10 Pics Of Debbie Harry's Iconic '70s Hair That Have Us Reaching For Bleach

When it comes to famous blonds, each generation has had theirs. The 1950s and '60s had Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly, then by the time the 1970's kicked into gear, there was a new blond in town: Debbie Harry. As the lead singer of the band Blondie, Harry joined the ranks of the most well-known blonds in the last century, and for good reason. Like the blonds before her, Harry has had a major impact on pop culture, and part of that is due to her iconic look.

"I started dyeing my hair in grade school," Harry told Vogue in November 2016, adding that her mother was suspicious, so she did what anyone that age would do and blamed the sun for lightening it. "Going blonde was considered naughty at that time, which was very exciting for a young girl like me. I think it was a combination of wanting to look exciting and be part of the blonde heat wave that was going on," the singer explained. While Harry's mom may not have been a fan of daughter diving into platinum waters, it was that signature hair color that had a lot to do with her success. In fact, the band's name came from the fact that Harry couldn't go anywhere without someone yelling, "Hey, Blondie!" at her (via WBUR).

Although maintaining platinum-blond hair is more expensive than you think, it's still something everyone should try at least once. Sort of like shaving your head. It's empowering to go against the grain, so grab the bleach and let Harry be the all the inspo you need. 

In 1978, Debbie Harry did a photoshoot while visiting Shinko Music in Tokyo with her band, Blondie. While there were many photos to come out of the shoot, this one of Harry rocking knee-high leather boots and shoulder-length platinum hair with angled feathered bangs says so much about the decade. If you look closely, you can see shorter layers across the crown of Harry's head, which begs the question, in the best possible way: What is going on here? Oh, it's just a fashion icon in the making.

Thanks to Blondie's unique sound and Debbie Harry fronting the band, it didn't take long for the group to achieve international success, playing their first European gig in 1977. In one of their late 1970s' concerts in Berlin, Harry took the stage with her platinum hair styled in a sleek stretched lob with blunt bangs. Not only did she embody the punk energy of the era, but platinum hadn't looked so hot since Marilyn Monroe.

Although Farrah Fawcett made feathered hair famous, Debbie Harry elevated it and then some, making it forever cool. In fact, when it comes to hairstyles from the '70s that are making a comeback, the feathered look is on the list. While Fawcett's feathered hair was very much styled to stay put, Harry's version was the complete opposite, as pictured in London in 1978. It may have been layered and big, but when you're fronting one of the most popular bands of the 1970s, you need movement, resulting in a wild version of the original.

As much as photos of Debbie Harry fronting Blondie never get old, to catch her in a rare candid photo is, for lack of a better word, priceless. In June 1979, Harry attended a party for the 10^th anniversary of Andy Warhol's Interview magazine at Studio 54 looking flawless and absolutely gorgeous with her platinum 'do fairly short. It's also worth noting that she seems to be able to easily move her fingers through her hair, suggesting she skipped the Aqua Net for the night. 

As much as Debbie Harry stuck to her platinum hair for the most part during the height of her career — and still does today — she wasn't afraid to weave in other shades of blond and, on occasion, even give browns and black a try under all that bleach. Here, the hair closest to the nape of Harry's neck appears to be a dark blond or a light brown, giving dimension to the overall color and cut of her tresses.

Fun fact: the 1970s are considered the decade that style forgot. That being said, we can't judge even our favorite artists of the era for whatever photoshoot they were sucked into — as evidenced here with Debbie Harry rocking a pale tangerine sequin top and matching headband. Not even Björn Borg and John McEnroe could make sweatbands cool in the 1970s, and they were tennis players who actually needed them. But Harry, on the other hand, totally pulled it off.

Throughout the 1970s, Debbie Harry experimented with various hair lengths. In a 1975 photoshoot, Harry's hair was a chin-length bob and she'd pushed her bangs back for a low-key casual look — something not everyone has the luxury of being able to do and still look cool. "The attention [from being blonde] can be very flattering," Harry told Interview. "As a color it's like wearing a neon sign over your head." Aside from being an attention-grabbing shade, Harry's locks highlight her high cheekbones and complement her complexion.

When mastering the art of platinum hair, it's not just about cuts and styles, but accessories too. Debbie Harry wasn't afraid to incorporate different hair-related accessories into her look, as seen in a photo from 1977 at the legendary Whisky a Go Go in Los Angeles. Wearing a black beret with her platinum bangs pulled out to the front is iconic. It also proves that while some may want to know how to look Parisian chic in beret, if worn just a bit differently — and with the right attitude — you can look punk rock instead.

As much as the 1970s were known for big hair, when the 1980s rolled around, the hair got even bigger. In other words, there was no such thing as too much hairspray. Debbie Harry, being the fashion-forward woman she was — and still is — was already moving toward the big, teased look in March 1978 when she and her band, Blondie, played the Roundhouse in London. Countless people probably went home that night after the show trying to achieve this very hairstyle.

In 1979, Debbie Harry posed for a series of photos looking very unlike the lead singer of an edgy band. Although still platinum, darker shades beneath the peroxide are more visible in her hair — she looks more like your super-cool favorite aunt than the punk icon she was at the time. Her feathery bangs frame her face, and we're loving the shoulder-grazing length. Even with a toned-down look, Harry still has us wanting to reach for the bleach.