Cher's Stunning Hair Transformation Through The Years

We probably don't need to introduce you to the likes of Cher, as the star is quite literally the goddess of pop, and for good reason. From the moment she stepped foot on the scene, the singer has done nothing but astonish and inspire fans with her talent, attitude, and style, and has zero plans of slowing down anytime soon. "I just can't believe I will be 80 at some point, sooner than I wish, and I will still be wearing my jeans, and I will still be wearing long hair, and I will still be doing the same stuff I've always done," she explained on "Good Morning Britain."

While we've witnessed the stunning transformation of Cher over the years, one thing has remained the same; the star is always rocking a new and incredible do with not a gray hair in sight. "[Going gray] is fine for other girls," she told People in 2022. "I'm just not doing it!" Again, goddess of pop for a reason. From her signature, sleek "Cher hair" to voluminous blond curls, and everything in between, here's a look at some of Cher's most iconic hairstyles through the decades.

While the nation was preoccupied with exploring space, a star was discovered right here on earth, one who would dazzle the world for the next six decades and beyond. Yes, in 1965, a 19-year-old Cher would make her official debut, and quickly become one of the industry's most beloved voices and personas.

Of course, making her way to the stage meant developing a signature look, though making a statement with her clothing and hair was never an issue for Cher. The young star simply possessed a level of charm and cool that set her apart from other names, and such charisma could be seen in an image posted to Instagram in November 2019.

Wearing a white dress and subtle smize, the singer stuns in the black and white pic, donning a natural lip and graphic eye in perfect 60s fashion. To complement the monochromatic look, Cher's long, jet black hair was left to cascade down the side of her body, while short bangs and blunt side pieces perfectly framed her face.

Though the 1970s marked the end of Cher's marriage to Sonny Bono, it was also the decade in which the iconic "Cher hair" was born. Leaving the bangs behind, the TV star adopted her trademark sleek and chic look, a style known for its silky texture, middle part, and length that seemed to go on for days.

One of the most notable images of the singer and her strands was found on the cover of Time magazine for an issue appropriately titled "Cher Glad Rags to Riches." Cher dropped jaws in a sheer, feathered dress designed by Bob Mackie, while her long locks so effortlessly fluttered behind her back. In fact, the star had previously worn the same outfit and hair to the 1974 Met Gala, as seen pictured here, but loved it so much that she wanted to use it again for her cover shoot.

The ensemble would quickly be named one of the most daring outfits worn by Cher, with some states even banning the sale of the particular issue due to its shocking nature. "But you couldn't get your hands on that the day it came out because it sold out," Mackie told Variety. "It is the one costume that has been seen and copied the most."

In addition to being the host of her very own variety show, Cher also served in its promotions, posing for a number of striking images in some of the most amazing clothes. Yet one photo in particular continues to live rent free in our minds to this day, as the outfit and the glam are truly the definition of what dreams are made of.

Nobody, and we mean nobody, had a body like Cher, and her gorgeous figure was on full display in this Bob Mackie ensemble. Though a full dress, the gold beaded piece appeared to be a bra top and skirt set, complete with a matching dolman-style jacket that Cher delicately draped by her side. While she kept the accessories simple, donning solely a pair of hoops, the singer's luxurious hair was pulled back into a long and flowing ponytail. Such an up-do really complemented the overall sleekness of the look, while still allowing Cher's dress, and body, to have its rightful moment. "It reminds me of how fabulous my hip bones were," Cher shared with Vogue.

To keep things interesting, Cher soon began experimenting with wigs, changing both the length and color of her hair to suit her current mood. This, in turn, allowed the star to create a whole new arsenal of memorable looks, and, of course, kept her fans on their toes with every television entrance she made.

On one episode of her variety show, Cher stepped out in the following: a short bob with blunt bangs, though we're not quite sure if this was a wig or not. However, the look was clearly very different from her recognizable '70s do, but appeared nothing short of adorable on the singer nonetheless. To complement the cropped style, Cher donned a high-neck, red sequin dress, which she even chose to accessorize with a jeweled brooch of sorts. Though her bangs hit just below her eyebrows, her cherry lips and dark lashes allowed her features to really pop, making this look quite striking if we do say so ourselves.

