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Office Time Machine: How the Career-Woman Beauty Look Has Changed Over the Years

From the helmet hair of the '80s to today's hair-and-makeup grab bag.

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By Chelsea Peng
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Getty, design by Dana Tepper

Real Q: What does a professional lady *look* like? Here, we track the evolution of workplace hair and makeup trends with pics of girl bosses real and fictional. Some of these you'll love, some of them you'll laugh at, but in the end, let's just say we're content to stay in 2016, where (almost) anything goes.

<p>Silent-film actress Eleanor Boardman</p>
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1925

Silent-film actress Eleanor Boardman

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<p>Coco Chanel</p>
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1932

Coco Chanel

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<p>Rosalind Russell in <em>His Girl Friday</em></p>
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1940

Rosalind Russell in His Girl Friday

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<p>Gloria Vanderbilt</p>
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1955

Gloria Vanderbilt

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<p>Barbara Walters</p>
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1965

Barbara Walters

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<p>Audrey Hepburn in <em>How to Steal a Million </em></p>
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1965

Audrey Hepburn in How to Steal a Million

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<p>Advertising executive Mary Wells</p>
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1966

Advertising executive Mary Wells

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<p>Diana Vreeland</p>
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1966

Diana Vreeland

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<p>Nancy Reagan </p>
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1967

Nancy Reagan

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<p>Barbara Walters</p>
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1969

Barbara Walters

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<p>Margaret Thatcher</p>
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1970

Margaret Thatcher

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<p>Estee Lauder</p>
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1970

Estee Lauder

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<p>Mary Tyler Moore in <em>The Mary Tyler Moore Show</em></p>
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1970

Mary Tyler Moore in The Mary Tyler Moore Show

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<p>British editor and writer Margaret Busby</p>
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1971

British editor and writer Margaret Busby

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<p>Gloria Steinem</p>
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1974

Gloria Steinem

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<p>Cybil Shepherd in <em>Taxi Driver</em></p>
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1976

Cybil Shepherd in Taxi Driver

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<p>Frances Hesselbein</p>
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1978

Frances Hesselbein

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<p>Helen Gurley Brown</p>
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1979

Helen Gurley Brown

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<p>Diane von Furstenburg</p>
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1982

Diane von Furstenburg

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<p>Vivienne Westwood</p>
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1982

Vivienne Westwood

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<p>Nancy Staffordin <em>St. Elsewhere</em></p>
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1983

Nancy Staffordin St. Elsewhere

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<p>Connie Chung</p>
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1983

Connie Chung

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<p>Paloma Picasso</p>
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1985

Paloma Picasso

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<p>Jane Pauley</p>
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1985

Jane Pauley

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<p>Oprah</p>
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1987

Oprah

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<p>Carolina Herrera</p>
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1987

Carolina Herrera

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<p>Jane Pauley</p>
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1990

Jane Pauley

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<p>Inès de la Fressange</p>
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1991

Inès de la Fressange

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<p>Julia Louis-Dreyfus in <em>Seinfeld</em></p>
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1994

Julia Louis-Dreyfus in Seinfeld

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<p>Margaret Thatcher</p>
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1987

Margaret Thatcher

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