Morgan Fairchild Had The Most Iconic '80s Hair & These Pics Are Proof

When it comes to the overly glamorous television stars of the 1980s who rocked the iconic big hair of the era, one name probably comes to mind first: Morgan Fairchild. Although Fairchild got her start in the late 1960s with bit parts, most notably playing Faye Dunaway's double in 1967's "Bonnie and Clyde," it was her role as Jennifer Place on the CBS soap opera, "Search for Tomorrow," from 1973 to 1978 that pushed her into the limelight. Thanks to primetime soap operas, "Flamingo Road" and "Falcon Crest," by the time the 1980s were in full swing, Fairchild was a bona fide celebrity with a head of big, blond hair that wouldn't quit.

Although everyone had big hair in the '80s, Fairchild's mane reached epic proportions. No matter if she was attending an event or was caught by the paparazzi out running errands, her hair was always larger than life, so much so that one has to wonder exactly how much Aqua Net was used to keep it all in place. But Fairchild wasn't always a beauty pageant-looking star. It wasn't until she bleached her hair and got contacts that people started paying attention. "It's like, 'Oh, okay.' It's all in how you look," Fairchild told Closer Weekly in 2020. 

The way Morgan Fairchild looks now is a far cry from the hair legend she was in the '80s, but she's still blond, and her hair is always perfectly coiffed. Granted, she's eased up on the volume (much to the dismay of Aqua Net investors), but hints of that '80s glamour remain — as do the photos of those iconic hair days.

In 1982, Morgan Fairchild attended the 54^th Academy Awards with a head of curls so big, it's even huge by the decade's standards. Perfectly styled, you can tell her hair is cut shorter around the crown of her head, helping to increase volume and texture, while the rest cascades down her back. To complete her look, Fairchild went for a coral lip and yellow-orange eye shadow, with black eyeliner to highlight her eyes — which she considers her best feature — before finishing up with some heavy blush. To no surprise, Fairchild's dress is 100% glitz. 

In 1985, Morgan Fairchild did a photoshoot wearing this Mrs. Claus-inspired getup. Unfortunately, there's no more context behind the look, but the white feather boa against the bedazzled red dress is giving major holiday vibes. Red lipstick is always a good idea, and for this photoshoot, Fairchild paired hers with a smoky eye, while emphasizing her cheekbones with burnt-orange blush. Her hair, although not as big as it could be, features peak 1980s feathering that would have made even Farrah Fawcett a bit jealous. 

When it comes to photos that embody the 1980s in every possible way, you'd be hard-pressed to find another one containing so many of the decade's signature trends all at once. Yes, Morgan Fairchild's hair is big, bleached to a golden, honey-colored hue, and her makeup is straight out of 1988's "Working Girl," but it's the outfit that brings it all together. Not only is the high-neck with a thin bow a blouse style that popped up over and over again in the '80s, but even the fabric, with its glossy sheen, is screaming, "Take me back to 1985!"

Apparently, actors did a lot of random photoshoots in the 1980s, because here is Morgan Fairchild again, in 1987, posing for another picture with zero context. Although we don't know the intention behind the deep purple skirt suit and matching shoes, nor the reason for the silk flower at the shirt's neckline, what's most important is that Fairchild's hair is up to par. While not as big and fluffy as she sometimes wore in the '80s, it's expertly swept to the side and tamed a bit to give a more professional and serious look.

In 1989, Morgan Fairchild attended the Los Angeles premiere of the movie "Dream Team." For the event, she wore an off-the-shoulder white dress, large black-and-white earrings, and, of course, her hair was big and leaning into messy, undone waves territory. Between the dress and the hair, we can't help but wonder, à la Carrie Bradshaw, if Fairchild was inspired by 1987's "Fatal Attraction." In the movie, Glenn Close plays Alex, who becomes obsessed with a married man, and in one of the most famous scenes, she's wearing an off-the-shoulder white dress with iconically huge '80s hair.

When Morgan Fairchild attended the People's Choice Awards in 1982, she delivered on the hair front. With her tresses teased way up, her necklace super '80s, and a spaghetti-strapped, ruched periwinkle dress, fellow actor Elliot Gould practically disappears next to Fairchild. The blond beauty fully hit the gas on the volume for this event, and it looks as though there are a good six inches (if not more) from her scalp to the ends of her teased hair. As far as iconic '80s hairstyles go, this one falls somewhere between big blowout energy and fully wild.