Seven Art-Inspired Hairstyles to Try This Summer

If it’s true that fashion is cyclical, then you can find all the style inspiration you need within the collection of an art museum. Want some hair ideas for your next summer social event? The women whose likenesses grace the Getty collection have you covered.

Preserved in paintings, sculpture, drawings, and photographs are depictions of every manner of hairstyles, from fancy updos to painstakingly curled tresses to soft waves topped with floral wreaths. These coiffures performed many functions: they indicated the fashion of the time, served a symbolic purpose (for example, myrtle wreaths were an attribute of Venus), or helped emphasize the subject’s position in a certain social class.

We’ve gathered some common hair trends sported by the women in our collection and offer a few ideas for where you might wear these eye-catching, timeless styles.

1. Floral Accessories

The popularity of floral hair decorations knows no bounds. In the artworks above, for instance, flowers are incorporated into the looks of women from Japan, Sudan, and Spain. Though each style is distinct, they all add a natural vibe and colorful flair. Today, flowers could be a delightful addition to a hairstyle for any outdoor event, from a music festival to a baby shower to a wedding.

2. The Venus Bow

Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty, is usually represented with hair that emphasizes idealized femininity. Curls, flowing locks, and complex updos appear throughout generations of artists’ interpretations of the goddess. Case in point: this look, in which hair is arranged on top of her head in a bow-like shape, can be seen in many depictions of Venus throughout history. Carry on her tradition at an event where creativity and unique style are celebrated, perhaps a concert or a party hosted by a fashion-forward friend.

3. The Blue Ribbon Look

Both of these canvases by François Boucher feature similar updos woven with blue ribbons. That’s not a coincidence: both paintings are part of a series of cartoons for six tapestries known as the Noble Pastoral. The tapestries were woven over the cartoons; later, the latter were cut into sections and sold separately. Pastoral works like these brought the aristocratic world to the countryside, blending sensuality, courtship, and nostalgia for nature. Perhaps this look could inspire your “something blue” if you’re a summer bride!

4. Straight and Sleek

Much like the modern day’s slicked-back bun, straight and sleek hair pulled up next to the ears was typically associated with dignity and modest composure and was in high fashion during the mid-19th-century Victorian era. In artwork from the Getty collection, women portrayed with this hairstyle are often wearing evening gowns and displaying a reserved posture (though the sensuous pose of Princess Leonilla, above right, was quite daring at the time, and contrasts with her hair). The deceptive simplicity of the hairstyle emphasizes the subject’s facial features, which makes it a perfect choice for anyone wanting to highlight fun makeup or a new summer piercing while also keeping cool with hair up and off the shoulders!

5. Curly Girl Era

Often associated with youth, curls in art can indicate status and comfortable luxury, particularly as they get more elaborate, as seen in Jan Mytens’s Portrait of a Woman. The ringlets, whether loosely falling or expertly constructed, are as much a part of a look as the outfit they’re paired with, either dressing it up or creating something softer and more naturally casual. The versatility of this hairdo makes it perfect for anything from a fancy dinner party to a relaxing day at the beach.

6. The Wreath Look

Whether you want some easy ornamentation or hope to send a particular message, this look is for you! Head wreaths and flower crowns have been worn for centuries, oftentimes denoting celebration, achievement, or worship, depending on the type of flower or its color. Wreaths are also often inspired by antiquity. In François-Xavier Fabre’s Portrait of Marie-Louise Joubert, the subject dons a wreath made of myrtle, the plant sacred to Venus, and in Lawrence Alma-Tadema’s Spring, revelers bedecked with floral wreaths emulate an ancient Roman festival. Though perhaps more immediately associated with spring, it’s hard to imagine that accessorizing with flowers will ever go out of style.

7. Hats, Hats, Hats

Some may claim that they’re just not hat people, but we disagree! Hats can complement almost any hairstyle, serving as both an extension of an outfit and an easy way to keep cool. In art, the type of hat and how it was worn could signify a person’s status or age. Hats also provided a sense of modesty in addition to keeping hair and sun away from the face, as in Édouard Manet’s Jeanne (Spring). Today, they can be used for any type of self-expression, even if that’s just to look great and stay shaded.

Curious to see how a hairdo inspired by art looks on someone other than you? In the video below, Oscar-winning hairstylist Yolanda Toussieng styles the locks of Getty video producer Jessie Hendricks, inspired by three Getty paintings!