As an actor, Cher has starred in a handful of celebrated films, including "Mermaids," "Moonstruck," and the 1985 biography, "Mask." What you may not know, however, is that her character, Florence, was in fact wearing a wig, as the star's natural hair was undergoing a major transformation at the time.

"When I did 'Mask,' they asked me to make my hair from black to red," Cher explained on an episode of the "The Phil Donahue Show." "The guy that turned it from black to red, I don't know, didn't have two brain cells to rub together and he did a really terrible job. It started breaking."

Following the botched color job, Cher cut her hair really short, as wearing a wig on set gave her some freedom to try to fix what had been broken. So, the singer decided to dye her new do blond, though she somewhat missed her natural color, and thus, the dark pixie cut with frosted tips seen here was born.

By 1985, Cher had fully embraced the mullet trend, a hairstyle known, and maybe not so loved, for its business in the front and party in the back promise. Yet the "Silkwood" star was sure to give her rendition of the do an especially edgy twist, adding feathery pieces with plenty of volume for a more rock-and-roll feel.

In November of that same year, Cher took things up another notch and stepped out to attend the "White Nights" premier in New York wearing a purple-colored mullet wig. Though this was one of the first times that the singer sported a fashion color, it's no surprise that she absolutely slayed the punk-rock look. To tie it all together, Cher paired such a wig with an all black and white fit, which allowed the vibrant hue to really pop amid the crowd. She even sported a matching makeup look with swipes of purple across her lids and accessorized with a pair of cross earrings and singular silver chain.

Not only did Cher add wigs to her wardrobe, but many headpieces as well, and such spectacular incorporations only made her looks that much more illustrious. So, when the star wore a black, mohawk-style headpiece to the 1986 Oscars, it was no surprise that she found herself in nearly every paper the following morning.

Designed by Bob Mackie, of course, the singer stunned in a slinky, black beaded dress, which she perfectly paired with a satin shawl dramatically draped over one shoulder. The element that kept the people talking, however? Her fabulous feathered and jeweled headpiece, which the designer whipped up according to Cher's request for something Native American-inspired. "The mohawk was made with exotic strange feathers that had been burned and singed so they had an unworldly quality to them," Mackie revealed to Variety. "And you know, that girl is never intimidated by anything she wears or doesn't wear, it doesn't bother her at all. To her, it's everyday wear."

On another occasion, to celebrate the launch of her first perfume, Cher donned a Cleopatra-inspired headpiece courtesy of Mackie. Made of black velvet and rhinestones, the piece was made to look like the Egyptian queen's signature bob and featured two silver serpents surrounding the shape of her perfume bottle.

To celebrate her 20th studio album, "Love Hurts," Cher embarked on a tour of the same name, one which spanned both Europe and North America from October 1991 to November 1992. While the tour featured a number of costume and hairstyle changes, one definitely stood out from the rest, as the star donned a head full of red-colored curls that fell nothing short of flat.

As seen here, Cher took the stage at Wembley Arena wearing the very voluminous do, which she paired with a sparkly, smoky eye in perfect pop star fashion. To allow the wig to have its moment in the spotlight, the singer kept her outfit fairly neutral and wore an all-black blazer and pants combo with strands of pearls dripping around her neck. This would not be the first time that fans witnessed Cher wear such a sizable do, as the hair in her 1989 video for "If I Could Turn Back Time" was styled in a very similar way. However, those particular locks were not as long and matched her natural color, and the fit which she donned has since been named a Cher outfit that hit all the wrong notes. 

If there's one thing we adore and can't get enough of, it's Cher without a doubt, but a close second would definitely have to be anything and everything that sparkles. So we naturally freaked when we discovered that the singer's 1999 Brit Awards look incorporated both of our favorite elements, and the combination was enough to give us life ... after love, of course.

Named one of the award show's best dressed attendees of all time, a statement with which we can agree, Cher shimmered on the stage as she performed her hit song, "Believe." The singer sported a silver, rhinestone mini-dress atop a pair of black pants, which she paired with a matching bolero jacket complete with fur trim. Our favorite part of the ensemble, however? Her sparkling silver wig, a stunning addition that featured jewels across the crown and dripping down the front. She was even sure to match her eyeshadow color to the cool, metallic hue, making the entire look appear to be something out of a fantastical dream.

