See: The Prettiest Hair of 2013
“Pretty” hair takes all different forms. Pretty long, pretty short, pretty edgy, pretty big, pretty flower crowns, and in some cases, even pretty man-hair. To make the following list, each of these people had to pass at least two of the following criteria: Was the hair immediately covetable? Did it induce an Icona Pop–like “I don’t care, I love, I want it now” reaction? Did it flatter the person wearing it? Was it her “best accessory,” as they say?
From Oprah’s Afro to Michelle Williams for Vuitton, from Carrie Mulligan in Gatsby to Jessica Paré on Mad Men, we combed the major ad campaigns, magazine covers, movies, TV, runway images, red carpets, and beyond to make the slideshow ahead.
Kate Middleton Her hair looked this good one day after giving birth. ONE DAY.
Photo: Anwar Hussein/2013 Anwar Hussein
O Magazine, September 2012 Oprah’s three-and-a-half-pound Afro wig is full of secrets, joyful freedom from relaxers, and love sandwiches for Sted...
O Magazine, September 2012 Oprah’s three-and-a-half-pound Afro wig is full of secrets, joyful freedom from relaxers, and love sandwiches for Stedman. Also, its large girth makes her body look tiny.
Scarlett Johansson,
Vogue Mexico, December 2013 An updo that's just the right amount of undone.
Carey Mulligan in
The Great Gatsby Daisy Buchanan makes getting your diamond necklace stuck on your head look so glamorous.
Lupita Nyong'o at the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Governor Awards Another addition to Badass Bald Wome...
Lupita Nyong'o at the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Governor Awards Another addition to Badass Bald Women Moments.
Photo: Jon Kopaloff/2013 Jon Kopaloff
Adele at the Oscars This is how her hair looks without a L'Oréal contract. Photo: Jason Merritt/2013 Getty Images
Charlize Theron at the Oscars Charlize Theron: pixie pioneer of the year.
Photo: Jeffrey Mayer/2013 Jeffrey Mayer
Beyoncé at the Grammys After a year of big Beyoncé hair blowing into fans, this sleek ponytail comes as a welcome surprise. Photo: ...
Beyoncé at the Grammys After a year of big Beyoncé hair blowing into fans, this sleek ponytail comes as a welcome surprise. Photo: Jon Kopaloff/2013 Jon Kopaloff
Michelle Williams for Louis Vuitton
Megan Draper in
Mad Men The Mad Men hairstyling team made Megan Draper’s bouncy, sixties mod hair so good this season to shift conversation away...
Megan Draper in
Mad Men The Mad Men hairstyling team made Megan Draper’s bouncy, sixties mod hair so good this season to shift conversation away from Jon Hamm’s ham. They almost succeeded.
Photo: Michael Yarish/AMC
Lorde Despite the fact that Lorde uses “hotel shampoo” and sometimes doesn't wash her hair for two weeks, it's the stuff dreams (and ramen noodle...
Lorde Despite the fact that Lorde uses “hotel shampoo” and sometimes doesn't wash her hair for two weeks, it's the stuff dreams (and ramen noodles) are made of.
Photo: Gabriel Olsen/2013 Gabriel Olsen
Viola Davis at the SAG Awards Two words: Naturally beautiful.
Photo: Jeffrey Mayer/2013 Jeffrey Mayer
Amy Adams in
American Hustle The only other thing distracting us from Amy Adams's bralessness is her bouncy hair.
Photo: Francois Duhamel...
Amy Adams in
American Hustle The only other thing distracting us from Amy Adams's bralessness is her bouncy hair.
Photo: Francois Duhamel/© 2013 Annapurna Productions LLC All Rights Reserved.
Emma Watson at
The Bling Ring premiere This perfectly chic, braided updo will help us forgive Emma Watson for this.
Photo: Jason LaVeris/2013 J...
Emma Watson at
The Bling Ring premiere This perfectly chic, braided updo will help us forgive Emma Watson for this.
Photo: Jason LaVeris/2013 Jason LaVeris
L'Officiel June-July 2013 Moves like Jagger's clearly run in the family genes.
Zoe Saldana at the
Star Trek Berlin Premiere Let's hope Saldana's husband immortalized this updo in his tattoo depiction of her on his arm.
Pho...
Zoe Saldana at the
Star Trek Berlin Premiere Let's hope Saldana's husband immortalized this updo in his tattoo depiction of her on his arm.
Photo: Franziska Krug/2013 Franziska Krug
Kirsten Dunst at Cannes A floral crown on loan, perhaps, from Chiara de Blasio?
Photo: ALBERTO PIZZOLI/2012 AFP
Connie Britton at the Emmys If you cut Connie Britton's hair, angels and beauty bloggers cry. Photo: Jeffrey Mayer/2013 Jeffrey Mayer
Bottega Veneta Fall 2013 Patron Saint of all women with frizz.
Solange Knowles at the 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target Event A gorgeous, natural cloud of hair on Blue Ivy's babysitter.
Photo: D Dipasupil/2013 D Di...
Solange Knowles at the 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target Event A gorgeous, natural cloud of hair on Blue Ivy's babysitter.
Photo: D Dipasupil/2013 D Dipasupil
Lady Edith on
Downton Abbey Lady Mary can take away many things, but she cannot take away Lady Edith's hair. (Unless, of course, there's a sciss...
Lady Edith on
Downton Abbey Lady Mary can take away many things, but she cannot take away Lady Edith's hair. (Unless, of course, there's a scissors-in-the-night scene in season four we don't yet know about.)
