#TBT: Diana Ross’ Beauty Looks: From Motown to On-Screen

You can’t hurry love—or a perfect beauty look. Diana Ross of girl group legends The Supremes (and of diva status thereafter) turns 71 today, and she’s rocked some spectacular hair, makeup, and nail looks in the past few ultra glamorous musical eras, from Motown to disco to R&B. In the 1960s, The Supremes, which also included Cindy Birdsong and Mary Wilson, were Motown Records’ bestselling act and are still America’s bestselling vocal group to this day. Along with The Supremes, Ross’ success made it possible for future African American musical acts to succeed—and her beauty looks challenged the dominant narrative of beauty, especially in the ‘60s and ’70s, when buxom blonde babes like Farrah Fawcett and Brigitte Bardot were held up as the pinnacles of beauty. When Ross left the group in 1970, she gave up the smooth coifs and pale lipsticks of her Motown days—but even when she started rocking big curls (and even a disco afro or two), she never let go of her long spider lashes (not even in the films she acted in). No matter what musical genre she was performing, Ross’ beauty looks always were sultry, stunning, and always glamorous. Here are her best beauty looks from Motown to on-screen:

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