Reba McEntire's Best Big-Hair Moments In The '80s & '90s

We've been following Reba McEntire's beauty journey for decades. As one of the biggest icons in country music, McEntire has been held to a higher standard of glam for the entirety of her career. Though Reba McEntire's worst hair and makeup mistakes will always haunt her, the star has had her fair share of fashion and beauty wins over the years. Before McEntire's big chop in the early 2000s saw her abandon her curls in favor of a sleek pixie cut (which led to her rocking straightened styles in the decades to come), McEntire was known for big hair. 

Throughout the '80s and '90s, McEntire regularly teased up her fiery red curls into elaborate updos, of-the-era mullets, and voluminous styles that fit right in with her fellow country contemporaries. The stunning style transformation of Reba McEntire has seen the award-winning singer completely change her look since she got her start in the '80s. While McEntire doesn't really wear her natural curls anymore, we can't let go of her past voluminous hairstyles. If Mattel's 2026 Whitney Houston Barbie doll is proof that big '80s hair is coming back, then McEntire's best retro hair moments are all the inspiration you'll need to get in on the trend. 

In the late 1980s and early '90s, Reba McEntire rocked curly bangs — one of the biggest hair trends of the time period. In one portrait of McEntire from 1990, the country icon can be seen rocking a voluminous curly hairstyle with a teased crown, loose curls cascading down her shoulders, and bangs curled against her forehead. While curtain bangs are one of the best curly hair trends of 2026, a short, curled fringe was one of the leading trends of the early '90s.

Reba McEntire knew how to rock a '90s red carpet. In 1991, McEntire attended the Academy Awards in a regal black-and-gold gown. To top off the glamorous look, McEntire rocked her signature red curls. Big hair was still en vogue, so McEntire's voluminous yet soft curls were perfectly on trend. While McEntire had an emotional evening, performing her Oscar-nominated song "I'm Checkin' Out" just one week after losing her band in a plane crash, she managed to look (and sound) as amazing as ever. 

When Reba McEntire was named Entertainer of the Year at the 1986 Country Music Association Awards,  she solidified her legacy as an iconic country music artist. For the special evening, during which McEntire also took home Female Vocalist of the Year for the third year in a row, she styled her red curls into an elaborate updo that screamed '80s. With the teased-up curls and dramatic volume, McEntire's hair was 1980s glamour at its peak.

While the big hair trend was starting to lose steam in the latter half of the 1990s, Reba McEntire was doing her part to keep it alive. At the 1996 American Music Awards, McEntire rocked teased-up waves with volume concentrated at the top of her head. The sleeker look was different from her past big hair moments, which typically emphasized her natural curls, but was no less stunning. The feathered ends of McEntire's hair toned down the extreme volume, giving the hairstyle a casual air. 

One of Reba McEntire's best hair looks from the late 1980s was her teased-up mullet. During a 1988 performance in Nashville, Tennessee, McEntire rocked a dramatic version of the '80s hairstyle — and it wasn't the only time she rocked the style that year. McEntire's teased up her red curls in the front, pinned back the sides, and allowed the back to curl outward — creating the iconic mullet silhouette. While the mullet may not be on-trend today, it was certainly one of the biggest styles of the '80s. Country artists like McEntire embraced the mullet wholeheartedly, propelling it to the mainstream.

Reba McEntire's voluminous short curls are one of her best styles from the 1980s. A portrait of McEntire from 1987 shows the singer rocking a casual look that includes her striking red hair. As she did for her appearance at the CMA Awards the year prior, McEntire focused on attaining volume for her updo. While the country star rocked short (straightened) hair a couple of decades later, Reba McEntire is almost unrecognizable rocking her natural hair in cropped curls.

Reba McEntire stunned at the 1992 People's Choice Awards, with her gorgeous red hair being the star of her glamorous ensemble. Rather than the full, soft curls that she'd rocked for years, McEntire switched up her vibe by defining the curls with mousse or gel. The wet look suited McEntire quite well; not to mention how on-trend it was for curly hair in the early 1990s. McEntire's hair lends itself beautifully to both soft and well-defined curls.