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Home • Hair

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends

As with any other year, 2012 had its fair share of hot hairstyles that were all the rage. Over the past 12 months, there were four hair trends in particular that stood out from the rest: blonde hair hues, bangs, waist-length weaves and braids. Take a look at the stars who rocked the year's top tress trends.
By Nicole Marie Melton · Updated October 28, 2020
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01
Trend: Beautiful Bangs

Taraji P. Henson attended the Black Girls Rock Awards wearing her new, eyebrow-grazing bangs.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
Getty Images
02
Trend: Beautiful Bangs

Gabrielle Union recently decided to transform her look with bangs, and we’re totally feeling her new style.  A two-tone colorway adds extra pizazz!

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images
03
Trend: Beautiful Bangs

Bridget Kelly attended Keith Campbell’s book launch wearing jet black bangs with platinum blonde lowlights that are edgy and fresh. 

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
Roger Kisby/Getty Images
04
Trend: Beautiful Bangs
Laila Ali attended the 33rd Annual Salute to Women in Sports Gala wearing piecey bangs and chunky curls.
The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
Jason Kempin/Getty Images
05
Trend: Beautiful Bangs

Carmelita Jeter arrived at ESSENCE’s exclusive New York Fashion Week Luncheon wearing a shoulder-length bob with blunt-cut bangs.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
06
Trend: Beautiful Bangs

Bangs are a fun and sassy way to spruce up any style as evidenced by Tia Mowry’s razor-cut fringe she sported at a WeTV event for her reality show.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
07
Trend: Beautiful Bangs

Jill Scott appeared on the red carpet of the NAACP Image Awards in loose, eyebrow-grazing fringe.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
08
Trend: Beautiful Bangs

Monica arrived at the 2012 Billboard Music Awards wearing a swooping bang paired with a braided updo.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
09
Trend: Beautiful Bangs

Jennifer Hudson added major volume to her layered bang at the Pampers “Lullaby And Goodnight” event in New York City.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
10
Trend: Beautiful Bangs

At ESSENCE’s exclusive New York Fashion Week luncheon, Tasha Smith rocked her signature bangs-and-bob combo.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
11
Trend: Beautiful Bangs
Beyonce rocks her new bangs at the Brooklyn Nets game in New York.
The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
James Devaney/FilmMagic
12
Trend: Blonde Hues

At the Bravo Upfront Event, NeNe Leakes flaunted a platinum blonde pixie cut.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
13
Trend: Blonde Hues

Keri Hilson hosted the Pool After Dark event in Atlantic City wearing two-toned curls in a bright blonde hue.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
Tom Briglia/FilmMagic
14
Trend: Blonde Hues

Ciara attended the Los Angeles premiere of That’s My Boy in an audacious ash-blonde hair color. We must admit, it took a while for this shade to grow on us, but now we totally love it.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
15
Trend: Blonde Hues

Erica Campbell of Mary Mary stepped out at the Apollo Spring Gala in a two-toned asymmetrical bob with honey-blonde highlights.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
16
Trend: Blonde Hues

Jill Scott attended VhI’s Storytellers wearing two-tone extensions in dark brown and honey blonde.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
17
Trend: Blonde Hues

Keyshia Cole ditched her two-tone hair in exchange for a fierce platinum blonde pixie at the 2012 Soul Train Awards.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
Earl Gibson III/Getty Images
18
Trend: Blonde Hues

Emeli Sande attended the Grey Goose Winter Ball wearing a bold, bright blonde updo.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
Stuart Wilson/Getty Images
19
Trend: Blonde Hues

KeKe Palmer dramatically switched up her style with a honey blonde dye job for a bold new look at the Paul Weller In Concert event.


The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
20
Trend: Blonde Hues

Rihanna has to be one of the most versatile hair chameleons of our time. At a pre-Grammy event this year, Rihanna showed off a head full of blonde waves with dark, natural roots.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
21
Trend: Blonde Hues

While this blonde, massive mane isn’t a look that most celebs would wear, it fits perfectly into the wild child aesthetic Nicki Minaj aims to maintain.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
Mike Coppola/Getty Images
22
Trend: Blonde Hues

Chrisette Michele made a drastic hair change with a hot, honey-blonde hair color when she attended Keith Campbell’s “Decide To Be Beautiful” Book Launch.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
23
Trend: Waist-Length Weaves

Christina Milian looked simply stunning in soft, waist-length waves swept over one shoulder at the 2012 NBC Universal Summer Press Day.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
Gregg DeGuire/WireImage
24
Trend: Waist-Length Weaves
Jennifer Hudson
The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
Getty Images
25
Trend: Waist-Length Weaves

Cassie has made the side-shave her signature look, but these waist-length extensions take her bold ’do to a new level of fab.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
26
Trend: Waist-Length Weaves

There was no shame in Wendy Raquel Robinson’s game when she showed off her fierce, waist-length strands at the BET Honors event.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
27
Trend: Waist-Length Weaves

It takes a bold woman to rock waist-length extensions, but Kenya Moore pulled it off with class at the 2012 BET Awards.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
28
Trend: Waist-Length Weaves

At the Sparkle premiere in New York City, Tika Sumpter turned heads in bone-straight, waist-length hair that would make even Rapunzel green with envy.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
29
Trend: Waist-Length Weaves

Rocsi Diaz rocked waist-length locks with subtle auburn streaks on the ends at the 13th annual New York International Latino Film Festival.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
30
Trend: Waist-Length Weaves

Angela Simmons’s waist-length extensions were dramatic yet chic when she arrived at the Vivienne Tam show during spring 2013 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
31
Trend: Waist-Length Weaves

Kimora Lee Simmons flaunted a silky, waist-length mane that was dramatic yet delightful at the Mr. Pink Ginseng Drink launch party.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic
32
Trend: Waist-Length Weaves
Selita Ebanks
The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
33
Trend: Waist-Length Weaves
La la Anthony
The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Nine West
34
Trend: Bold Braids

Regina King attended a photo call for the TV series Southland wearing fancy cornrows.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
35
Trend: Bold Braids

Jill Scott graced the red carpet at the Hollywood Reporter’s ‘Power 100: Women in Entertainment’ breakfast in a fierce braided updo.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty Images
36
Trend: Bold Braids

Nicole Ari Parker attended the GEMS Girls Like Us Benefit Gala wearing pretty cornrows with long, loose ends.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
Craig Barritt/WireImage
37
Trend: Bold Braids

Kandi Burrus attended the opening of her new series The Kandi Factory in flowing, long braids with loose ends.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
38
Trend: Bold Braids

Solange Knowles brought back her braids at the The Miu Miu Galleria opening in Houston and whipped them up into a fierce, oversized topknot.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
Federico Villamayor for www.culturemap.com
39
Trend: Bold Braids

Chrisette Michele piled her loose braids into an easy-breezy topknot when she attended the premiere of Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Witness Protection.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
40
Trend: Bold Braids

Naturi Naughton put a new spin on the braids trend when she arrived at the Sparkle premiere in Hollywood.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
41
Trend: Bold Braids

Throughout 2012, Eva Marcille was a fan of wearing her signature, super-short pixie cut, but recently the “Diva” debuted box braids at the Let The Kids Grow Foundation Holiday Gala.

The Year in Celeb Hair Trends
Jerod Harris/WireImage