For some Hollywood stars, their signature style is just as iconic as their onscreen work. From bold red carpet risks to instantly recognisable hair and makeup, these defining looks became part of their identity.
But what happens when they strip it all back? Join HELLO! as we take a look at Hollywood's biggest names without their signature style.
Hannah Waddingham
© Getty ImagesIt is hard to imagine Hannah Waddingham without her ice-blonde bob, making her former hair colour a genuine surprise to anyone who is a fan of hers. Moving away from lighter shades, the Ted Lasso star was in fact once a redhead with slightly longer locks.
© WireImagePictured above at the opening night of 42nd Street back in 2017, the actress looks strikingly different, though the darker shade suits her well. With visible brown roots, the 52-year-old's natural shade sits somewhere between ginger and brunette, but it's hard to know for sure what her natural tone is. While she has experimented with her hair colour over the years, her signature blonde bob remains what makes her a poster girl for sporting a short crop.
Margot Robbie
© Getty ImagesKnown for her blonde, Aussie waves, actress Margot Robbie looks completely different with dark brunette hair. While the Wuthering Heights actress has notoriously stuck to the lighter shade, the then 23-year-old stepped at the 2014 Oscars with darker locks. The hairstyle change gave off pure Old Hollywood glamour, but it was not the first time she had gone brunette.
© WireImageWhen speaking to Elle about the change, Margot explained: "I had it this colour all through high school actually, I always dyed it dark in high school. I was devastated when I had to go blond." The Barbie star has since warmed up to her lighter tones. "Once I was blond for a couple of years I ended up loving it, but I don't have a preference. I like both [brunette and blond]." Hey, when you are Margot Robbie, you can certainly pull off anything with a face card that strong.
Lady Gaga
© Los Angeles Times via Getty ImagLady Gaga brought avant-garde into the mainstream when she burst onto the scene in the '00s, and since then, her fashion has been defined by bold silhouettes, arthouse looks and unforgettable red carpet moments.
"In an abstract way, I could say it was very New York, graphic, avant-garde. My look is art," she told ASOS Magazine. "It's meant to be walking art all the time. Even if I'm in something casual, the imagery is supposed to be powerful."
© GC ImagesThe singer, who is somewhat of a fashion chameleon, significantly toned down her style for her 2016 album Joanne, which saw her embrace minimalistic looks, monochrome colours and casual pieces.
"If I wear a black T-shirt and black pants every day, [people] might listen to what I write. All the outfits, fashion and art pieces over the years made sense to me. They didn't make sense to other people," she told Culture magazine.
"I always got it. It was an expression, not a hiding," she explained. "This time, my style just stayed naturally at how I've been in the studio. I started vehemently saying, 'Get these clothes out! I'm not wearing this! I'm not wearing heels!'"
Diane Keaton
© AFP via Getty ImagesThe inimitable Diane Keaton was not only famous for her undeniable talent but also for her singular style. The actress was known for wearing tailored suits, menswear pieces, chic hats and stylish glasses, all of which seemed to reference her Oscar-winning character, Annie Hall.
© WireImage"Follow your heart. Express yourself. I don't discredit anyone for showing their style," she told WWD of her signature look. Diane even stayed true to her tradition in 2014 at the premiere of And So It Goes, skipping the expected Hollywood gowns to rock the premiere in a white shirt and trousers.
Blake Lively
© Gareth Cattermole/Getty ImagesWhile Blake's style is defined by Old Hollywood necklines, maximalist style and method dressing, the hero of every outfit is her silky blonde hair.
"My style is just all over the place," she told People. "I don't think anyone would go, like, 'Oh, that's super her!' I tend to dress like my characters when I'm doing a movie because fashion is always the way in…I'm just kind of a blend of all of them."
© WireImageBlake departed from her stunning blonde locks for the 2020 flick The Rhythm Section, where she became practically unrecognisable with a cropped brunette look.
