Going brunette, red or otherwise is a known stage in any actress's life. From indie mumblecore darling Greta Gerwig to smoldering sex-pot January Jones, everybody pulls the 'ol one-two—even Reese and Gwyneth, the women who live-the-blond better than anyone.
Who do they inevitably dip into the dye box? Hard to say . . . but we do have a few theories. Humans are hard-wired to crave a certain level of uncertainty, a steady stream of variety. (It's the spice of life and all that jazz.) One could argue that actresses don different 'dos in an attempt to keep our gears turning. It's Gwyneth, but different.
Conversely, we're also creatures of familiar ground and can often resent, fear, or outright reject change. We like what we like and don't want to gamble on what we perceive is guaranteed pleasure. Screw door number two we think—door number one is already open and I like what I see!
Anyway, this week's sacrifice-du-jour is one Elle Fanning who has gone brunette in the wake of shooting her two latest films, Low Down and Young Ones, in which she has a sex scene. The horror!
What could be blonder than Dakota and Elle's angelic sisterhood? That's right—nothing. Blond has been systematically incorporated into every one of their roles, contributing to their ethereal feeling of innocence and charm. A dark-haired Fanning is an oxymoron, a lapse in reality. And yet—it happened this week, leaving everyone speechless.
Our guess is Fanning is gunning to grow up and be taken more seriously—and going dark, in Hollywood and otherwise—achieves this psychological tomfoolery. Seriously! Several studies have shown that brunettes are perceived as better career women and wives, and are attributed with the warmth and sophistication of a great lover. Maturity and wisdom are also societal associations with brunettes, particularly with men; in fact when polled, 63% of males said they would prefer to have an "in-depth" conversation with a dark-haired beauty.
Interestingly enough, Elle kept her blond locks in both films, but is now showcasing a darker side, literally and metaphysically. Sadly, it's not a good look. And hello, blondes have more fun remember?
