Jenna Bush Hager's Hair Evolution Since She Started The News

Jenna Bush Hager has had a stunning transformation since leaving the White House, and her physical evolution has included some fun and flirty hair looks. Though the former first daughter may not be notorious for regularly trying bold new styles and colors, she's still had plenty of fun with her tresses following her 2009 "Today" debut. And that's included the odd wig and hairpiece. In 2023, she wore seven different extension-aided hairdos in one episode of the NBC morning show when celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton (who's styled Kim Kardashian's extension-free locks and has also worked with the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Katy Perry) visited the studio. Bush Hager's "Today" co-host Justin Sylvester has also joked about Bush Hager's penchant for bulking up her locks, as he produced one of her extensions that fell out during a Beyoncé gig. "The baby girl was dancing so hard, she lost a clip-in at 'Single Ladies,'" he quipped on "Today" in 2025 (via People). 

Bush Hager has also been known to rock zany hairdos to pay homage to other stars, like the less than fabulous curly wig she wore on "Today" in 2023 to celebrate "Dolly: An Original Musical!" or the curly red wig she wore for Halloween 2024 to dress up as Kate Winslet in "Titanic." But when she's not playing around with wigs, she's sported some stunning looks of her own. Her gorgeous hair evolution has spanned everything from mid-length brown locks to a stylish, highlighted bob that fans couldn't get enough of.

When Jenna Bush Hager joined "Today," she sported mid-length brown locks that finished just past her shoulders. Though her mousy tresses had plenty of volume at the roots, the look was simple and understated, which mirrored her life around the time. Bush Hager wasn't exactly a wild child first daughter and worked as a teacher before her journalism days, so it made sense why she wanted a practical, low maintenance cut, which she (or her hairstylist) had styled to loosely flip out over her shoulders.

By 2011, Jenna Bush Hager had undergone a glam TV makeover. She swapped her mousy brown locks for a slightly longer, glamorous, warm blond that brought warmth to her complexion. She'd also ditched her easy-to-style 'do for a choppier, layered cut that framed her face. Though the look can be high-maintenance, that wasn't an issue for Bush Hager. Now a staple star of "Today," she had access to the show's hairstylists who could give her a voluminous blowout each morning.

Jenna Bush Hager had toned down her warm blond hair by 2017. She'd cut a couple of inches off and opted for a cooler brond, styled in casual, loose waves, which likely worked for her lifestyle considering she'd become a busy mom-of-two. Her classic center part had been swapped to a youthful side part though, which provided extra volume from the root. The 'do proved Bush Hager was paying attention to trends, as her deep part and brond hue were two of 2017's hottest hair looks.

As the world shut down amid the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, Jenna Bush Hager took her hair into her own hands on "Today." In the most casual chapter of her hair evolution, she filmed herself touching up her roots at home using a touch-up root powder. Social distancing restrictions forced her to return to dark roots, and she jokingly told Chris Appleton (who was on a video call to talk her through her touch-up), "I'm a blond! Are you calling me a brunette?"

Chris Appleton got his hands on Jenna Bush Hager's hair in 2023. After playing with extensions to sport multiple glamorous hairstyles on "Today," Appleton cut her hair live on the show [7:46]. Bush Hager, who had returned to her warm brond shade post-Covid, was left with a stunning, heavily layered cut with curtain bangs and plenty of movement. "It's fresh!" Appleton said of the style, which was very similar to the trendy curve cut many celebs rocked that year.

Jenna Bush Hager got another cut on live TV in June 2025, this time from hairstylist Chris McMillan. On "Today," he gave her a highlighted blond look inspired by Leslie Bibb's hair in "The White Lotus," a French style bob (one of 2025's hottest haircuts) that only just reached her shoulders. Bush Hager's drastic hair transformation had jaws dropping and McMillan told the star, "Bobs are like spring cleaning. There's sometimes some bad damage, bad layers. It sort of evens it up."

Five months after Jenna Bush Hager's bob transformation, she documented Chris McMillan making her 'do even shorter on Instagram. He seemingly cut around an inch off Bush Hager's dark blond locks backstage at "Today," making the ends blunter. She headed to set with a sleek and straight style. Fans made it clear how much they loved her chic mane, with one user writing in a comment that has 170 likes at the time of writing, "Jenna, I love that you are keeping the bob up!"