Nine of the best on-screen short hairstyles of all time.

There’s something about a great short haircut, a certain je ne sais quoi, if you will, that’s impossible to pin down.

A good one will leave you thinking about reaching for the scissors yourself, whereas a bad one will leave you in tears for weeks (see: Anne Hathaway post-Les Miserables cut.)

And because all of the world’s greatest hairdressers work for the stars,  it’s Hollywood actresses who rock the best cuts – often for roles they’re starring in. So without further ado, we take a look at ten of the very best short haircuts throughout silver screen history.

Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music

The hills were alive, the short hair was fabulous and the not-so-holy-nun’s habit did not last long.

But 51 years on, Andrews’ cut has still got us inspired and her songs have still got us singing. Not bad for a wayward nun on the run from the Nazis.

Mia Farrow in Rosemary’s Baby

Sure, it's a truly terrifying movie, but Mia Farrow's pixie cut was on point.

And nearly half a century on, it hasn't aged a day, with everyone from Carey Mulligan to Michelle Williams imitating the 'do. (See also Zoe Saldana's version of the famous cut in the Netflix reboot of Rosemary's Baby).

Molly Ringwald in The Breakfast Club

As the poster girl of the 80s, no one could get enough of Molly Ringwald's perfectly poufed, moussed and blow-waved hair, especially when she played uptight detention-goer Claire Standish in The Breakfast Club. 

Winona Ryder in Reality Bites

The year was 1994. Ben Stiller was still a baby, and everyone wanted a piece of Ethan Hawke.

But the men were nothing in comparison to their female lead, Winona Ryder, whose loose bob was the epitome of early 90s hair fashions. Secretly, we hope it took longer to nonchalantly style than it looks.

Gwyneth Paltrow in Sliding Doors

Look, it's not a competition, but if we had to pick a winner from this list, it's Gwynnie in Sliding Doors. 

Her British accent was passable, and her breakup haircut was truly one of the best transformations we've ever seen.

Halle Berry in Catwoman

If you want to know how to absolutely nail a short choppy short haircut, look no further than Academy Award winning actress, Halle Berry, who made for one hell of a Catwoman.

Bow down, friends. Bow down.

Audrey Tautou in Amelie

No one does chic hairstyles quite like the French, and Audrey Tautou is no exception to the rule. Her pixie bob and short fringe was utterly perfect for the film's whimsical depiction of life as a modern-day Parisian.

Lupita Nyong’o in 12 Years a Slave

Nyong’o and her incredible head of hair have been topping red carpet style lists for a while now, and it was via her unforgettable performance in 12 Years a Slave that many of us first became aware of the 33-year-old Kenyan.

Millie Bobby Brown in Stranger Things

Okay, okay, technically it's not a movie, but if there was one thing people will talk about when looking back on 2016 it's absolutely going to be Stranger Things - and in turn, Millie Bobby Brown's incredible performance as Eleven.