NBC’s historical phenomenon, Friends, featured a stellar ensemble cast with the likes of Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer, whose significance within the industry and society at large became synonymous with the show. Never before has a sitcom been as pertinent, evergreen, and long-lasting as this one. It contributed significantly to popular culture by immortalizing an array of trends, tropes, clothing styles, unforgettable lines, and even hairstyles.
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Despite the ubiquitous legacy it has left behind, there were certain aspects of the show that the stars of Friends had a gripe with. For Aniston, who portrayed Rachel Green, it was her uber-iconic ’90s hair-do, dubbed rightfully, The Rachel. While the actress admires the stylist who created the look, she has acknowledged on several occasions why the haircut troubled her. Have a look.
Who Created Jennifer Aniston’s Iconic Friends Hairstyle?
The Rachel became an indispensable trend in the ’90s. Women all around the globe were quick to emulate Aniston’s boxy, shoulder-length, voluminous layered hair-do. On-screen, the hairstyle was pure magic. It was chic, confident, and voguish. However, the actress loathed and dreaded its manageability aspect at the time. Chris McMillan, Jennifer Aniston‘s longtime hairdresser, created the uber-distinguished style. His initial efforts to mend her damaged hair and grow out her fringe brought forth the iconic hair-do.
Despite its long-standing popularity, Aniston once expressed an honest opinion regarding the hairstyle. Speaking to Allure, the Murder Mystery star stated:
“I love Chris [McMillan], and he’s the bane of my existence at the same time because he started that damn Rachel, which was not my best look. How do I say this? I think it was the ugliest haircut I’ve ever seen.”
That’s certainly a strong take on the hair-do. This would not be the only time the actress would express her disdain for the look. Aniston would divulge the cause for her dislike for The Rachel on another occasion. There, she would reveal how challenging its maintenance and upkeep was.
Why Jennifer Aniston Dreaded The Iconic Hairstyle
In an interview with The Telegraph, the actress remembered her first meeting with hairstylist Chris McMillan. At the time, she received a “fantastic” haircut. However, a month later, another hair-do evolved into The Rachel. For its maintenance and upkeep, Aniston needed to visit her hairstylist every “6 weeks.”
Following was her statement:
“I had to see him every six weeks to keep this darn thing up, though, because it was a “hairdo”. It was a pain in the butt, to be honest, one of the hardest hairstyles to maintain, unless Chris did it. I’ve got very thick, full hair so it would take on a shape of its own that I didn’t always want. I don’t think I looked very good with it.”
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Comparing her much-celebrated Friends hairstyle to the legendary ’70s feathered cut donned by Farrah Fawcett, the actress voiced her distaste for The Rachel yet again:
“Hairstyles require too much work. Me, the blow-drier, and the hairbrush weren’t meant for each other. I look back on Farah Fawcett’s legendary [1970s] hairdo and think that was beautiful. But “The Rachel”? Ugh, not so much.”
While Aniston subsequently dubbed the culture-defining hairdo “cringe-worthy” in another interview, it is without a doubt one of the most distinctive hairstyles in the history of television. It had a worldwide and unparalleled influence. Even now, the effect of the hairstyle may be seen on several platforms, particularly TikTok. With how recycled today’s trends are, we cannot wait for The Rachel to come back in full swing.
Source: The Telegraph and Allure
