It’s always been a thing for women to shave their armpits (unless you’re European for whatever reason). Sure women are somewhat bowing down to the patriarchy by removing this patch of hair, but as liberating as it can be to stick up your middle finger to the literal man, wouldn’t you think it would just be kind of gross to deal with it overall? I mean it makes on lookers cringe when red carpet pics come to surface (guilty). As feminine as you may look in a Vera Wang gown, your armpit hair isn’t doing your look any justice—sorry ladies.
So, what is the big ordeal with growing out the armpit hair anyway? Is it a statement, for attention, or a combination of both? Perhaps it’s just grooming laziness. Either way, it’s not something people look at fondly. Perhaps these women are crusaders for the women’s movement, but are they driving the attention they want to the right places? It doesn’t really seem like it. We found a list of celebrity women who have grown out their armpit hair shamelessly, and although they look stylish in their red carpet ensembles…we can’t help staring at their underarm regions (shivers). But hey, to each their own.
15 Madonna
Are we surprised that Madonna not only got into this “trend,” but fully embraced it? As the pop icon we know, she was always shocking fans with her crazy on and off stage antics back in the ‘80s and early ‘90s, but in more recent years it just seems like somewhat of a gimmick in all honesty. No one particularly cares about her music anymore so she has to jump on some kind of shocking bandwagon in order to get any sort of attention whatsoever.
I mean, to each their own and all, but it gets a little old after a while, Madge. Okay, you don’t shave your pits, people were shocked, but what exactly are you even famous for these days anymore? Maybe it would just be better for everyone if you just retired already.
14 Barbra Streisand
One thing you have to say about Barbra Streisand is that she does things the way she wants to do them. Period. She has always been known for being a perfectionist in and outside of the studio, which is why it’s so surprising that her hygiene regiment wouldn’t fall into her perfectionist ways. She always seems so put together when she is in the limelight, why would she neglect that one easy detail? It is just so odd.
On the other hand, she is also known to be a pretty major feminist and many feminists believe that shaving your armpits as a woman means that you are admitting that you are lesser than a man as a female. Perhaps that was her point as she has been known to battle some pretty strong male figureheads in the music world.
13 Juliette Lewis
Juliette Lewis is known for both her acting and singing chops, but she has also burst on the scene with her unshaven armpits too. Why Hollywood? Why? It seems as though it’s almost a badge of pride for her to flash her unshaven pits for the paparazzi to catch, and you just wonder what’s running through her head. She’s a beautiful actress that is giving herself a flaw and you just have to scratch your head about it.
You have to give her props for the whole feminist thing, but at what price are you paying here? It’s just gross. It is bad enough that we have to look at men’s disgusting, flapping armpit hair. Heck, instead of women growing theirs out—why can’t men just shave theirs off? Everybody wins!
12 Julia Roberts
Even Julia Roberts is in on this? Come on! She’s basically the queen of Hollywood, so that’s like opening the flood gates to everyone else letting them know that not shaving your armpits is super cool! No! No! No! Well, like Streisand, Roberts is another one of those take no nonsense type of presences on the Hollywood scene, and that means standing up to some major male figures.
Roberts is known for standing up for herself and not standing for the BS the industry has to offer. Good for you, girl! But along with that comes some behaviors like…not shaving her armpits. Okay, I guess we can handle it since she’s such a force to be reckoned with. Still though, a little gross but who am I to judge I guess.
11 Michelle Rodriguez
You’ve got to love Michelle Rodriguez for making tough women look cool, but seriously we could do without the unshaven armpits. Just because you’re a total BAMF doesn’t mean that you should neglect your under arm region. Girl, you rock bikinis and have a rockin’ bod, why would you do such a thing to yourself? It’s a tragedy!
Again, it’s another case of feminism here, but there has got to be a better way of expressing it that this awful way. It makes us all slightly upchuck every time we see it. Besides, you know you’re in the limelight all of the time, do you want to see pictures of yourself with disgusting hair like this all the time? This is more than a case of forgetting to shave for one day too. Ick.
10 Lady Gaga
Why is this so not surprising? Of course Lady Gaga grew out her armpit hair and dyed it an outrageous color. Of course she did! It wouldn’t be her to not jump on this bandwagon. Part of me wants to give her props for being so bold, but the other part of me rolls my eyes because it is just so typical. She tries so hard to be a fashion statement then she does something like that. I just don’t get it I guess.
She claims it’s art, but is it really? It just seems like shock rock to me. Sure it might get the conversation rolling about feminism, but overall it’s just getting the conversation going about Lady Gaga really. Again, it’s one of those cases where she should just focus on her music rather than doing these gimmicky things to draw attention to herself.
9 Jemima Kirke
One thing you have to say about Jemima Kirke is that she’s British, and if you know anything about European girls, they don’t shave their armpits as much as us North American-ers. I guess she gets a bit of a free pass here, although it’s still kind of icky. In this day and age you have to know it’s just a staring point for those that haven’t grown up around it, and for someone that’s famous, you’d think she’d want that situation cleaned up a bit.
