Call her the OG influencer. The iconic style of the late Princess Diana is something which has only become more legendary as time goes by and we see her royal chicness being replicated in every aspect of modern style from engagement rings and wedding dress choices to eyeliner (blue, always), watch styles (the Cartier Tank Française forever!), workout ‘fits, pie crust collar and sweater combos, and elegant cocktail dresses.
The Princess Diana detail the world was most obsessed with though was her hair. As it was known back in the day, The Lady Diana Haircut was a short feathery style with a soft, swoopy fringe. It was her trademark, and absolutely the most requested style of the 1980s. Her look transformed over the years and in the 1990s became more of an alluring textured crop.
Her refined ‘90s hair vibe was all about confidence and a new life chapter post-Prince Charles split. Legendary British hairstylist Sam McKnight was the architect of her look that decade. McKnight shared in an interview with Vogue when he met Princess Diana on set for a shoot in 1991 she asked him for hair advice: “What would you do to my hair if you could do anything you wanted?” To which McKnight answered, “I’d just cut it all off and start again.”
Fast forward to today and we’re in the midst of a Princess Diana hair renaissance with styles from every era of her life trending. Celebrity and editorial hairstylist Jason Lee, owner of Jason Lee Salon, says Princess Diana hair vibes are particularly hot with Gen Z. “They love irony, especially with their style, so it’s no surprise that Princess Diana’s hair is becoming popularized again,” Lee reports. “Her hair is a symbol of an era in the ‘80s and ‘90s.”
Lee says we are also seeing a shift back to short cuts again after decades of beach waves and Real Housewives hair which is now perceived as an ‘older’ look. “A few years ago, one of my editorial friends in New York told me she didn’t do glamourous waves anymore on her celebrity clientele, and that younger celebs were coming to her because she was more rebellious with her hairstyles,” Lee shares. “This was the starting point of a new hair age and the return to ironic ‘90s inspo.”
Read on for Lee’s thoughts on the impact of Princess Diana’s hair back then, how it’s being modernized today, and what other famous throwback celebrity hair moments are trending.
Take us back! Why was Princess Diana’s hair such a moment?
“Princess Diana always had an incredible fluffy layered haircut. Whether it was throughout the ‘80s or into the ‘90s, her look was extremely layered, and her hair always seemed to cascade off her face. Her fringe looked like someone had just raked a wide tooth comb through it and it always had flips and wings on the sides. This look was a major in the 1980s and she continued to modernize it into the early ‘90s where she kept the same overall look, but her hair became cropped and less feathery. I think the impact of her haircut was so massive because she popularized the representation of an upper middle class British woman wearing a British countryside look in the mainstream. Princess Diana was a cool girl in her day, but in her case, her look was upper middle class, and she became a symbol of preppy modernity in the 1980s.”
How are we updating Princess Diana’s signature hair styles to be on trend today?
“The cropped Diana ‘bixie’—which is a mix between and bob and a pixie—is something fresh and fun. While the look is layered, what’s different about today’s version and Diana’s version is the layers aren’t so feathered and short. Diana’s layers were exaggerated and obvious. Today’s layered cut is softer and the layers themselves aren’t necessarily the same all around. The style is great for many because you can customize the look to your hair texture. It works well on straight, wavy, and loose curly hair and the idea is to work with your natural texture and making it appear effortless. If you have wavy or curly hair, a diffuser can enhance your texture. If you want your hair smoother use a heated roller brush to create volume.”
Your favourite Princess Diana hair era?
“I loved her hair in the ‘90s when she started wearing Versace and she really embraced high fashion. Her haircut was blown out smoother and her layers were a bit longer. She did a shoot with Mario Testino in 1997 for Vanity Fair and her hair was very soft and touchable. Her fringe was straight and loose. I also loved when she slicked back her hair.”
What other famous nostalgic hair styles are haute again?
“The biggest trends right now are ironic throwbacks to the’ 90s: thin bangs, supermodel blowouts, Jennifer Aniston layers, Pamela Anderson updos, bixie/pixie haircuts, and bobs. All of these are what we did back in the ‘90s and they’re back but what’s different for us professionals are the techniques we’ve learned since then like softer layers, razoring cuts and improved technology with tools and products which promotes, smoother, softer and healthier hair.”
