Barbiecore might be the fashion trend du jour amongst brands in the know—and those particularly excited to see Margot Robbie’s life in plastic next year—but when it comes to hair styles, more and more celebs are forgoing the doll’s iconic platinum dye-job in favor of subtler shades. Supermodel Bella Hadid is the latest to debut a new neutral blonde ’do, though she was eager to test-run a more marketing-friendly name than “dirty blonde.” Alas, Hadid would like to welcome you to the era of “Aspen blonde.”
What exactly is “Aspen blonde”? Hadid’s colorist, Jenna Perry, told Vogue she lifted Hadid’s previously deep brown tresses to pale blonde, then mixed in additional color to create the beige-meets-gold hue she’s calling “Baby Bella” or “Aspen Blonde.” Why “Aspen?” That’s where Hadid debuted the look, attending her sister Gigi’s Guest in Residence pop-up shop in the ritzy Colorado vacation spot earlier this week. ’Tis an appropriate name for a style that’s meant to look “virgin and natural,” as Perry put it, but runs up quite a bill to perfect.
Hadid isnt’t the first style icon to debut a similar color this season; earlier this month, Kim Kardashian darkened her infamous platinum waves in favor of an ashy honey-blonde that might not scream “natural” as much as it does “expensive.” Aspen would certainly approve.
Don’t go dyeing with abandon unless you’ve got the Hadid budget to match—or you’re committed to sticking with an Aspen Blonde look through the next trend cycle. Hadid might be loving life as a blonde for now, but she’s a notorious shapeshifter when it comes to color; in 2016, the elder of the Hadid sisters claimed in 2016 that darker looks sit best with her spirit. “I just have a darker personality,” she told Allure. “And my sister being blonde and me being brunette, it’s a good separation. I put a blonde wig on and think it would be fun to go back, but I’m happy with my hair. Blondes are so angelic. My sister can get away with anything.”
Associate Editor
Lauren Puckett-Pope is an associate editor at ELLE, where she covers film, TV, books and fashion.