Chiara de Blasio at Bill de Blasio's Election Night Gathering Bringing Coachella to Gracie Mansion, one embroidered rose at a time.
Photo: Andre...
Chiara de Blasio at Bill de Blasio's Election Night Gathering Bringing Coachella to Gracie Mansion, one embroidered rose at a time.
Photo: Andrew Burton/2013 Getty Images
Sandra Bullock at the Oscars Sandra Bullock looks elegant, even with a diamond barnacle stuck behind her ear.
Photo: Jason Merritt/2013 Getty Im...
Sandra Bullock at the Oscars Sandra Bullock looks elegant, even with a diamond barnacle stuck behind her ear.
Photo: Jason Merritt/2013 Getty Images
Jamie Chung at the TAO Downtown Opening A picture to spur Viviscal growth.
Photo: Astrid Stawiarz/2013 Getty Images
Robin Wright Penn in
House of Cards A hair-swoop worthy of the best jawline on television.
Photo: Patrick Harbron/Knight Takes King Productions...
Robin Wright Penn in
House of Cards A hair-swoop worthy of the best jawline on television.
Photo: Patrick Harbron/Knight Takes King Productions, LLC.
Rashida Jones at the Gotham Awards Grown-out bangs never looked this cute. Photo: Theo Wargo/2013 Getty Images
Jennifer Lawrence,
Vogue, September 2013 The Girl on Fire’s sassy haircut before it actually caught on fire.
Badgley Mischka Fall 2013 An elaborate, mesmerizing YouTube hair tutorial brought to life on the runway.
Photo: Astrid Stawiarz/2013 Getty Image...
Badgley Mischka Fall 2013 An elaborate, mesmerizing YouTube hair tutorial brought to life on the runway.
Photo: Astrid Stawiarz/2013 Getty Images
Kim Kardashian Marrying an alleged member of the Illuminati comes with good hair secrets. Even if ombré is so last year. Photo: Jason Merr...
Kim Kardashian Marrying an alleged member of the Illuminati comes with good hair secrets. Even if ombré is so last year. Photo: Jason Merritt/2013 Getty Images
Rodarte Fall 2013 A telltale sign of effective hair vitamin growth is when your hair starts sprouting rosettes.
Photo: Arun Nevader/2013 Getty I...
Rodarte Fall 2013 A telltale sign of effective hair vitamin growth is when your hair starts sprouting rosettes.
Photo: Arun Nevader/2013 Getty Images
Karlie Kloss The short cut that liberated everyone from their “long hair is prettier” prison.
Photo: Larry Busacca/2013 Getty Images
Sui He for
Harper's Bazaar China Sui He, whose hair has apparently never been dyed or chemically treated, makes us long for our innocent, virgin...
Sui He for
Harper's Bazaar China Sui He, whose hair has apparently never been dyed or chemically treated, makes us long for our innocent, virginal days of hair youth.
Honor Spring 2014 Twinkle lights in hair can and should become a thing.
Angela Bassett at the
Black Nativity Premiere Witches haven't looked this good since The Craft.
Photo: Jim Spellman/2013 Jim Spellman
Jessica Chastain at the Oscars Waves so strong that Kelly Slater just asked to surf them.
Photo: Lester Cohen/2013 Lester Cohen
Lucy Liu at the Golden Globes All that time studying YouTube fishtail-braid tutorials really paid off for Lucy Liu.
Photo: Steve Granitz/2013 St...
Lucy Liu at the Golden Globes All that time studying YouTube fishtail-braid tutorials really paid off for Lucy Liu.
Photo: Steve Granitz/2013 Steve Granitz
Keri Russell at
The Americans Panel at 2013 Paleyfest Keri's hair has been through so much. It's at peace now.
Photo: Jamie McCarthy/2013 Getty...
Keri Russell at
The Americans Panel at 2013 Paleyfest Keri's hair has been through so much. It's at peace now.
Photo: Jamie McCarthy/2013 Getty Images
Pamela Anderson The world’s sexiest woman gets a haircut as sexy as she is.
Photo: Paul Bruinooge//©Patrick McMullan
Ciara at the 2013 AMAs A haircut saved from the brink of "mom cut" because of its chunky roots.
Photo: Gregg DeGuire/2013 Gregg DeGuir...
Ciara at the 2013 AMAs A haircut saved from the brink of "mom cut" because of its chunky roots.
Photo: Gregg DeGuire/2013 Gregg DeGuire
Olivia Pope in
Scandal Of course Olivia Pope knows how to fake a side shave.
Chloe Norgaard My Little Pony hair you want to pet.
Photo: Matteo Prandoni/BFAnyc.com/BFA NYC
Christina Hendricks Roses are red, violets are blue, if I wish real hard, can this hair (color) be mine too?
Photo: Jason LaVeris/2013 Jason LaV...
Christina Hendricks Roses are red, violets are blue, if I wish real hard, can this hair (color) be mine too?
Photo: Jason LaVeris/2013 Jason LaVeris
Dolce & Gabbana Spring 2013 What Coachella hair crowns should look like.
Photo: @AntonelloTrio
Dries van Noten Spring 2013 The case for a decorative part. Even Bitcoin just doesn't have the same shine.
Photo: Catwalking/2013 Catwalking
Jared Leto The image of Jared Leto in foils sitting under a heat lamp in a salon is enough to secure him a spot on this list.
Photo: Stephen Lov...
Jared Leto The image of Jared Leto in foils sitting under a heat lamp in a salon is enough to secure him a spot on this list.
Photo: Stephen Lovekin/2013 FilmMagic
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