7 Gorgeous Barbara Eden Hairstyles To Replicate If You Have Short Hair

Actor Barbara Eden may be best known for playing the titular role on "I Dream of Jeannie" from 1965 to 1970, with her pink harem-style outfit and long blond hair worn in a high ponytail with a braid wrapped around it. But the actor had many other roles, and hairstyles, beyond Jeannie. Before playing the character in the mid-'60s, Eden wore her hair short; in the '80s, she went longer; and she settled into lob territory later in life. Looking back, many of her hairstyles through the decades can serve as inspiration for women with short hair, with both updos and styles worn down.

There are ideas for short haircuts and styles that are perfect if you have a thick head of hair, and also Eden-coded looks for thinner locks as well. And while the star, who turned 95 in August 2026, is still rocking blond tresses, these short cuts also highlight gray hair and bring a timeless elegance to all shades.

When we dive into trendy short hairstyles that go beyond a normal bob, one of the most playful is a short crop with bouncy curls. While Barbara Eden's look, captured in a portrait session in New York in 1960, may look a bit overly retro and theatrical to wear nowadays, it can be updated by letting the curls go a little wilder and a bit looser. It's a great way to look youthful and not stodgy with this style.

There's plenty to know before going platinum blond, but once you've decided on the color, this is a chic short cut to pair with it. In this pic from the set of the 1961 film "Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea," Barbara Eden pulls off an icy blond shade beautifully. There's a hair color in the icy and platinum family that works with any skin tone, so show this pic to your colorist for inspo and let him or her do their thing.

While Barbara Eden's tapered, voluminous bob, seen in this portrait while promoting 1962's "The Wonderful World of Brothers Grimm," can look a bit dated nowadays, it's easy to translate it into something fresher and more modern. Here are some things to know before you get a short, tapered haircut, such as considering your face shape when selecting where the hair should hit. And definitely still embrace curls or waves like Eden's, especially with an on-trend waterfall bob.

On a Facebook post featuring this image of Barbara Eden from a publicity portrait circa 1964, one fan wrote, "Never seen a bad photo of this woman." And in this pic in particular, her hair adds a lot to the whole vibe. Eden's bob looks elegant with all-over volume that's finished with a curl at the ends. The side-swept bangs help frame her beautiful eyes to make them the focal point of her face.

The bixie cut, between a pixie and a bob, is nothing new. Back in 1980, Barbara Eden rocked the hairstyle in a photo taken in Los Angeles. Fast-forward four decades and the trendy bixie cut is still hot if you know how to style it properly. As Eden proved in 1980, the look works with bangs, with curtain bangs being the ideal modern choice. And while curls and waves are chic with this short cut, wearing them more evenly and not in a mushroom shape will bring this look up-to-date.

If you're in a rut with styling short hair, consider an updo like the one Barbara Eden wore to an event in Los Angeles in 2019. Just because it's short, doesn't necessarily mean it can't be worn up. Or half-up in a top knot like the chic updo every girl with short hair will want to master. A bob can be swept back into a small twist and secured with pins, or into a low chignon. Or add in some fun accessories. Experiment and see what works with your length and style. But the key is: there are options.

It's well documented that Barbara Eden wore wigs for "I Dream of Jeannie." And we suspect she still does in her 90s. In 2023, she attended an event in Beverly Hills wearing a signature long bob. As she's shown in recent years, this timeless style can be worn a number of ways, including half-up, and straight or curled. If you currently have long hair and are contemplating something shorter but not quite ready to go extreme, this in-between length might be an ideal starting point.