A Look Back at Carrie Bradshaw’s Hair Evolution

Though much of the show’s most memorable Carrie hair is down to ramped-up texture, occasional extensions, stylized accessories (Fasteners! Bandanas! Headbands!), and artful messy buns, SATC saw a major moment in the dramatic bob debuted in Season 4. One part Aidan breakup, one part (speculated) real-life refresh, the chop (executed by Sarah Jessica Parker’s longtime stylist Serge Normant) marked a departure for viewers and stylists alike. “I came in with the short haircut, so that was kind of a big deal, because before that it has always been about her long hair,” says Lyons. “I was trying to create some different textures that would work with that length.” Lyons remembers hunting down every size of curling wand she could find to create the perfect finish. “I would use a slim iron on her root to create a perm effect so it was really really full, and then create large, soft, loopy curls on the ends,” she says. 

Season 5 saw Carrie showing her grown-out roots (“Just showing that women, you know, they have roots, they’re not perfect, and Carrie wasn’t perfect,” says Lyons), and with Season 6 came what Lyons calls a series of Belle de Jour looks inspired by likes of Catherine Deneuve and Charlotte Rampling—but with that classic Carrie twist. “Like, really beautiful brushed-out waves, but then made to look like it was really unkempt and slept on,” says Lyons, who relied on texture sprays in addition to myriad irons to achieve this feel. “We did so many different looks, we took so many chances—and that’s Carrie,” says Lyons. “It was never about playing it safe.”