The best Taylor Swift hairstyles we've loved over the years

Taylor Swift was just 16 when she first emerged on the music scene. Since then her signature looks and music style have changed and evolved, and we’ve been treated to some of the best hairstyles in the industry with Taylor's iconic looks over the years.

From country singer to pop star, teen to 30 year old, TayTay is ever-changing—and her early years are our goals for the curly girl method. Let's take a stroll down memory lane and reminisce about some of our favorite of her gorgeous locks to inspire your next trip to the salon.

The best Taylor Swift hairstyles through the years

Early years: naturally curly

The singer-songwriter first captured the attention of country music fans all the way back in 2006. She quickly won over the hearts of her new fans with her angelic song "Teardrops On My Guitar." The young Taylor Swift sported long blonde hair that was often styled in naturally curly hairstyles.

Her natural waves, black eyeliner, and bright blue eyes made her easily recognizable. Her initial style is one of our favorite Taylor Swift hairstyles because it set her apart from the looks of other country stars at the time, repping the curly hair types with pride.

The romantic updo

Taylor Swift quickly established herself in the music industry and went on to dominate the mainstream charts. By 2007, she still had wavy curls most of the time. However, she started experimenting with other hairstyles from time to time, including bangs.

One of our favorite Taylor Swift hairstyles is the romantic updo she wore at the 42nd Annual Academy of Country Music Awards, giving a cute braided hairstyle vibes. Her soft blonde curls was gently worn in an updo reminiscent of a fairytale princess.

2010s: Sleeker styles

Taylor's hair changed very little during the first five years of her career, with the star tending to stick to curls or waves for performances and red carpet appearances alike.

However, in the early 2010s she started to change things up with sleek blow dried looks, including this sleek ponytail style at the 2011 American Music Awards, mixing it up from her classic best fringe hairstyles of the red carpet.

Shorter 'dos

2014 was a big year for this talented music artist. Her album 1989, featuring the song "Blank Space," both reached the top spot on the corresponding Billboard charts.

The prolific singer came into her own in 2014, and her music style transitioned from country to pop. Taylor Swift chopped her blonde hair in a long and wavy bob (perfect for some cute bob hairstyles) and bangs. When she attended the Golden Globes in 2014, she styled her lob and bangs into a gorgeous vintage, side-parted style. 

The shaggy French bob

The "Bad Blood" singer won three awards at the 2015 Grammy Awards, and she looked stunning as she accepted each prize. She was dressed beautifully and styled her hair in a short and sleek bob with bangs.

She pulled off this new look with a flair and elegance that she became known for. Taylor Swift later sashayed around the 2016 Vanity Fair Oscar Party wearing the same stylish bob.

Beachy hair

Taylor continued to dominate the music industry for the rest of the 2010s, and embodied a casual-chic water waves beach vibe with her shoulder-length, blonde hair in loose waves when she picked up the Icon Award at the 2019 Teen Choice Awards.

While Taylor has never strayed far from the blonde hair we recognized her for from the start of her career, it has gradually darkened over the years. 

Darker tones

While some stars welcomed the extra downtime the pandemic brought them, Taylor Swift was hard at work and dropped two new albums in 2020, Folklore and Evermore.

The official music video for Taylor Swift's song "Willow" shows her decked out in the latest cottagecore fashion trend. Nowadays her hair is actually much darker than the bright blondes that have dominated most of her career, though she’s kept those full bangs for now. Here she is pictured at the premiere for the new version of All Too Well.

All in all, there have been so many fabulous Taylor Swift hairstyles through the years. From some of the best breakup songs to independent anthems, her appearance is as varied as her music. She truly has a song and style for every occasion. As Taylor's music and fashion trends continue to evolve, we look forward to seeing which hairstyle the star will come up with next.