After putting us through what seemed like an interminable period of long ho-hum hair, the Halle we know and love is back and cuter than … well, most of us.

Check out the Halle gallery below. It’s hard for her to go wrong.

At left,  in a white Marchesa gown, she’s poising on the actress poses on the red carpet prior to the opening ceremony of the 12th Shanghai International Film Festival on Saturday.

The haircut debuted sometime in May.

Halle arrived at Spike TV’s 2009 ”Guys Choice Awards” in Los Angeles to collect her “Decade of Hotness Award” (boys will be boys) on May 30.

She’s explored a variety of lengths, textures and colors, but I don’t think there’s anything quite so distinctive, grown-up and sexy as this.

Let’s hope she doesn’t get too bored with it anytime soon, maybe we’ll see her on the big screen more now that she’s back to her Academy Award-winning look.

In interviews, Halle used to tell the story of her pixie cut.

She was a struggling actress who couldn’t get a role until she cut her hair and suddenly, people saw that she wasn’t just a cookie-cutter beauty. It gave her character. Long, flowing hair is great if it suits you. But it’s also a good way to hide a great face.

OK, so it’s hard for her to look bad, but there’s something about the short cuts that really pop. And there’s something about the updo that just doesn’t do her justice.

I’m not a fan of the all-out bronze colored hair, but the looks with subtle hightlights are pretty stunning. And the long hair with bangs look is kinda rockin’.

So I guess the lesson is that experimentation is good. If you don’t try something new, you’ll never know what you’re missing and then when you settle on a look, you’ll know it’s the best, not just the most convenient.