Nicole Scherzinger looked a little light in the hair department as she sported a thin topknot at the Birmingham leg of the ITV1 talent show auditions on Monday.
Commanding attention as she posed up a storm for the photographers, the 34-year-old singer's usual sexy waves were replaced by the severe look, put together with a plunging monochrome minidress featuring a stylish jagged hem.
Scroll down for video
Where's the va-va voom? The topknot's lack of volume suggests Nicole Scherzinger's ditched the extensions
Now and Then: Last month at the Monaco Grand Prix, Nicole had a fuller head of hair
Just a few weeks ago at the Monaco Grand Prix, Nicole had attended with her hair in voluminous glory, as it flowed down past her bust and towards her waist.
But while she might have lost length, she certainly added height to her already statuesque frame in Birmingham, balancing precariously on a pair of huge skyscraper heels.
Plenty to smile about: It's little wonder Nicole looked so pleased with herself, as her plunging monochrome minidress was an all-round winner
Back with a bang! The 34-year-old singer teamed her stylish dress with a pair of huge skyscraper heels, while wearing her long raven locks pulled back off her face into a chic top-knot
Working it: Nicole looked preened and polished to perfection as she strutted her stuff for the cameras
Dramatic fluttering lashes and a slick of pillar box red lipstick completed the star's look as she prepared herself for another day of auditions.
Although there's no denying she looked elegant, Nicole's new co-judge, Sharon Osbourne, opted for a fairly safe ensemble when it came to her outfit for the day.
The 60-year-old television star covered up in a flowing black maxi-dress, which she teamed with a cropped cobalt blue leather biker jacket, heels and hoop earrings.
Louis Walsh, also 60, seemed to be in a chirpy mood as he left his hotel to head to the auditions, opting for his standard uniform of jeans, a sky blue shirt and a navy blazer.
Meanwhile, Take That frontman Gary Barlow, 42, looked great in a blue short-sleeved shirt as he posed for photographs with a mob of delighted female fans.
She's back! Sharon Osbourne opted for a flowing black maxi dress and a cobalt blue leather biker jacket
Looking fierce! Dramatic fluttering lashes and a slick of pillar box red lipstick completed the star's look as she prepared herself for another day of auditions
A tale of two outfits: The female X Factor judges opted for very different ensembles for the Birmingham round of auditions
She said last week: 'It’s overwhelming. Honestly, it is. It feels natural, it feels like I should be here. I’ve missed you guys.
'It’s not just about the voice. You can have the best voice in the world and the oldest saying is "they’ve got the perfect face for radio". You’ve got to have the personality, the likeability.
'My thing is: "what makes you different from every other guy? We’ve seen 50 of you today so what makes you different from the other 50?" The actual answer that you usually get is "this means everything to me".'
Doting: Nicole posed for a photograph with a young fan as she left her hotel for the day
Working the crowd: The starlet met her fans and even posed with a photograph of fellow judge Gary Barlow at one point
And Gary admitted he was looking forward to seeing the outspoken wife of rocker Ozzy Osbourne back in action.
He said: 'It’s very interesting this time because there’s two artists and two managers. That is a great panel right there because managers see different things than artists see.
'I always think when I’m looking at someone I’m comparing them to what I am and what I do, managers don’t. They have a bigger overview. I’m very interested to see all of the experience Sharon has.'
Happy go lucky: Louis Walsh seemed to be in great spirits as he prepared for another round of auditions
Dapper dude: Gary Barlow looked handsome in a smart blue short-sleeved shirt
Lucky lady! Gary posed for photographs with a mob of delighted female fans
