtesy of Solange / @saintrecords

The Year: 2004
The Look: Solange celebrates her natural texture—with the help of a few baby's breath buds—for her big day.

4. Iman

<h1 class="title">Iman and David Bowie</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Brian Aris</cite>

Iman and David Bowie

Photo: Brian Aris

The Year: 1992
The Look: Iman's cascade of half-up, half-down curls embody '90s supermodel glamour for her wedding to David Bowie.

5. Bette Franke

<h1 class="title">Bette Franke and Ilja Cornelisz</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Bette Franke</cite>

Bette Franke and Ilja Cornelisz

Photo: Courtesy of Bette Franke

The Year: 2013
The Look: Sweet and simple is the name of the game for this Dutch stunner.

6. Ingrid Bergman

<h1 class="title">Ingrid Bergman and Dr. Petter Lindström</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Getty Images</cite>

Ingrid Bergman and Dr. Petter Lindström

Photo: Getty Images

The Year: 1937
The Look: Bergman's pin curls peek out from her Juliet cap in this vintage bridal style.

7. Audrey Hepburn

<h1 class="title">Audrey Hepburn and Mel Ferrer</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Getty Images</cite>

Audrey Hepburn and Mel Ferrer

Photo: Getty Images

The Year: 1954
The Look: Hepburn's dark hair provides a striking backdrop for this crown of white blooms.

8. Priscilla Presley

<h1 class="title">Priscilla and Elvis Presley</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Getty Images</cite>

Priscilla and Elvis Presley

Photo: Getty Images

The Year: 1967
The Look: A rhinestone crown and three-foot veil top off Presley's gravity-defying bouffant.

9. Mia Farrow

<h1 class="title">Mia Farrow and Frank Sinatra</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Getty Images</cite>

Mia Farrow and Frank Sinatra

Photo: Getty Images

The Year: 1968
The Look: Farrow is the poster child of gamine chic with her short pixie cut and simple white skirt suit.

10. Jacqueline Kennedy

<h1 class="title">Jacqueline and John F. Kennedy</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Getty Images</cite>

Jacqueline and John F. Kennedy

Photo: Getty Images

The Year: 1952
The Look: Kennedy's hair was pinned into an elegant updo when she said "I do" in front of 700 guests.

11. Marisa Berenson

<h1 class="title">Marisa Berenson and James Randall</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Getty Images</cite>

Marisa Berenson and James Randall

Photo: Getty Images

The Year: 1976
The Look: Berenson frames her iconic curls with a handful of tropical flowers for her Beverly Hills wedding.

12. Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor

<h1 class="title">Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor and Edward VIII, Duke of Windsor</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Getty Images</cite>

Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor and Edward VIII, Duke of Windsor

Photo: Getty Images

The Year: 1937
The Look: A halo-like hat is the finishing touch to Simpson's glossy, center-parted bun.

13. Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco

<h1 class="title">Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco and Rainier III, Prince of Monaco</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Getty Images</cite>

Grace Kelly, Princess of Monaco and Rainier III, Prince of Monaco

Photo: Getty Images

The Year: 1956
The Look: Leave it to Grace Kelly, who accented a taut twist with a long, lace veil, to deliver one of the best wedding hairstyles of all time.

14. Farrah Fawcett

<h1 class="title">Farrah Fawcett-Majors and Lee Majors</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Getty Images</cite>

Farrah Fawcett-Majors and Lee Majors

Photo: Getty Images

The Year: 1973
The Look: For her Los Angeles wedding, Fawcett chose winged waves and a wide-brim sun hat.

15. Diana Ross

<h1 class="title">Diana Ross and Arne Naess, Jr.</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Getty Images</cite>

Diana Ross and Arne Naess, Jr.

Photo: Getty Images

The Year: 1986
The Look: White flowers and a veil accent Ross's raven-haired slicked back style.

16. Brigitte Bardot

<h1 class="title">Brigitte Bardot and Jacques Charrier</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Getty Images</cite>

Brigitte Bardot and Jacques Charrier

Photo: Getty Images

The Year: 1959
The Look: Bardot opted for her signature blonde bedhead for her wedding to actor Jacques Charrier.

17. Lauren Bacall

<h1 class="title">Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Getty Images</cite>

Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart

Photo: Getty Images

The Year: 1945
The Look: Bacall's deep part and polished waves epitomize Old Hollywood glamour.

18. Marilyn Monroe

<h1 class="title">Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Alamy</cite>

Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller

Photo: Alamy

The Year: 1956
The Look: The bombshell's blonde hair is pinned up into classic curls and covered with a chin-length veil.