Cher's appearance at the 52nd Emmy Awards in 2000 had guests doing a double take, though the singer has always been known to turn heads one way or another. Yes, the star was spotted in not one, but two different ensembles over the course of the evening, but please don't ask us to pick a favorite because we simply cannot decide.

For her red carpet look, Cher rocked a burgundy duster and metallic blue pants combo, pairing the outfit with her signature long and sleek raven-colored hair. Yet when it was time for her to present an Emmy, she changed into a white jacket and sequin jeans, and traded her dark do for a platinum wig of the same style and texture. "I didn't win, I turned white," Cher joked with ET regarding her hair transformation, as the star had been nominated for her own Emmy earlier that evening. However, we must say that the blond is really doing something for Cher's overall complexion, and we're happy that she decided to experiment with such a brilliant color.

When we think of the early 2000s — in terms of hair, that is — we can't help but envision anything but the chunky highlight trend. Worn by stars like Christina Aguilera and Kelly Clarkson, the two-toned strands were practically taking over the world as we knew it, and of course, it was only a matter of time before the queen tried the style out herself. Cue Cher.

As seen here, the singer had her moment rocking the famous color-blocked locks, sporting the hairstyle at the 2003 premier of "Stuck on You" in New York City. Cher posed for pics wearing a black wig with chunky sections of platinum blond throughout, which included plenty of blunt layers, and a beanie to accessorize. The singer then paired her do with a light gray tank, charcoal jacket, and black necktie, bringing a very edgy and punk-rock feel to the overall look.

In 2018, Cher made her return to the big screen, starring in "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again" alongside Amanda Seyfried and Lily James. "That was an amazing experience and really fun," the icon explained in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. "And I took it on a lark because [Meryl Streep] was in there, and I love her." If you didn't know already, Cher and Meryl Streep have a longtime friendship that cannot be replaced.

To celebrate the film's release, Cher and her co-stars gathered at the Eventim Apollo in London, and the then-72-year-old singer did not hold back when it came to her look for the evening. Yes, the star turned up the heat on the aqua carpet with a spicy and sheer bralette, which she wore underneath an all-black trouser and duster combo. Though she kept her makeup fairly simple, donning a purple lid and pink lip, her voluminous spirals added the perfect amount of playfulness to the overall ensemble.

Following her involvement in the 2018 musical, Cher embarked on a worldwide tour, appropriately naming it "Here We Go Again" as a nod to the beloved Abba tune. While each show came with its own variety of ensembles, signature of any Cher performance, there was one costume in particular that really "blue" our minds.

"How do you like my natural blue hair," Cher captioned an Instagram clip from her performance in Glasgow, Scotland. "The earrings grow inside it. Like a chia Pet," she joked. The video showed the singer flaunting her toned figure in a bedazzled, blue corset-style bodysuit, which she perfectly paired with a sizable wig of the same vibrant hue. "Puts the Diva in Divine," one fan commented underneath the post. "Nobody can pull off the looks you come up with!!!" another wrote. And as if it wasn't fabulous enough, the hairdo featured bangs, blunt side pieces, and of course, a pair of jeweled earrings, making it one for the books without a doubt.

Watch out Candice Swanepoel, there's a new blond bombshell in town, one whose powerful pipes are just as iconic as her four-letter name. Yes, in 2024, Cher took to the stage at the one and only Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, joining the event's first-ever lineup of all-female singers. Talk about a comeback!

Though she rocked her signature long, black locks while performing alongside the models, Cher showcased an alternative look on the pink carpet earlier that evening. Posing alongside her longtime beau Alexander "AE" Edwards, the singer stunned in her new blond do, which featured a middle part, light brown roots, and of course, sexy mermaid waves. She paired her look with a neutral yet edgy fit, statement earrings, and an array of silver rings.

This wouldn't be the only event that the blond hair would stick around for, however, as both Cher and her boyfriend were spotted the very next day at the reopening of Burberry's flagship store in New York City. There, the singer sported the bright hue once more in a very similar style, paired with a chic black trench coat and trousers.