Zooey Deschanel
© WireImageZooey Deschanel simply wouldn't be Zooey Deschanel without her iconic bangs, which she has rocked since childhood. "You could say that I'm hooked on bangs. Would I ever give them up? I have, and I might again – for a role, perhaps – but I really don't feel like myself without them," she told Glamour.
"When I first got into acting, I was a bit of a chameleon and just wasn't recognisable. So I used my look to help create an identity. Now people know me as the girl with bangs. They're not for everyone…but they work for me."
The New Girl actress stunned her fans in 2021 when she shared a mirror selfie to social media that saw her without her signature bangs. "Proof I have a forehead…For all the doubters," she quipped in the caption.
Janelle Monáe
© Getty Images for CDGAJanelle goes nowhere without her tailored, classic style, and consistently lands on every best dressed list for her willingness to experiment with silhouettes and statement pieces. "I'm just attracted to a very tailored, classic look that commands attention," she told Glamour.
"The tuxedo, especially on women, does that, I think, because of the stark black and white. It’s not a trendy thing. It’s timeless. It’s transcendent. The kind of thing you can give to your grandchildren."
Black and white are her go-to colours, and Janelle described her style as "electrifying, epic, minimalistic, transcendent, timeless and rock ‘n roll," in a HuffPost interview.
Janelle was almost unrecognisable when she shared a photo on her social media that saw her dressed in a loose white shirt, with her hair falling down past her shoulders. The casual, relaxed look instantly suited the eclectic actress and showcased a different side of her altogether.
Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton has one of the most recognisable personal styles of all time, from her gravity-defying hair to her rhinestone-embellished shoes. She was always spotted in tight clothing, a blonde bouffant, dazzling heels and enough sequins to fill an ocean. She famously told The Guardian that her style was inspired by the "town tramp" she saw during her childhood in the south.
"She was flamboyant. She had bright red lipstick, long red fingernails," Dolly said. "She had high-heeled shoes, little floating plastic goldfish in the heels of them, short skirts, low-cut tops, and I just thought she was beautiful."
"When people would say, 'She ain't nothing but trash," I would always say, "Well, that"s what I"m gonna be when I grow up.'"
Dolly, who never left the house without a wig and a full face of makeup, shared a throwback in 2018 that shocked her millions of fans. The photo saw the 9 to 5 star in the recording studio as a young woman, dressed in a white turtleneck with silky blonde hair and natural makeup, a far cry from her signature bold look.
Paris Hilton
© Getty ImagesThe '00s fashion icon practically defined millennial style with her velour tracksuits, low-rise jeans and tiny handbags, and her sartorial taste has only gotten better with age. The 45-year-old now rocks sequins and sparkles at every occasion, loves the colour pink and continues to bring the '00s back into fashion. And don't forget the bleached blonde tresses!
"I've always dressed for the moment – whatever inspired me, I wore it," she told HELLO!. "In the beginning, I didn't have a stylist; I just followed my instincts. Now I approach fashion with more intention, but that playful spirit is still there. I love collaborating, experimenting and using style to express where I'm at in life."
© Getty Images"I'm totally happy at home in a velour tracksuit and tee, but I still love getting dolled up in couture for a red carpet," she added.
© GC ImagesParis stepped back from her Barbie-esque closet for an outing in April, which saw her dressed in a dark grey skirt and jacket with sparkling details, paired with grey knee-high boots and fingerless gloves.
Marilyn Monroe
© Michael Ochs ArchivesMarilyn was known for her bombshell good looks, curly blonde hair, red lips, and figure-hugging dresses, but at home, the actress preferred to keep things simple, casual and timeless.
"She paid little attention to the relentless changes in fashion, and loved simplicity to the point that her clothing was meant just to be worn and not shown off, clothing that didn’t include extras – not even jewellery, which she would give away to her friends," said Stefania Ricci in a catalogue for a Ferragamo exhibition in 2013.
© Getty ImagesMarilyn loved turtlenecks, soft knit jumpers and slim pants when she wasn't busy strutting the red carpet, and often kept her makeup simple and effortless offscreen.
