Hollywood star Anne Hathaway has criticised Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan for recently panty-less pictures in the press, insisting they are sending out the wrong message to young fans.

The actress, 24, admits she panicked when she got a new haircut for her role as Andy in The Devil Wears Prada because director David Frankel told her she would influence young girls to get similar hairstyles.

But Hathaway is glad she is still considered a good role model to young fans - unlike troubled stars Spears and Lohan who like to go commando.

She says, "While we were shooting, the director said, 'You're going to start a hair trend.' And I got so excited, I've never started any kind of trend before. But then I felt awful because mothers are probably not going to be happy with their daughters getting expensive haircuts. I felt guilty!

"But I guess it's not the worst trend to start. At least my character was wearing underwear!"