19. Poppy Delevingne

<h1 class="title">Poppy Delevingne</h1><cite class="credit">Courtesy of Gianluca Longo / @gianlucalongogg</cite>

Poppy Delevingne

Courtesy of Gianluca Longo / @gianlucalongogg

The Year: 2014
The Look: For her Morocco wedding, Delevingne went with a miniature crown-like braid, trailing veil, and floral gown—gypset chic at its finest.

20. Bianca Jagger

<h1 class="title">Bianca and Mick Jagger</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Shutterstock</cite>

Bianca and Mick Jagger

Photo: Shutterstock

The Year: 1971
The Look: Jagger's hair falls naturally, with a hint of brush curl at the ends, underneath her Yves Saint Laurent chapeau.

21. Betty Catroux

<cite class="credit">Photographed by Jack Robinson, Vogue, February 1968</cite>
Photographed by Jack Robinson, Vogue, February 1968

The Year: 1968
The Look: Catroux in her everyday coif: poker straight and heavily banged.

22. Minnie Cushing

<h1 class="title">Minnie Cushing and Peter Beard</h1><cite class="credit">Photographed by Toni Frissell / Condé Nast Archive</cite>

Minnie Cushing and Peter Beard

Photographed by Toni Frissell / Condé Nast Archive

The Year: 1962
The Look: The socialite's hair is pulled up off her face and adorned with a smattering of daisies.

23. Yoko Ono

<h1 class="title">Yoko Ono and John Lennon</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Getty Images</cite>

Yoko Ono and John Lennon

Photo: Getty Images

The Year: 1969
The Look: Ono wore a white felt hat atop her freewheeling mane for her wedding to John Lennon near Gibraltar, Spain.

24. Vanessa Traina

<h1 class="title">Vanessa Traina Snow and Max Snow</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Samuel Lippke and Allan Zepeda for Samuel Lippke Studios</cite>

Vanessa Traina Snow and Max Snow

Photo: Samuel Lippke and Allan Zepeda for Samuel Lippke Studios

The Year: 2012
The Look: Traina's picture-perfect bun sits just above the nape of the neck, covered by her custom-made Givenchy veil.

25. Kate Moss

<h1 class="title">Kate Moss (with dress designer John Galliano)</h1><cite class="credit">Photographed by Mario Testino, <em>Vogue,</em> September 2011</cite>

Kate Moss (with dress designer John Galliano)

Photographed by Mario Testino, Vogue, September 2011

The Year: 2011
The Look: Moss channels bohemian vibes as her blonde hair spills effortlessly out from underneath a Juliet cap.

26. Jane Birkin

<h1 class="title">Jane Birkin</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Getty Images</cite>

Jane Birkin

Photo: Getty Images

The Year: 1965
The Look: Birkin's bangs flow freely underneath a bed of flowers.

27. Pat Cleveland

<h1 class="title">Pat Cleveland and Paul van Ravenstein</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Courtesy of Pat Cleveland and Paul van Ravenstein</cite>

Pat Cleveland and Paul van Ravenstein

Photo: Courtesy of Pat Cleveland and Paul van Ravenstein

The Year: 1982
The Look: The model's hair is swept up into a simple updo, showing off a fresh face.

28. Anna Karina

<h1 class="title">Anna Karina and Jean-Luc Godard</h1><cite class="credit">Photo: Getty Images</cite>

Anna Karina and Jean-Luc Godard

Photo: Getty Images

The Year: 1961
The Look: A rose in full bloom is tucked into the Nouvelle Vague star's loose bun.

29. Caroline Trentini

<h1 class="title">Caroline Trentini and Fabio Bartelt</h1><cite class="credit">Photographed by Pedrita Junckes</cite>

Caroline Trentini and Fabio Bartelt

Photographed by Pedrita Junckes

The Year: 2012
The Look: With a few loose pieces of hair framing her face, Trentini's textured chignon is effortlessly chic.

30. Jemma Kidd, Countess of Mornington

<h1 class="title">Jemma Kidd, Countess of Mornington, and Arthur Wellesley, Earl of Mornington</h1><cite class="credit">Photographed by Robert Fairer, <em>Vogue,</em> September 2005</cite>

Jemma Kidd, Countess of Mornington, and Arthur Wellesley, Earl of Mornington

Photographed by Robert Fairer, Vogue, September 2005

The Year: 2005
The Look: Kidd's classic, middle-parted bun is fit for English nobility.

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