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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Celebrity

Lizzo’s Bold Transformation and Powerful Message Ignite Fan Debate

Grammy winner Lizzo is back in the spotlight this time, not for her music, but for a new chapter on a different path in her life. The “About Damn Time” singer sparked a flurry of comments when she took to Instagram over the weekend, showing off a noticeably trimmer figure. But she wasn’t just turning heads with her transformation. It was the statement she made alongside it.

In the clip, Lizzo spray-painting the words “Bye B####” across the cover of her Special album felt like a bold yet symbolic move. Alongside the clip, she wrote, “End of an era.” The four words reverberated across social media, leaving fans and critics alike wondering. What era was coming to a close, and what’s next?

Lizzo’s body positivity and self-love advocacy have long been central themes of her work, which makes this moment all the more provocative. Several fans lauded her evolution, viewing it as a sign of natural maturation. Others were unsettled, wondering if her transformation changed the message she had long promoted.

Social media erupted in response. Some commended her for calling her own shots in a changing era, while others debated whether this decision was consistent with the fearless body-acceptance philosophy she had long personified.

The Special era was a watershed moment for Lizzo, cementing her place among the industry’s heavy hitters. From songs of self-empowerment to adrenaline-infused performances, she clearly illustrated that confidence isn’t about a stain on a scale. It’s about knowing who you are. By spray-painting the album cover, she appears to be closing a chapter to clear the way for something else.

Artists evolve. As musicians do, Lizzo is trying her skills out on fresh sounds; her evolution physically, emotionally, and artistically is hers to narrate. Whether this moment is a rebrand, a shift in perspective, or an artistic expression, one thing is certain: Lizzo is fully owning being Lizzo.

With an “end of an era” declaration, fans eagerly wonder what comes next. Will she bring in a new sound? A new way to think about body image? An utterly wild card project? If Lizzo has a specialty, it’s ensuring that the world never knows what to expect.

Whether you love, hate, or celebrate it, her latest move shows she still owns her narrative and is not afraid to rattle the bones.

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Celebrity

Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” Dominates Spotify’s Global Chart for Ninth Consecutive Day

Kendrick Lamar’s powerhouse hit “Not Like Us,” is showing no signs of slowing, spending its ninth consecutive day atop Spotify’s Global Chart. The track, which debuted on top on the strength of dethroning The Weeknd and SZA, shows no signs of losing momentum. Lamar’s blistering anthem has fended off all challengers, racking up 11.4 million streams this week alone, despite fresh competition from Drake and PartyNextDoor’s new album, $ome $exy $ongs 4 U.

This newest milestone only enhances the song’s already historic run. Before this week, “Not Like Us” spent two weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 and a record 20 weeks at No. 1 on the Hot Rap Songs chart. The track also solidified its legacy on Spotify’s Billions Club, crossing a billion streams on the platform earlier this month.

The series, it turns out, has also been involved in a legal battle that continues to roil the industry, beyond its streaming success. (A Model Company)/Duckwrth With Allure Records, Drake Accuses UMG of Defamation, Alleges Payola Tactics at His Expense Previously, Drake Filed a Federal Lawsuit Against UMG Earlier This Year Drake Filed a Federal Defamation Lawsuit Against The Label This Year (image) Drake filed a federal lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) the label that allegedly used payola tactics at his expense. UMG has vigorously denied the accusations, which adds an extra layer of intrigue to the current feud between the two rap titans.