Some trends fade away like a summer's tan: slowly, quietly and for the fans, disappointingly. Others, on the other hand, refuse to be banished to the beauty archives. Frosted lip gloss and butterfly clips may have had their comebacks (and to my dismay, packed up again), but one style still lingering in our collective consciousness, patiently awaiting its big comeback? Gillian Anderson's copper bob circa 1998.
Over the weekend, the actor took to Instagram to send fans into a nostalgic spiral, sharing a throwback photo of her famous fiery haircut. As shown in the photo below, said haircut was defined by its short, jaw-skimming length, flippy ends and deep side-part, but more notably, the bright ginger colour.
"same vibe different font (give or take 2 decades. Adore you @hannaheinbinder!)," she wrote in the caption of her post, nodding to her Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma co-star, Hannah Einbinder, and the fact that while trends can be cyclical, a great hairdo never goes out of style.
Scroll through the below carousel post to see a comparison of the pair's styles:
While Gillian's original cut became synonymous with her early The X-Files era and belonged to the age of dial-up internet and Blockbuster memberships, Hannah's version feels like a cool Gen Z take on the classic. Sleek, blunt and tied to the algorithmic age... Ahhh, the great digital dawn.
Who knows what another twenty years will bring for the bob... we shall be waiting with bated breath.
Follow Lia on Instagram.
Lia Mappoura (she/her) is the Beauty Writer at Cosmopolitan UK, with over four years of experience reporting across the brand's print, social, video and digital platforms. Lia covers everything from emerging trend analysis to viral celebrity hair and makeup moments, making her an expert at spotting the season’s next big beauty look (before it takes over social media feeds).
In 2025, she was named The Rising Media Star at the Love Perfume Awards with The Perfume Shop, recognised for her outstanding digital fragrance content and for building genuine authority within the space. She is passionate about challenging outdated beauty stereotypes, championing inclusive representation in beauty, and educating readers on the trends, products and conversations shaping the industry today. Follow her on Instagram or find her on LinkedIn.
