Do you remember when Harry Styles was just a little 16-year-old X Factor finalist and no one really knew what One Direction was? Oh, how things have changed. He catapulted to A-list fame, established himself as a savvy men’s fashion icon, sparked countless dating rumors, broke into film and kicked off a solo career. Phew. In that time, he also established himself as having a head of hair that was talked about as much as any female celebrity’s mane.
Normally, male celebrities don’t go through many hair phases. There are the rare times someone shaves their head for a role and gets us talking. Harry is different. Whether his hair was tousled, mop-like or extra-long, it has always been a source of interest. And Directioners are very vocal about expressing their opinions. Take a walk down memory lane and remember Harry Styles’s hair evolution:
15. X Factor Rehearsal Studios, 2010
Awwww, do you remember these days? Back then, Harry was just a young X Factor finalist. It’s common for celebrities to have very different haircuts at the start of their careers, but this ‘do isn’t that different from his lovable mop from One Direction. All of the lines are there, it’s just a shorter version. And you have to love the cowlick. Awwwwww.
14. Leaving BBC Radio 1 Studios, 2012
Don’t let that bedhead style fool you. There is a definite construction to this style. It has been swept over his head and forehead just so. Then look at the way the top layers meet the curls. It might look like he ~woke up like this~, but there has definitely been some coiffing. The thing that makes it so good is that it doesn’t look like anyone has touched his hair at all.
13. House Hunting, 2012
Here’s your proof that Harry has always been a trendsetter. The look is also proof that he has always had a real fondness for hats. Prior to the wide-brimmed hat phase (see below), Harry was partial to beanies. Back then, he normally only covered up his springy hair when he was off-duty so you had to hope for paparazzi shots to see his hat collection. The way his hair peeks out from his beanie is adorable.
12. One Direction Photocall, 2011
This look separates itself from the last few because of the wings. Before, the ends were usually curled and tousled. Now, there is a clear swoop skywards with his ends. And are those side bangs? It sounds like a combination that shouldn’t work at all but on little Harry, it looks perfect.
11. Leaving A Nightclub, 2012
Take a look at the way that hair has been sculpted on his head. Normally, there is plenty of volume up top, but this is extra full. The uninitiated might call it a mess, but we would call it a beautiful, windswept look of bedhead. It’s the best version of “I woke up like this” hair.
10. Teen Choice Awards, 2013
We’re still not exactly sure how Harry’s hat phase started in 2013. All of a sudden, it seemed like he couldn’t go anywhere without wearing a hat. We know he wasn’t covering up a bad hair day so what else could it have been? Did he want to be known as the one in the band who always wore a dapper hat? All we know was that he suited all of his wide-brimmed hats, whether they were the Oatmeal Man hats or the Jake Sparrow ones. Those who loved his hair were probably happy they could still see some of the brown curls at the sides.
9. One Direction: This Is Us Photocall, 2013
You’re not imagining things. That is, in fact, Harry with his hair brushed off his face. We can see full eyebrows and forehead. At the time, you might have been so distracted by seeing his full face shape to not really take in the haircut. Hopefully, you will be able to admire his face and hair when you look back at the photo.
8. Burberry Prorsum London Fashion Week Show, 2014
Will you look at the glorious volume on this hairstyle? It still remains a mystery what the secret to his hair is. It could be some intense backcombing and a good hairspray or it could be the fact that Harry doesn’t have any ordinary head of hair. When we look back at this photo now, we can also see how this is the start of him starting to grow his hair out.
7. Radio 1’s Big Weekend Glasgow, 2014
Hair accessories for men aren’t normally a big thing. A hair elastic is usually as far as things go. Ever the fashion-forward man, Harry went through a hairband and scarf phase around 2014. It saw him brush some of the layers off his face with his chosen hair accessory. The lewk still kept his signature tousled appearance but we got to see more of his face.
6. One Direction Host Football Match, 2014
Think you were one of the first on the hun (NB: half bun) trend? We bet Harry beat you to it thanks to this look from 2014. The singer tied his signature curly locks back for a football match. (That’s soccer to you and me.) Obviously, it was a practical choice for the game, but it was a look he donned again to concerts and when he was out and about. It earned points from the Directioners who missed seeing his forehead.
5. Picking Out Pumpkins, 2014
The man bun was and still is a very divisive hairstyle which is why the internet went crazy when Harry sported the look. Some of the people who weren’t convinced about the hairstyle had a change of heart when they saw Harry sporting a high bun of his own. Unfortunately, those who attempted to copy his hairstyle couldn’t pull it off the way he did.
4. BBC Music Awards, 2014
It’s getting longer. Gone are the days of the ear-length man bob. If you can think back a few years, you probably thought that Harry’s hair was super long then. Little did we know that he would continue letting it grow until it was a few inches passed his shoulders. Ah, memories.
3. American Music Awards, 2015
Nevermind the jazzy floral suit, it’s Harry’s hair that is the major talking point of this look. This is the height of the long hair period. Those who missed Jared Leto‘s long man ombré forgot about the hairstyle when Harry grew his beautiful brown locks passed his shoulders. He was #hairspiration for ladies and gents thanks to those curls and the volume up top.
2. Dunkirk New York Premiere, 2017
If Dunkirk will be remembered for anything, it will be the film that made Harry say goodbye to his long, messy hair. One Directioners wondered just how long he was going to grow his hair when he surprised everyone by chopping off most of the length to star in the Christopher Nolan war film. Not only did fans appreciate his commitment to his big screen debut, they also appreciated the way the retro-inspired cut showed off his adorable face.
1. NBC Today Show Performance, 2017
Introducing the “I’m a bonafide solo artist who can get away with wearing pink suits” haircut. It’s a long way from the tousled short hairstyles that he had when he was just a wee One Direction boy bander. It’s smooth and sleek, but it still defies gravity. Just look at the volume he has in those bangs. We would really love to know his hair secrets.