(Celebrity)

TikTok Influencers Owe Everything To Pamela Anderson

The original.

by Amanda Ross
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Pamela Anderson is an American icon. From her earliest days as Baywatch's swimsuit-clad heroine, the quintessential “Pam Anderson look” — marked by sultry hairstyles and makeup — would grab hold and never let go. Here, revisit Pamela Anderson’s beauty evolution ... count how many trends she started.

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After entering public consciousness with a Playmate of the Month win, a 24-year-old Pamela Anderson went mainstream thanks to her role on ABC’s Home Improvement. Her perma-suntan and blonde bangs would quickly make her synonymous with an early ‘90s version of beachy, California-girl beauty.ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content/Getty Images
Just a few years after her mainstream breakthrough, Pamela Anderson’s Baywatch role made her a household name in 1992. Anderson’s red rescue team swimsuit was more than instantly-recognizable — it became a full-on pop culture phenomenon that still endures 30 years after the show originally aired.Mirrorpix/Mirrorpix/Getty Images
Young Pamela Anderson’s signature look in the ‘90s would stay her go-to for decades. Her skinny, rounded brows and smoky eye makeup transcend the era — they’re even a popular TikTok filter for users who want to look more sultry — though her blonde waves would see a few variations over the years.Steve.Granitz/WireImage/Getty Images
Y2K lovers, eat your heart out. Pamela Anderson lived the late ‘90s and early aughts to the fullest, indulging in every of-the-moment trend: flower and butterfly hair clips, powdery pink eyeshadow, and tons of frosty lip liner.Barry King/WireImage/Getty Images
With ex-husband Tommy Lee in tow, Pamela Anderson’s appearance at the 1999 VMAs goes down as one of the award show’s all-time best red carpet looks. Her long blonde waves hidden beneath a giant furry hat, it’s her more-is-more blue eyeshadow that does all the talking. Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc/Getty Images
Leaning in the 2000s with full force, Pamela Anderson’s curly layers and deep faux tan are staples of the era. Her ultra-skinny brows are, of course, still in play, accented by frosty brow bone highlighter and deep blue eyeshadow with fluttery falsies.Steve Granitz/WireImage/Getty Images
The mid-00s featured a few vintage-inspired hairstyles on Pamela Anderson, who walked the 2003 American Music Awards red carpet with her ex-husband Kid Rock. For the ceremony, she paired a daring black gown with full, fluffy Farrah Fawcett-style curls and flipped ‘70s bangs.Kevin Winter/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images
Fourteen years after her iconic Playboy cover, Pamela Anderson celebrated the brand’s 50th anniversary with another retro hairstyle that throws it back to the ‘60s. Her hair’s voluminous teased crown shows off the subtle highlights and side-bangs that give the style so much dimension and shape.James Devaney/WireImage/Getty Images
Towards the end of the decade, Pamela Anderson seemed to return to her beachy roots with a natural-looking hairstyle and length, and a more pared-down makeup look to match. Jason Merritt/FilmMagic/Getty Images
Donning a wetsuit for seaside animal rights initiative, Pamela Anderson’s 2012 beach look got fans nostalgic for her Baywatch days. In a new interview with Entertainment Tonight, Anderson says she kept that original red swimsuit. “I put it on every once in a while,” she told the show. “Still fits!”Steve Granitz/WireImage/Getty Images
In her 50s, Pamela Anderson is radiant as ever. For a 2017 TV appearance, the star opted for an off-center part, swoopy bangs, and light yet defined makeup. A year earlier, Anderson told People that she’s been coloring her own hair with box dye for decades, a skill she learned from her mother.Foc Kan/WireImage/Getty Images
In recent years, Pamela Anderson not only reclaimed her legacy, but fulfilled more than a few lifelong goals. Dressed up in retro red lipstick and matching nails, Anderson’s wide smile proves how much she loved starring in Broadway’s 2022 run of Chicago.TheStewartofNY/GC Images/Getty Images
In a full-circle moment, Pamela Anderson's look at her Netflix documentary premiere incorporates all of her signatures. Her smoky cat-eye is represented, as are her skinny brows, and her tousled ‘90s updo. The perfect finishing touch? Her red gown, a tribute to the swimsuit that started it all.Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Getty Images

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