Twiggy, the fashion icon known for her unique and unforgettable look, made history when she embraced a pixie cut that perfectly framed her delicate, elfin features and emphasized her striking blue eyes. This daring style quickly became legendary and has been recreated countless times over the years, solidifying her place in fashion history.

Despite revolutionizing the fashion industry with her youthful and fresh-faced charm, Twiggy recently revealed that she was never truly fond of the androgynous style that defined the Swinging Sixties. In fact, she confessed that she only went along with it because she was too shy to decline the offer of a famous hairstylist in an upscale London salon.

As she turns 74 on September 19, it’s the perfect time to take a nostalgic journey back to the 1960s when Twiggy introduced the world to her signature baby doll fashion, forever altering the modeling landscape.

In 1966, Twiggy—born Lesley Hornby—was on the lookout for a fresh, standout look to help launch her modeling career. Standing at just 5 feet 6 inches, she was often told she was too short for the fiercely competitive fashion industry. Now, as she marks her 74th birthday, she fondly recalls the pivotal moment when she visited London’s House of Leonard to get her shoulder-length hair styled for some test shots. There, she encountered Leonard Lewis, the celebrated British hairstylist widely known as Leonard of Mayfair, who was searching for models to showcase his bold new short haircut.

In a recent appearance on Jessie Ware’s podcast, Table Manners, Twiggy reminisced about how she never actually planned on cutting her hair so short.

“I had only gone in to get my hair washed and styled, but Leonard spotted me and asked, ‘Can I try my new haircut on you?’” she recalled. “At the time, I had been growing my hair out, and for a moment, I hesitated. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to do it. But I was sitting in this posh salon in Mayfair, feeling too timid to say no—so I just nodded.”

The next day, she returned to the salon, fully prepared for whatever was about to happen.

“I ended up spending seven hours there,” Twiggy recounted with a laugh. “He cut my hair, colored it, and then cut it again. It was absolute madness.”

Though she hadn’t envisioned an androgynous look, she quickly understood why Leonard was such a sought-after stylist.

Once her golden blonde pixie cut was perfected, Leonard arranged for British photographer Barry Lategan to capture Twiggy’s new look in a series of stunning photos. The transformation was so striking that Leonard displayed the images in his salon. It wasn’t long before they caught the attention of Deirdre McSharry, the fashion editor of the Daily Express.

“That’s how everything started,” Twiggy said. “When that haircut was finished and that first photo was taken, it changed everything.”

Her new style made her mesmerizing blue eyes even more prominent, and she further enhanced them with dramatic lower-lash mascara, a look that would soon become her signature.

In an interview with Vogue, Twiggy revealed that her iconic makeup style was inspired by an unlikely source. “I was always experimenting with makeup at home. I had this rag doll with these amazing spiky eyelashes, so I thought, ‘Why not try that on myself?’” she explained. “I bought false lashes, started playing around with them, and that’s how my famous look was born.”

As a teenager, Twiggy enjoyed breaking the strict rules of her school by expressing herself through fashion. She and her friends would head to mod clubs on Saturday nights, sporting bold makeup and miniskirts.

“I went to a grammar school where we had to wear uniforms, and makeup was strictly forbidden,” she shared. “So on weekends, my friends and I did what most teenage girls do—we experimented with makeup, trying different looks. That’s how I started developing my own style.”

Her distinctive eye makeup soon became a key element of her brand.

Just weeks after her Daily Express photoshoot, the now-famous black-and-white images were published under the headline Twiggy—The Face of ’66. It was an instant sensation. By the following month, she had landed her first shoot for Vogue, and her career took off at lightning speed.

Twiggy became the ultimate embodiment of mod fashion, inspiring countless women with her fresh, doll-like aesthetic. Even at such a young age, she made such a significant impact that Mattel created a Twiggy Barbie doll—the first-ever celebrity-inspired Barbie.

She also became closely associated with groundbreaking British designer Mary Quant, who revolutionized fashion with daringly short hemlines that celebrated women’s legs.

Despite her meteoric rise, Twiggy decided to retire from modeling in 1970 to focus on acting and singing. She went on to star in multiple films, including The Boy Friend (1971), which won her two Golden Globe Awards, and Club Paradise (1986), where she acted alongside the late Robin Williams.

Over the years, Twiggy continued to influence the fashion world. She launched her own clothing line for Marks & Spencer and became a familiar face in their high-profile advertising campaigns.

In 2011, she returned to her musical roots and released an album titled Romantically Yours, featuring covers of classics like Blue Moon, They Can’t Take That Away from Me, and Right Here Waiting. Her daughter, Carly Lawson, even lent her voice to some of the tracks.

Today, Twiggy remains an influential figure in fashion and beauty. She has served as an ambassador for L’Oréal and collaborates with various brands as a designer.

Currently, she keeps busy hosting her podcast, Tea with Twiggy, where she engages in candid conversations with celebrity guests.

Despite all of her professional achievements, Twiggy believes her greatest success is the close bond she shares with her daughter, Carly. After her first husband, actor Michael Witney, passed away at just 52, Twiggy raised Carly with her second husband, Leigh Lawson, whom she married in 1988.

“Family has always been my top priority,” she said. “Even when Carly was little, if something wasn’t right for her, I wouldn’t do it. We did everything together, and that’s why we’re so close now. Just the other day, she told me, ‘Mum, I can’t remember a time when you weren’t there,’ and that’s because I was always by her side. Even when I traveled for work, she came along with me.”

Twiggy continues to be admired by women everywhere for her trailblazing pixie cut and timeless beauty. She was stunning then, and she’s still just as captivating today.

Do you have memories of the Swinging Sixties? Have you ever dared to try a bold new hairstyle?

As Twiggy celebrates her birthday, let’s take a moment to appreciate her incredible journey and lasting influence on fashion. Share this story to honor the legend who changed the face of modeling forever!

If you enjoyed learning about Twiggy’s style transformation, check out how Catherine Deneuve has maintained her timeless elegance—another icon who made waves in the 1960s!