Beauty
Princess Diana Hair Evolution: Feathered Shags, Sleek Pixie Cuts, and More
From her feathered shag to the sleek pixie cut that launched her into the ’90s, Princess Diana’s most memorable hair moments….
“Don’t mind me, I’m just over here wondering if I can pull off early Princess Diana hair,” wrote one Twitter user, joining a chorus of voices sounding off on the late royal’s signature crop while bingeing the new season of The Crown. The historical drama’s latest installment has inspired a new wave of frenzy around the Princess of Wales’s singular style—her feathered shag, in particular. And if you dip into the archives, it’s clear that she had much to offer by way of hair inspiration, and was ultimately a study in the power of a life-changing cut.
While a young Lady Diana Spencer once embraced long, pin-straight flaxen lengths, when she entered the public eye at 19 she debuted what would become The Lady Diana Haircut, a youthful riff on Farrah Fawcett’s winged hair with a cascade of cropped, cheekbone-cutting and chin-grazing layers. The ’80s saw her oscillating between different iterations of her hallmark look with varying amounts of va-va-voom volume, as well as dramatic accessories, such as sparkling brooches, decorative florals, and, of course, diamond tiaras. There was but one exception: In 1984, she let her lengths grow just long enough to smooth them back with a preppy Sloane Ranger hair comb, her hair parted deep to one side in true ’40s-meets-’80s fashion. Needless to say, she inspired thousands, if not millions of women across the globe to embrace abbreviated cuts with soft, sideswept bangs worn loose or teased up with blasts of Aqua Net to gravity-defying effect.
But it was in the early ’90s that Princess Diana hit her stride in more ways than one. When she met hairstylist Sam McKnight on a Vogue photo shoot in 1991, she asked him, “What would you do to my hair if you could do anything you wanted?” To which McKnight, who could sense she wanted a change, answered, “I’d just cut it all off and start again.” And that’s what he did. Princess Diana’s hair was shorn into a pixie cut then and there. “When I met Diana, things were changing,” explains McKnight. “We were moving on from the ’80s romantic frills and going much sleeker with short, sharp hair to wear with Chanel and Versace suits of the time. It was all about the power woman look.”
As evidenced by what followed, it was ultimately a story of liberation. In the 2017 documentary Diana In Her Own Words, which features a series of interviews recorded by the princess herself, she’s asked by a friend, “What have been the turning moments in life that turned you from victim to victor?” She pauses, then replies: “I suppose last summer when Sam cut my hair differently, it let out something quite different.” As history reminds us, Princess Diana, with her sharp, close-cropped hair, went on to let journalist Andrew Morton tell her side of the story in the 1992 tell-all Diana: Her True Story, which served as a catalyst for her separation and ultimate divorce with Prince Charles, a long overdue parting of ways with the royal family that allowed her to come into her own as a leader and humanitarian.
When McKnight learned that he’d had a hand in helping Princess Diana brace herself for what was next, he was overcome with emotion. To him, it was a moving example of how a haircut can help usher in a new chapter. “It hit home because it shows the power of hair for not just a celebrity or a royal, but for anyone. Hair is so powerful.”
In lockdown, as many of us are tempted to lop it all off, one has to wonder if Princess Diana’s crop, in any of its glorious forms, is primed for a comeback? It’s too soon to tell, but at the very least, it’s making the case for chopping off the old and starting anew in some shape or form. “There’s a huge appetite for something different right now,” says McKnight, emphasizing the simple truth: “It’s hair—it grows back!” Here, a retrospective of Princess Diana’s most memorable hair moments.
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Carmen Bryan’s Cryptic Post Stirs the Pot in Jay-Z Controversy
The hip-hop industry currently faces substantial controversy as Jay-Z finds himself in the eye of a storm. Allegations of sexual assault stemming from a 2000 afterparty involving the illustrious rap mogul and disgraced music executive Diddy have ignited fierce public debate. While Jay-Z categorically denies the accusations and expresses his intent to contest the lawsuit, the court of public sentiment appears to have already rendered its verdict. Further complicating this turmoil is the involvement of Carmen Bryan, a name from Jay’s contentious history, which has added a chilling layer to the evolving situation.
