Nicole Richie's Most Iconic Hair Looks Of All Time

Nicole Richie has undergone quite the transformation since she shot to fame as Paris Hilton's wild child bestie on "The Simple Life" in 2003. The fierce reality star made a name for herself with her gutsy, provocative style, including some very bold hairstyles. But even when she stepped back from the spotlight and settled into a quieter life with her rocker husband Joel Madden of Good Charlotte and their two children, she wasn't afraid to make a statement with her hair.

In fact, Richie has never been afraid to think outside the box to express herself. "I love experimenting with different looks and makeup. I've had short hair, I've had long hair. I've played with all different kinds of beauty looks, and that's been really amazing," she told Coveteur in 2023. And she wasn't kidding. Richie has rocked everything from super long extensions to brightly colored lobs, and pretty much everything in between (full Barbiecore pink included), and that's made for quite the iconic hair lookbook.

How could we forget Nicole Richie's infamous crimped mohawk at a 2004 Joey and T fashion show? The beauty had the sides of her locks pulled back and her textured locks pinned up, with length draped over the back for a style almost as daring as she was. While some might regret trying something so out there as a youngster, Richie isn't that girl. "I don't regret any looks. I think that that's one of the best and most fun parts of being young," she told Coveteur.

The early 2000s were all about mismatched hair, and Nicole Richie was leading the charge. Richie attended the 2003 "The Simple Life" premiere with an iconic half-up look featuring Y2K blonde, black, and red partly curled extensions. This style shouldn't have worked — but it did. Richie told People in August 2024 that she relied on extensions a lot because her hair was thin, but doesn't anymore. "While I loved all that, and I think it's so much fun. I didn't need it," she said.

Nicole Richie went all out for the 2013 Met Gala with a fashion-forward white pompadour that had everyone doing a double take. The statement-making 'do looked gorgeous against her tan skin and deep wine lipstick, and we can't get over how her hair literally defied gravity all night and stood proudly several inches above her scalp. We're also giving the TV personality extra points for how well her look fit that year's theme, PUNK: Chaos To Couture.

Not many people can pull off vibrant purple hair, but Nicole Richie can. She proved that on the AOL NewFront red carpet in 2014 when her tresses were the most gorgeous lavender hue with pink touches at the ends. But it wasn't just the color we loved; The shorter cut complimented her face shape and the loose waves helped soften the eye-catching style that could have looked severe had it been styled pin-straight.

Though Nicole Richie has rocked some very out-there looks over the years, nothing will ever be quite as iconic as her natural curls. She showed them off at a 2018 Refinery29 event, joining the ranks of celebrities who look gorgeous with their natural hair. Her coiled, lived-in locks faded from dark into a deep gold that flattered her skin tone. Richie said on "The Drew Barrymore Show" in 2022 that she used to hate her curls but had learned to embrace them. "The older I get, I just want to look like myself," she explained.