Best Hair Transformations

"I wanted a change. I had never had short hair. I thought, Why not? It is so much easier and it's fun to do something different," says Katie about the crop. We couldn't agree more with the "Why not?" attitude, which makes us appreciate these women's hair changes this year.

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Victoria Beckham

did not make her U.S. arrival a quiet one. Instead, she chopped her hair and dyed it blonde, thus creating one of the most requested looks at salons across the nation. She has since gone back to brown for The Spice Girls tour.

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She's said she doesn't want to do any more princess roles; and in one step closer to her maturing persona, Anne Hathaway cropped her long locks. The new look allows her strong facial features to enjoy the spotlight.

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Although she says, "My family and friends prefer me as a brunette," her change back to blonde lightens up her face and reinforces her young California-girl vibe.

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Why did Hilary Swank grow her hair for six months so Oprah could chop nine inches off? For charity, of course! The actress's beautiful locks will go to a cancer victim via Pantene's Beautiful Lengths program.

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Not one to shy away from a transformation for a role, the glamorous Charlize Theron can pull any look off, but as a blonde she looks less severe and even more radiant.

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"We took her hair from brown back to her signature buttery blonde because the brunette just wasn't her," says colorist extraordinaire Rita Hazan. "It didn't lift her skintone like the blonde does." After all, when you're known as a blonde bombshell, you're best sticking to your roots.

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With facial features like Rachel McAdams has, hair is a non-issue. The brunette tone definitely looks more grown-up and sophisticated on the actress, however.

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Bangs and bobs were the hair themes this year; on the bandwagon was the girl who played Wednesday Addams, all grown up with a softer shade of brown and a sophisticated bob cut.

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Blair's colorist, Christopher-John of N.Y.C., told In Style that if you do a dramatic shade switch, it's best to have a professional take care of the change. "It's not easy-it required four appliations of permanent color to get it to take in Selma's hair."

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