Girls HBO is an imperfect show. It follows a friend group of young white women in New York City blundering their way through life. Its debut in 2012 was met with a flurry of criticism, including but not limited to a lack of diversity, a seemingly post-feminist stance, insufferable characters and a general hatred for the show's creator, show runner and star Lena Dunham. The passionate backlash didn’t seem to deter the show’s popularity, with 4.6 million weekly viewers during the earlier seasons. The show also took home several awards including a Golden Globe, an Emmy, a Peabody and a BAFTA.
The late nineties to early 2000s seemed to have an appetite for the unlikeable (white) woman in all her flawed glory to love or hate, relate or project onto. The most popular example of this was Sarah Jessica Parker’s character, Carrie Bradshaw, on Sex and the City. This how not to make it in New York formula and the overarching theme of self-discovery was about as intoxicating as a Cosmopolitan.
The added layer of hair as a map of the character’s mental state was less cherry on top and more integral storytelling that elevated the show to icon status. The show’s lead hair designer, Sherry Hart, created hair moments that were wonderfully inventive, unhinged and hopelessly millennial. The character’s hair evolves with them through toxic relationships, mental health break downs, addiction, reinvention in a new cities, a constant reminder that hair is, in fact, everything. We take a look at some of the show’s most memorable hair moments below.
SHOSHANNA SHAPIRO
The most daring hair dos on the show were worn by Shoshanna Shapiro who fearlessly embraced 'fashion-forward' hairstyles that often resembled pastries.
The voice of reason in the face of utter chaos, her eccentric hairdos were always battle ready.
Moving to Japan and reinventing yourself is a canon event and Shosh's hair followed suit.
JESSA JOHANSSON
The diabolically effortless face framing strands combined with a lazy half up, half down style while Jessa was eye fucking her best friend's ex was pure genius.
Unafraid of the crimping iron, she takes in one step further to meet her in laws with a pouf held together by chopsticks.
Another hair as rage bait moment when Jessa walks in barefoot with flowers in her hair, embodying the bohemian bridal look that Marnie was trying portray on her wedding day.
MARNIE MICHAELS
The tension between Marnie's desire to look effortless and bohemian on her wedding day and her true nature is captured visually through her comically uptight 'loose curls' and heavy glam. Ironically it is Jessa who waltzes in to fix this mess of a bridal look.
This messy bun she wears on the subway in 'The Panic in Central Park' foreshadows the undone nature of her character as she unravels in the trappings of nostalgic later in the episode.
An iconic moment from what is widely considered one of the series best episodes where Marnie's unexpected run in with an ex brings out a raw vulnerability. Her dripping wet hair from falling into the water mid kiss as the stolen boat tips over in Central Park.
HANNAH HORVATH
Dunham's character Hannah Horvath was the ultimate embodiment of millennial cringe, cue the glasses barrette- a close and personal friend of the owl necklace.
In an episode names "Role-Play," Hannah wears a blonde wig and pretends to be a financier's wife in order to reinvigorate her sex life with Adam. The usual prescription for a relationship rut by popular women's magazines at the time.
In the season 2 finale, we see Hannah suffer from a mental breakdown as a result of her OCD and work pressure. She cuts her own hair, making her distress even more visible.
