10 Gorgeous Susan Dey Hairstyles To Replicate If You Have Short Hair

Rising to fame in the 1970s thanks to her portrayal of Laurie Partridge on "The Partridge Family," Susan Dey became something of a trendsetter of the decade. At the time, she was known for her long brown hair, but by the time the 1980s rolled around, Dey had traded in her lengthy locks for a shorter 'do that would become her signature. While she embraced the biggest hair trends of the time, many of her shorter looks can be replicated and adapted even today — such was her style prowess.

"For four years I was Laurie Partridge on 'The Partridge Family,'" Dey recalled in 1992, per Parade. "I'd like to think I broke some ground there, not because I was a female musician competing in a man's world but because I was the first teenager in prime time to wear a pantsuit." Her style innovation and natural eye for aesthetics led to several gorgeous hair looks in the years that followed, from volumized bobs full of curls and teasing that people actually found attractive in the '80s, to choppy, layered cuts that foreshadowed the trends of the future. 

After playing the role of Grace Van Owen in "L.A. Law" from 1986 to 1992, Dey withdrew from Hollywood to live a private life with her husband in New York, where she reportedly even began working a normal office job. But the mark she left on Hollywood with her style will never fade, particularly when it comes to her best short hair looks, with which we're still obsessed years later. Dey definitely rocked some iconic '80s hairstyles, but she also had some 'dos that were timeless.

In 1985, Susan Dey was rocking a carefree bob style that remains popular no matter the era. Meet the wavy tousled bob, which gives "I woke up like this" effortless energy. The beauty of this style is that it works with any texture and hair type, and it's very low-maintenance. Dey had dark-blond hair at the time, but you could turn this look up a notch with a more striking hue, like platinum blond or copper. Wavy blunt bobs were one of 2024's most popular hairstyles, so Dey was certainly ahead of her time.

During her time in the spotlight, Susan Dey loved to harness the biggest trends of the 1980s, from blue eyeshadow to big hair. She did both at the Golden Globes in 1989, where she wore her dark-blond lob straight and flipped over the side. Again, this style seems relaxed and is a great one to replicate if you're going for that "big hair, don't care" energy. There probably was some intentional styling here, including quite a bit of hairspray to hold that height. 

The other trend that Susan Dey appeared to love in the 1980s was the curly look. Rather than the structured, sleek curls that rose to prominence in later decades, she attended the Emmys in 1988 with her short hair in tight, perm-style ringlets, likely brushed out and teased to create even more body. While this voluminous look is quintessentially '80s, you could still get away with tighter curls and body today. Volume is one of the best curly hair trends to try in 2026! To give this 'do a modern makeover, you could try parting in the middle and holding back on the teasing.

Susan Dey looks gorgeous with both curly and straight hair. One of her best straight looks came in 1992, at the Golden Globes. A brand new decade calls for a brand new hairstyle after all! The "Looker" star ditched the voluminous ringlets for a choppy, layered bob that was mostly straight but still tucked under around the jawline. Far from being flat, though, this style still had some volume at the crown, created by the combo of side parting and short layers. While the side fringe might date this look, you could bring it into the modern age by going for curtain bangs and a finish that's soft rather than stiff. 

A decade after her choppy bob debut at the Golden Globes, Susan Dey attended the 75th anniversary celebration of NBC with a slightly longer version of her layered short hair. This time, her locks' length reached mid-neck, while her feathery bangs grazed her eyebrows and her top layers were much longer. This more rounded look also still works today. You could follow in Dey's footsteps by adding some platinum highlights along with some darker lowlights. 

If you don't want your short hair to feel overly contemporary and would rather channel a vintage vibe, Susan Dey's curly bob from 1989 is a good source of inspo. Instead of the soft finish that's popular in the present, this bob is stiffer, with structured curls that aren't brushed out, and what looks like a bit of teasing around the flipped-over part. It might not be current, but this fun '80s hair trend that you can still wear today absolutely works as a glamorous retro 'do for a night out. 

Love your short hair but tired of running back to the salon for frequent trims? Circa 2006, Susan Dey embraced the in-between lob cut, and this is one that you should consider, too. Cutting your locks just above the shoulder still qualifies you for the short hair club, especially if you curl the ends so they tuck under. This sophisticated 'do looks great when straight with long layers and a middle part, but you could also rock it with bangs, too. As Dey demonstrates, highlights and lowlights give a simpler look like this more dimension and depth.

Awards shows in the 1990s were often about exuding glamour, and that's exactly what Susan Dey did at the Emmys in 1992. To complement her black halter dress, she went for large barrel curls in her blond bob, resulting in a rounded classic halo look. More traditional than trendy, this style still works for a formal event where you want to make a statement with your tresses. Whether you achieve your curls with a wand or rollers, volume — and lots of it — is the key.

From Princess Diana to Natasha Richardson in "The Parent Trap," many iconic women had the layered bixie in the '90s, and Susan Dey is no exception. She looked stunning as she rocked this trend. Pictured in 1990 with her husband Bernard Sofronski, Dey styled her hair with short layers, almost creating a wolf silhouette, and thick bangs. Bixies are still trending in the 2020s, but this particular version of the style is a great option if you want to evoke a vintage '90s feel. This is also a face-framing haircut that will make you look younger.

We don't rely on teasing today as we did in the 1980s, but you can still bring out the hairspray every now and then to create a glamorous throwback look. In 1985, Susan Dey posed with a classic '80s-style lob featuring extreme height at the crown, combed over so that half of her hair was sleek while the other half was full of volume. Deep side partings are set to return to the style fore, so this look might not even look as out of place as other '80s 'dos would today.