The Transformation Of Miley Cyrus' Bangs Over The Years

Miley Cyrus is one of only a handful of celebrities who's always willing to take fashion risks, especially when it comes to her hair. Like Kristen Stewart's hair transformation and Florence Pugh's edgy styles, Cyrus isn't afraid of a pair of scissors or hair dye that's going to take her unique personal style to a whole new level. And she's well aware that her fans are paying lots of attention.

"My hair is some sort of reflection for my sanity, my sexuality, my sobriety," Cyrus said on SiriusXM's The Howard Stern Show in 2020 (via US Weekly). "The public really makes my hair, I guess, the kind of monitor of how I am doing ... It's really not [the public's] fault that they associate my hair and my identity and my well-being so closely. Because basically, we drilled that into their brains for eight years of a series." That series being "Hannah Montana," of course.

Along with all those hair changes comes the transformation of Cyrus' bangs, which she really leveled up on when she rocked two totally different styles of bangs in the same night. While not everyone can be as bold as Cyrus when it comes to bangs, if you've been thinking about trying one of the many bangs trends of 2025 and need a bit of courage, let Cyrus be your guide.

In 2013, Miley Cyrus performed live on the "Today Show," and she absolutely brought her A-game, as always. Having ditched her long dark locks in 2012 for a platinum pixie cut that would inspire anyone to go super short, Cyrus was rocking a slightly longer style with fantastic platinum bangs.

Growing out a pixie cut is never easy, but with an undercut that kept things very cropped in the back and the bangs in the front that had been swept to the side, Cyrus proved that you can actually have fun during that growing-out stage — and embracing bangs can be part of it.

For the world premiere of "Avengers: Endgame" in April 2019, Miley Cyrus hit the red carpet with her then-husband Liam Hemsworth and blond chic curtain bangs. Although it was a demure and safe choice for Cyrus, at least in terms of her hair, it was proof that she can pull off the wholesome look just as well as the wild, rebellious look. 

If you're going to be a bangs person like Miley Cyrus, versatility is key. Also, it's worth noting that curtain bangs didn't really have their moment until 2024 when Sabrina Carpenter made them all the rage, so Cyrus was ahead of her time with this choice.

A little more than a year after the COVID-19 lockdowns, Miley Cyrus was spotted around New York City with this haircut and these bangs. Although the goal of this style isn't exactly clear, it's important to point out that as we started to crawl back into the world and our "new normal," we did so after having been put through the wringer, emotionally and mentally. After all, the last epidemic was in 1918.

Perhaps Cyrus took matters into her own hands by cutting these bangs herself, or maybe she was going for a certain aesthetic that wasn't meant to be understood. Either way, as much as it looks like she took scissors to the top of her head in a dark room, it works. Why? Because Cyrus has the attitude it takes to make pretty much everything work.

For the 97^th Academy Awards, Miley Cyrus arrived serving up some serious old Hollywood glamour. Embracing the always in-fashion trend of timeless sophistication, Cyrus wore a gorgeous custom black gown by Alexander McQueen, diamond earrings, and lace gloves. Her hair was styled in big beautiful long waves, with her bangs swept to the side.

Compared to some of Cyrus' edgier past hair looks, the waves and side-swept bangs created a very soft and elegant appearance. It was also the first time that Cyrus attended an event with her boyfriend drummer Maxx Morando, making them red carpet official.

Because Miley Cyrus' entire career is about range and the ability to switch things up on a dime, she arrived at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party after the 97^th Academy Awards not just in another dress — as many celebrities do — but with an entirely new hairstyle. Gone were the waves and side-swept bangs from earlier in the night. 

Instead, her hair was pulled back into a tight, sleek ponytail and she had absolutely fabulous micro bangs that her hairstylist, Bob Recine, cut specifically for the Vanity Fair party, according to People. It's hard to decide which bang style Cyrus rocked that night was her best, but either way, the two looks doubled down on the fact that Cyrus will never shy away from making a fashion statement.