It's officially rainy season here in Aotearoa, which means the very real possibility of being a wind-swept, drowned rat at any moment. With your fave raincoat and umbrella at the ready, you're prepared – but sometimes you're just going to get caught out in a downpour.
While real life might leave us looking like a soggy mess, there's something undeniably captivating about the wet-hair look on film. In cinema, rain-soaked hair isn't just a beauty blunder - it's a mood, and often a visual cue to heighten drama, romance or tension. So, here's a collection of rainy hair scenes in film that remind us of the beauty of stormy imperfection.
Four Adventures of Reinette and Mirabelle, 1987
Bonding in a countryside shower, and embracing the charms of nature (and rain).
Breakfast at Tiffany's, 1961
A slightly beehived Holly Golightly reunites with Cat in a rainy alleyway. The best part of this hair look is that it's actually pigtails.
Suspiria, 1977
Suzy Bannion arrives in Munich to wind and lashing rain which quickly turns her perfectly coiffed hair into dripping strands.
Pride & Prejudice, 2005
Sodden looks of love between Elizabeth Bennet (played by Keira Knightley) and Mr. Darcy (Matthew MacFadyen). Can you imagine your fringe looking as chic as this in a storm?
The Quiet Man, 1952
An early example of a rain scene in film saw John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara soaked in certain parts, but their hair still perfectly done.
V for Vendetta, 2005
Evey (played by Natalie Portman) is 'reborn'. A buzzcut helps when it's raining.
Four Weddings and a Funeral, 1994
"Is it raining? I hadn’t noticed." Carrie's (played by Andie MacDowell) line is often cited as one of the corniest in film. But hey, her swept-back bob looks good considering the downpour.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show, 1975
Make like Janet and protect your curls with... a newspaper?
The Notebook, 2004
THAT scene. Only in film would hair look this chic and perfectly side-parted during torrential rain... The pearls help.
Sense and Sensibility, 1995
Marianne's (played by Kate Winslet) despairing mood helped with a storm and dripping wet curls.
Titanic, 1997
A more realistic slightly frizzy, rain-soaked moment from wet hair queen Kate Winslet.
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