Wow! Just wow. Jennifer Aniston is PEOPLE 's Most Beautiful Woman of 2016. Her new cover is gorgeous, as to be expected, and she looks as pretty as she ever has. It finds the actor and Friend showing off her famous head of perfect, straight, and highlighted hair. It's Aniston's second time covering the PEOPLE Most Beautiful issue, because duh. She's a looker and comes across as so real and anything but a Hollywood elitist. She covered the publication's Most Beautiful issue all the way back in 2004, just as Friends, which turned Aniston and her hair into household topics, was ending its blockbuster run and right before the implosion of her believed-to-be storybook marriage to actor Brad Pitt.
The throwback photo of Aniston's first Most Beautiful cover reveals exactly why she has received the honor for the second time. Her life has changed drastically in the decade-plus but she remains grounded. Aniston is still an icon of beauty and strength.
For her current cover, Aniston is 47 and is lovely as ever. Her naturally wavy golden hair is blown straight. It's long and layered, since that's how she usually prefers to wear it. It works for her, so she sticks with it.
While some may think her 'do is pretty simple, I applaud and relate to her choice to stay in her comfort zone, since I am not adventurous with my locks, either. Plus, you really can't argue with hair that looks that good. It's all about that end result. Ultimately, America's sweetheart Aniston is a vision, with a youthful glow and that sweet, authentic smile. She has dealt with a spectacular split from Pitt, the ensuing "Brangelina" drama, Team Aniston vs. Team Jolie, a string of breakups, and tons of "Poor Jen" tabloid rumors before marrying hubby Justin Theroux. Even so, she keeps moving forward and that is a source of inspo.
Now, let's observe Aniston's 2004 cover and further assess why it explains the mag's decision to anoint Aniston with the honor for a second time and 12 years later.
Here, Aniston was 35 and her signature strands were messy, beachy, and imperfect but still oh-so-fab. Rachel Green's portrayer hasn't aged a bit nor has she changed much at all and that's a beautiful thing. Why? Because Aniston is not trendy. She doesn't follow the herd or change up her look to be daring and different. Instead, she sticks with her signatures, which serve her well. There's nothing wrong with that. Her style is classic and stunning and she has remained loyal to herself.
Here's another current Aniston shot. That hair, though!
This is another image from 2004. She just exudes light and warmth. The hair is flawless regardless of length or texture.
It's so anti-Hollywood for Aniston to avoid trends and to remain natural and authentic. She doesn't appear to do things for publicity, shock value, or because everyone else is.
Instead, she is a model of consistency in a flighty, fake town and industry. And that, my friends, is what makes her PEOPLE's Most Beautiful Woman, IMO.
Aniston comes across as the type of person you could totally hang out with. She's on the level. Her life has changed so much in between her PEOPLE Most Beautiful covers, but she still seems so down-to-earth and cool.
Images: Courtesy of PEOPLE (2)
