Julianne Hough Debuted New Hair Tonight

Her hairstylist dishes on how she achieved the look.

Julianne Hough
(Image credit: Afton Williams)

Award shows are great opportunities for stars to see and be seen, which means that a number of celebrities choose these events to debut new looks. From hair colors to fresh cuts, tonight’s Creative Arts Emmy Awards were certainly an example of this phenomenon, and one of the standout new looks of the night was from Julianne Hough, who debuted a brand new, chic hairstyle when she presented at the ceremony. 

The look, a blunt blonde bob, is perfectly in line with the trends of the season, from hair lightening to dramatic cuts, and Hough epitomizes the energy of 2023-2024 winter beauty with her new ‘do.

“Cutting a lot of hair at one time is releasing a lot of old energy at once,” explains her hairstylist, Riawna Capri. “Which is why a lot of people cry and have an overwhelming feeling when you chop that much. It’s beautiful really, to see all the tears of letting go.” She notes, though, that “there were no tears here with Jules! On the contrary to a cry release, a lot of times there is an exciting overwhelming energized feeling of letting go as well. And that is what she had. About 3 times she was like, ‘I think we can even go shorter!’”

The result is a chin-length, ultra modern look.

Julianne Hough

Julianne Hough wears her hair in a new style by Riawna Capri, complemented by makeup courtesy of Afton Williams. Her stylist, Jennifer Mazur, fashioned her in a dress by Grace Ling, shoes by Jimmy Choo, and a bag by Judith Leiber.

(Image credit: Afton Williams)

Capri also explains that Hough’s new style came about because she “wanted a bright bold change for the new year.” Apparently, Hough had been “talking about going short for a few months now. And one day at Dancing with the Stars, it hit her. She was ready. I could feel it. And we instantly started looking at the calendar to see when was best.” 

Meanwhile, Hough’s bright blonde color, brown at the roots, comes courtesy of R & Co. Color. Capri says that she used over 300 foil to achieve the soft blonde look, and then toned it to “a bright yet buttery blonde.” 

This isn’t a practice she recommends trying on your own at home, though. If you’re looking to chop and lighten your locks à la Hough-and-Capri, consult your trusted hairstylist and/or colorist. 

“I’ve been doing Julianne’s hair for 15 years now,” says Capri of the trust Hough has in her, “and I am proud to say, with all the charges throughout the years, we did something different. It feels so good to be able to have so many changes over all the years and yet still create something new. To have a client stick with you for 15 years is the biggest honor any hairstylist could ask for, especially in Hollywood.”

Gabrielle Ulubay
Beauty Writer

Gabrielle Ulubay is a Beauty Writer at Marie Claire. She has also written about sexual wellness, fashion, culture, and politics both at Marie Claire and for publications like The New York Times, Bustle, and HuffPost Personal. She has worked extensively in the e-commerce and sales spaces since 2020, including two years at Drizly, where she developed an expertise in finding the best, highest quality goods and experiences money can buy. As a film school graduate, she loves all things media and can be found making art when she's not busy writing.