Twiggy, known for her unique look, decided to enhance her appearance by adding a pixie hairstyle that highlighted her cute, elfin face and striking blue eyes. This style became iconic and has been copied many times over the years.
Even though she changed the fashion world with her youthful vibe, Twiggy recently shared that she wasn’t a fan of the androgynous style that was popular in the Swinging Sixties. She admitted that she was too shy to say no to a famous hairstylist at a fancy salon.
As she celebrates her 74th birthday on September 19, let’s take a trip back to the 1960s when Twiggy first brought the adorable baby doll fashion into the spotlight!
In 1966, Twiggy, whose real name is Lesley Hornby, was on the hunt for a stylish new look to kickstart her modeling career. At just 5-foot-6, many people told her she was too short to make it in the tough world of fashion.
Now turning 74 on September 19, the former supermodel remembers getting her shoulder-length hair styled for some test photos at London’s House of Leonard, where she met the famous British stylist, Leonard Lewis, also known as Leonard of Mayfair.
ewis was searching for models to showcase his new short haircut.
In a recent episode of Jessie Ware’s podcast, “Table Manners,” the famous former model Twiggy shared that she never intended to get a short haircut.
“I went in to get my hair washed and styled, and Leonard spotted me. He said, ‘Let me try my new haircut on you,’” Twiggy explained to Ware. “I had been growing my hair out, and for a second, I thought, ‘I’m not sure if I want to cut it.’ But since I was in this fancy salon in Mayfair, I felt too shy to say no, so I just nodded.”
The next day, Twiggy went back to the salon and sat in Lewis’ chair, preparing herself for what was about to happen.
“I returned the next day and spent seven hours there, where he cut my hair, then I got it colored, and then it was cut again. It was crazy,” she said, laughing.
Even though the androgynous style wasn’t what Twiggy was aiming for, she quickly realized why Lewis was so well-known as a stylist.
After getting her golden blonde haircut just right, Lewis had British photographer Barry Lategan take some pictures of Twiggy.
“Leonard put the photos up in the salon, and a journalist noticed them,” Twiggy explained, talking about Deirdre McSharry, the fashion editor for the Daily Express. While getting her hair styled by Lewis, McSharry saw Twiggy’s bold new look in the pictures. “That’s how it all started… When that haircut was done and that photo was taken, that was the turning point.”
The pixie cut really made her big blue eyes stand out, and she used mascara on her lower lashes to make them pop even more.
In an interview with Vogue, Twiggy shared where she got the idea for her big eyes: “I was always experimenting with makeup at home. I had a rag doll with those spiky eyelashes, so I decided to buy false eyelashes for myself and created what became my signature ‘look.’”
When she was younger, the former supermodel shared that she liked to break the rules outside of her strict school environment. She would wear makeup and miniskirts to mod clubs on Saturday nights with her friends.
“I attended a grammar school, which was pretty strict. We had to wear uniforms, and makeup was a no-go. So, on weekends, my friends and I would do what most teenage girls do and play around with makeup,” she explained. “That’s how my makeup style started to develop.”
Her eye makeup became a key part of her famous look.
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A few weeks after a photoshoot for the Daily Express, some now-famous black and white photos that kicked off her modeling career were published, along with the headline “Twiggy–The Face Of ‘66.”
The next month, she had her first photoshoot for Vogue, and from there, her life turned into a whirlwind.
Twiggy became the ultimate example of mod fashion, inspiring many women. Even as a teenager, she was the first celebrity that Mattel used to create a Twiggy Barbie doll.
Over the years, Twiggy became closely associated with the innovative British designer Mary Quant, who changed the fashion world with her daring short hemlines that celebrated women’s legs.
After just a few years in modeling, Twiggy decided to retire in 1970 to pursue acting and singing.
She starred in several films, including a leading role in the 1971 movie The Boy Friend, which won her two Golden Globe Awards, and Club Paradise in 1986, where she acted alongside the late Robin Williams.
Twiggy also created a fashion line for Marks & Spencer and appeared in many of their billboard advertisements.
In 2011, she released an album called “Romantically Yours,” featuring cover songs like “Blue Moon,” “They Can’t Take That Away from Me,” and “Right Here Waiting.” Her daughter, Carly Lawson, who was born in 1978, sang on some of the tracks.
Still a major figure in fashion, the beautiful Twiggy served as an ambassador for L’Oreal and collaborates with various brands as a designer.
These days, the famous icon is busy hosting her own podcast called Tea with Twiggy, where she chats with her celebrity friends every week.
Even with all her success, Twiggy, who is one of the most well-known faces of her time, believes that her true success is measured by the strong relationship she has with her amazing daughter.
After her father, actor Michael Witney, passed away at the age of 52 during her fifth birthday party, Carly was raised by her mother and Twiggy’s second husband, Leigh Lawson, whom she married in 1988.
“Family is my top priority. It always has been, even when Carly was young. If something didn’t work for Carly, I wouldn’t do it,” Twiggy, who is also a grandmother, explained. “We did everything together, and that’s why we’re so close now. Just the other day, she told me, ‘I can’t remember a time when you weren’t there, Mum,’ and that’s because I was always by her side. Even when I traveled, she came along with me.”
Twiggy is admired by lots of women for rocking that iconic pixie cut from the 1960s! She was stunning then and still is today!
