There’s hair, and then there’s the iconic Julia Roberts hair that defines eras and deserves its own award. Her million-dollar smile might be her most famous trademark, but since the start of her career, her hair has played an equally starring role. Always a little different, yet with the same natural charm.
Roberts burst onto the film scene in the late 1980s, instantly enchanting Hollywood with her natural, curly locks. In the movie Mystic Pizza, her character’s vibe was perfectly matched by her loosely styled, finger-combed hair. In the hairspray-heavy 80s, Roberts quickly became known for her dyed chestnut brown strands, teased high and featured in one of Pretty Woman’s most memorable moments—when Vivian removes her short platinum blonde wig, revealing her red waves. Let’s dive into Julia Roberts’ iconic hairstyles that still win hearts worldwide.
In the early 90s, she shifted to lighter tones closer to her natural blonde, then boldly chopped her shoulder-length hair into a short, tousled pixie cut.
During this time, she experimented with deep reds and icy platinum shades. In the “Rachel haircut” era, she favored softly face-framing, shoulder-length styles—sometimes a long bob, other times shiny, layered chocolate brown hair. Roberts was already a bob fan before it became a full-blown trend.
One of her most unforgettable looks was at the 1997 premiere of My Best Friend’s Wedding, where she wore a relaxed twisted updo with a natural, slightly bohemian vibe—perfectly capturing the era’s effortless beauty ideal.
In the early 2000s, Roberts embraced the sleek, straightened hair trend: side-parted, mirror-smooth strands in vibrant red, deep brown, or golden blonde shades.
By the mid-2000s, she had perfected the loose, glossy waves that have since become her signature look.
By 2009, she had transformed into a true sun-kissed California blonde, before returning to radiant red tones until the 2014 Oscars, where she stunned on the red carpet with fresh platinum blonde hair.
In 2023, she returned to the natural chestnut-red shade that fans first fell in love with. Recently, under the hands of star stylist Serge Normant, she refreshed her look with bangs—first worn straight, then grown out and loosely swept to the side, blending perfectly with her iconic waves.
In a past interview, Julia Roberts openly shared how she relates to her hair and its constant changes. “I think there’s something about me that makes people feel comfortable or familiar. When someone in a store asks, ‘Why did you cut your hair like that?’ it’s not rudeness. It’s more like they feel they know me, like I’m sitting behind them every Sunday in church.” She continued, “That feeling of familiarity when you understand someone you don’t actually know. I think looking mostly like myself in my movies keeps me out of character actor territory. But I never feel like I’m playing myself.”
In 2025, Roberts is once again freely experimenting with her hair, both on screen and off. In her latest film, After the Hunt, she sports the shortest hairstyle she’s had in decades—a side-parted, loose-waved blonde bob.
At the 2025 Venice Film Festival, she appeared with warm, “pumpkin spice” rich red hair, brightened by lighter burnt orange highlights. She wore it center-parted in a loosely styled shag, perfectly evoking an autumn vibe.
No matter how she styles, cuts, or colors it, Julia Roberts’ hair always tells her story—natural, confident, and timeless, just like her. Trends come and go, but her style never loses that simple yet stunning magic that the world adores. Every appearance reminds us that it’s not perfection but authenticity that truly inspires. Maybe that’s why we can’t imagine a hairstyle that wouldn’t look absolutely amazing on her.
