I Always Wanted to Be Rachel Green From Friends, So I Re-Created Her Most Iconic Hairstyles
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Like most people my age, I was — and still am — obsessed with Friends. I used to watch the show any time I caught it on TV and then later on in life, before it left Netflix for good, I rewatched the entire series from start to finish. As a New Yorker myself, I find the show familiar and comforting, and of course, I just love the characters — especially Rachel Greene.
Very few fictional characters have had such an impact on beauty and style trends like Rachel, save for Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City, and Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl. There are so many things that Rachel is known for; her trendy '90s fashion choices, her signature inward blowout (which pretty much everyone requested at the hair salon at least once, don't lie), her endless collection of claw clips. It's no wonder I wanted to be her so bad when I was growing up.
While I can only hope to build up a collection of Rachel-esque wardrobe staples one day, I can "steal her style" by copying just a few of iconic her hair looks. Check them out ahead.
Claw Clip
Rachel's claw clip hairstyle is just a more refined version of today's messy bun — which is probably why I love it so much. To be honest, I rock this '90s-inspired look regularly, just without the long, loose pieces of hair in the front. It's fast, easy, chic, and most importantly, causes less damage to your hair than elastic hairbands. I'm a fan, and it seems like plenty of other Gen-Z and millennials are too.
Get the Look: J.Crew Large Hair Clip in Italian Tortoise ($20), Riviera Jumbo Claw Clips ($8)
Inward Blowout (AKA the Classic "Rachel" Look)
For someone who isn't that great at blowing out their own hair (me), the inward Rachel blowout can prove to be a little tricky. Still, I think this attempt works. This hairstyle transported me right back to the '90s — this would have been my dream style at the time. The key: pinning the front section of hair back behind your ear.
Get the Look: Revlon One-Step Volumizer Hair Dryer ($60), Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum ($21)
Voluminous, Loose Curls
While she didn't wear her hair like this often, Rachel was the queen of effortless styles and these loose curls are no exception. (I can only imagine how much time in hair and makeup went into making them so "effortless.") For this look, Rachel's hair had so much body and texture — it was a huge contrast from her usual sleek, straight styles.
Get the Look: SexyHair Texture Beach'n Spray Texturizing Beach Spray ($19), T3 SinglePass Curl 1.25" Professional Ceramic Curling Iron ($160), NuMe Classic Curling Wand 1 1/4" ($89)