Carmen Bryan, recognized for her decade-long affair with the Brooklyn rapper, recently took to Instagram with a cryptic yet pointed post. Although she refrained from naming anyone directly, Bryan suggested that loyalty often supersedes ethical morality in cases involving influential individuals. “These days, people don’t defend what is right; they defend who they like,” she wrote. Her parting shot, “And that’s why we call you a groupie,” felt like a verbal mic drop, leaving little doubt about who her words targeted.
The intrigue didn’t stop there. Bryan shared a snapshot of Jay-Z’s lyrics from his 2010 track “Monster,” honing in on a particularly unsettling line: “Kill a block, I murder the avenues, I rape and pillage your village, women and children.” Though these lyrics were part of a more extensive metaphorical verse showcasing a “monster” persona, their resurfacing in this context feels calculated and ominous.
Bryan is no stranger to controversy, having previously aired her grievances toward Jay-Z. In her 2006 memoir, It’s No Secret: From Nas to Jay-Z, Seduction to Scandal, she detailed their affair and its tumultuous fallout. Additionally, she revealed in a 2017 interview that she had been pregnant with Jay-Z’s child, only to suffer a miscarriage. The relationship, fraught with personal and public conflict, remains a blemish on Jay-Z’s meticulously crafted, otherwise carefully curated narrative. Carmen Bryan’s multifaceted approach raises pertinent questions: Is she simply sharing her perspective on morality in the industry, or does she possess additional undisclosed knowledge?
While the allegations against Jay-Z are still under legal evaluation, Bryan’s Instagram post has reignited another dimension to the complex and polarizing discussions about power dynamics, accountability, and the ethical responsibilities of those influential individuals in the spotlight. Her courageous decision to use Jay-Z’s lyrics against him paints a stark picture that forces fans and critics alike to reckon with the blurred lines between art and reality.
As the legal proceedings involving Jay-Z progress, the public remains split amid this developing saga. While Jay-Z’s peers have predominantly expressed skepticism toward the allegations, the enduring legacy of this iconic figure hangs in precarious balance, with shadows from the past casting long and potentially damning silhouettes.
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Jay-Z Engrossed in Fresh Allegations as Tony Buzbee Claims More Victims
In a stunning twist to an already high-stakes legal dispute unfolding with the intensity of a Hollywood thriller, Jay-Z, one of music’s most preeminent figures, finds himself at the center of an explosive allegation involving minors. This drama stems from accusations brought forth by attorney Tony Buzbee and has escalated a conflict that began with a lawsuit over alleged extortion. Buzbee, who represents a woman accusing the music mogul of sexually assaulting her at the 2000 MTV VMAs afterparty, claims there are additional alleged victims, involving both male and female minors.
Jay-Z and his attorney, Alex Spiro, aren’t backing down. They have initiated a countersuit against Buzbee, vehemently denying the allegations and characterizing them as “entirely fabricated and malicious.” Spiro’s filing asserts that Buzbee’s accusations are part of a calculated scheme to tarnish the rapper’s reputation and coerce a settlement. “These baseless accusations are nothing more than a weapon in a calculated plot,” Spiro stated, doubling down on their stance that the allegations are devoid of any factual basis.
The case took another dramatic turn when the woman Buzbee represents amended her lawsuit against Diddy to include Jay-Z. The timing of the amendment and the salacious nature of the claims have fueled a media frenzy, leaving the hip-hop icon fighting a battle both in the courtroom and in the court of public opinion.
Late Sunday, Jay-Z fired back with a defiant statement on X (formerly Twitter). “What he had calculated was the nature of these allegations and the public scrutiny would make me want to settle,” he wrote. “No sir, it had the opposite effect! It made me want to expose you for the fraud you are in a VERY public fashion. So no, I will not give you ONE RED PENNY!!”
This case is now racing against the clock, with Jay-Z’s legal representatives seeking an emergency hearing to address the allegations. Their urgency stems from the relentless media coverage, which poses a substantial risk to the Roc Nation founder’s reputation. This matter extends beyond a mere legal confrontation; it encompasses significant implications beyond the courtroom, a fight for his legacy.
The stakes are exceptionally high. Legal counsel Buzbee hints at the potential existence of additional alleged victims, thereby intensifying the spotlight scrutiny placed on both parties involved. With careers, reputations, and justice on the line, this legal showdown is poised to become a critical juncture within the music and entertainment industry. For fans and observers alike, the unfolding circumstances prompt inquiries regarding the veracity of the claims and the tactical weaponization of reputation in the court of public discourse.