Aretha franklin’s most iconic hair looks

Respect, the upcoming biopic of Aretha Franklin’s life and career (launching January 15 2021) will see Jennifer Hudson playing the role of the Queen of soul. As we await the film to hit our screens, we show some respect to 10 of Aretha Franklin’s most iconic hair looks.

Aretha Franklin’s Most Iconic Hair Looks

1. BET Awards Performance

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmjyWNsh28Wc7YnMhy4K6ngL43X_P-CcVqx4pM0/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading

One of Aretha’s most iconic hair looks occurred at the BET Awards, where midway through her performance, she swiftly removed her own wig. According to one of her hair stylists, Jacqueline Robinson, the singer had planned this beforehand for “wow factor” and asked her to style her natural hair into a chignon for the moment. However, in the act Aretha sent one of her earrings flying as she flung her wig into the air, with the producers on their hands and knees trying to locate the expensive earring that was on loan to the singer.

2. Aretha Franklin photographed by Richard Avedon, 1968

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmjVKWrguvQ/?hl=en

 In this image photographed by Richard Avedon in 1968, Aretha sports a choppy bob with loose curls framing her face.

3. The Flipped Bob

https://www.instagram.com/p/CDJokYpBjy6/

Here, Aretha oozes glamour with her slick bouffant bob and flipped ends styled for a portrait.

4. The Beehive

https://www.instagram.com/p/BnzWUGyhIOg/

Aretha often wore her hair in this iconic 1960s beehive, which was elegantly swept across her head.

5. Sleek Shoulder Length

https://www.instagram.com/p/CC7bjr3hUpL/

With a blunt cut fringe, Aretha’s hair was styled straight and glossy with loose curls on the ends for this glamourous look.

6. Choppy Layers

https://www.instagram.com/p/CDE9ToPJRPt/

The icon wears her hair with short, choppy layers in this short cut style.

7. The Voluminous Bob

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCtZw01JfQM/

This side-parted rounded beehive took new heights in 1968.

8. Natural Texture At The Grammy Awards

https://www.instagram.com/p/CBL9-sDpHg8/

Aretha took home a Grammy and performed at the prestigious awards in 1972, where she embraced her natural hair texture.

9. 1980s Glamour

https://www.instagram.com/p/B8Y8w-rpb2J/

For the shoot of her self-titled 1980s album cover, Aretha’s hair was styled into bouffant bob.

10. Blonde Ambition

https://www.instagram.com/p/CCn7ERUpg6-/

Hairdresser Carlton Northern was asked by Aretha herself to dye her hair blonde. In an interview with People Magazine, Carlton explained the experience, saying: “The next thing I know, she [Franklin] was calling me. She said: ‘Carlton, this is Aretha. I wanted to know if you could make my hair blonde.’ I was a rookie. I just got my license. I was excited and nervous at the same time,” he said of the day she arrived. “I put the color on her hair and I sat there for fifteen minutes. It didn’t do anything. And it dawned on me that I didn’t put the developer in. I had to man up. “She said, ‘What are you going to do Carlton?’ And I said, ‘I’m going to add the developer.’ And I did that and I made her golden blonde. The next thing I know she asked me to go to photo shoot for her [Get It Right] album cover in New York.”