Regardless, this Girls actress seems pretty confident about her look and doesn’t plan on changing it anytime soon. I guess you have to give her props for that. She’s not dying her pits to make a statement or drawing attention to herself, she is just being who she is and you have to respect her for that.
8 Sophia Loren
There not a much more classy actress than Sofia Costanza Brigida Villani Scicolone, aka Sophia Loren. She has all the timeless looks that a timeless Hollywood star should have, minus the armpit hair. Now why on earth would she do that to herself? She’s such a gorgeous person and she has that gross armpit hair that everyone is staring at. Granted she is European, but still, ew.
Not only was she such an icon on the big screen but she also was such a fashion icon too. Maybe people just overlooked this fashion faux pas because she was so stylish for her time? Regardless, it just blows my mind that you would want to draw attention to yourself in that way when it is so easy to fix it. It sends shivers up your spine to look at it though.
7 Drew Barrymore
Drew Barrymore hasn’t always been known for her good decisions, but this one ranks right up there. After all the cleaning up she did to get herself on the hot lists in Hollywood, why would she do this to herself? Another thing I just don’t get is why would you wear outfits that draw attention to your armpits when you don’t shave them to begin with?
When it comes to Barrymore, this one is a real question mark to me. Is it an attention thing or is it a statement? She has seemed to cry out for attention on a number of occasions, but she also hangs low on the radar in numerous occasions as well so this one is really a tough call. I don’t know, but my thought it figure out another way to be seen.
6 Penelope Cruz
Not only did Penelope Cruz grow out her armpit hair, it seems like it’s the center of attention when it comes to her fashion spread. Ew. Why would anyone find this glamorous? She’s all dressed up looking good and then her pits steal the show. Honestly, it just makes the picture look seedy and low class.
Why does it have to be such a statement to grow out your armpit hair as a woman? Honestly, who really is applauding it? I mean good for you that you have uncomfortable hair under your arms that looks puke worthy I guess. I don’t know what you’re trying to prove or what attention you’re trying to obtain here. It’s just negative press that isn’t worth gaining. But I guess in Hollywood, all press is good press…maybe?
5 Scout Willis
Here’s a classic case of, “I really didn’t do anything to be famous but have famous parents, but I’m going to make a statement so people pay attention to me.” Gag. Newsflash Scout, no one really cares except for you in this situation. The only thing people are saying is, “Look at Demi Moore and Bruce Willis’ child with her overgrown armpit hair.” Good for you for breaking through to the mainstream I guess.
Maybe instead of focusing on being famous for nothing, you could try actually doing something productive like helping people with the mountains of money you have rather than zeroing in on your armpit hair. It’s just gross anyway. I mean do what you want to do and all, but why make yourself a spectacle? Just a thought.
4 Helena Bonham Carter
Helena Bonham Carter is known for being a little quirky, to say the least. Heck, she was Tim Burton’s partner for years am I right? We all love her for it. Here’s the thing though, along with her quirkiness comes some off the wall behavior that makes some of us cringe along with it like overgrown armpit hair. You can’t say you’re surprised by this.
Honestly, it might not be as much of a statement or an attention thing over she simply she forgot to shave for a couple days. That’s what it looks like by the pictures anyway. Creative-minded people seem to sometimes space on things that many of us think about on a daily basis, like shaving. It’s okay Helena, we still love you for all of your quirks.
3 Kelly Rowland
If there was one band that was all about girl power, it was Destiny’s Child, which Kelly Rowland was a big part of. These women were fierce and told women that they should be independent and rely only on themselves rather than a man. Good for you girls! However, Rowland took it another step further by growing out her armpit hair to prove she’s a real independent woman. No!
The girl has looks, talent, and a rocking body, why would she want to do this to herself? Is it the fall from the Billboard Charts? Girl, you don’t need armpit hair to get noticed, just keep writing those R&B hits! You don’t see Queen B rocking the armpit hair and she’s the ultimate independent woman, am I right? Get rid of it!
2 Lily Allen
“I am so shocked that Lily Allen lets her armpit hair grow out,” said no one ever. This outspoken sing makes it a point to let the world know when she is making a statement, and this is just another one on her list. Girl, we know you are on a crusade to rid the world of all the problems you see around you, but can you just let this one go? Also, you’re a wealthy singer, how many issues are you really encountering in your life? Why don’t you just jump off your high horse a bit?
Sure, every woman appreciates that you are on a big tirade against the patriarchy, but don’t you ever get tired of raging against the machine? I know I sure would. Maybe just give it a rest and shave your pits.
1 Miley Cyrus
Oh Miley, how you went from the squeaky clean queen of the Disney Channel to…I’m not really sure what your situation is right about now. Okay, we get that you wanted to break your mold and get away from your Disney image—cool—but did you really have to involve your hygiene along with it? Not only that, but you want people to key into your unshaven armpits, obviously, because you dye them all the colors of the rainbow. Why?
To me it seems like a cry for attention. Yeah, you got a ton of it by sitting on top of a wrecking ball butt naked, but of course, you need some more because, why not? What I don’t understand is why can’t pop stars get the attention they crave through their music rather than lame stunts like not shaving their arm pits? It’s kitschy to say the very least, Miley.
