Why is blond hair, blue eyes considered the standard of beauty for women and men (darker, head)

[Trimac20]

Originally Posted by Pear Martini

I don't know why but every time I go to the movies, the female romantic lead is always a bottle blonde woman. Even when Jessica Alba plays a sexy part, they usually bleach the **** out of her hair.


Most natural blondes I know (not very many) are not the image seen in the media.The most attractive blondes seen in media today, which usually have a tan are natural brunettes. Jenny McCarthy and Scarlett Johanssen are both clearly natural brunettes. All one has to do is google pictures of them and see their roots. Paris Hilton as well.

I have to say I'm disappointed by the lack of representation brunette beauties in modern films.

Yeah i know, I see way too many women with blonde hair and dark eyes, I was just thinking about this while watching a movie yesterday I personally don't really dig the combo. Katherine Heigl or Elisabeth Hasselback just don't look quite right.

[erasure]

Originally Posted by buckeroo48

I have to disagree with that statement. I have lived all over the world and especially in many foreign countries where most people are dark skinned, have dark eyes, dark hair does someone like me stand out..(I have blond hair, blue eyes, and actually dark for a blond man)...and yes, many say I have nice hair and eyes............but, when I asked them out of curiosity....about what do they prefer in the coloring of a mate, girlfriend/boyfriend, wife/husband, etc...they all reply they want the same dark coloring. I am now overseas and do stick out because I am white..but, I have no market on having "movie star" looks or qualities. I am smart, intelligent and to be honest back in the States in Los Angeles I haven't dated a blond/blue eyed woman in so many years...my preference is olive, dark skinned woman, with hazel or brown eyes, brown to black hair......I don't know why but I find them more attractive, sexy, hot !!

I think you'd be a concern for German government circa 1930ies...

[robertpolyglot]

Originally Posted by Trimac20

Those who believe this are probably stuck in the 80s or are not familiar with today's pop cultural celebs. If anything, if you consider the major sex symbols, the men seem to be more blue-eyed and the media seems to have a thing for Hispanic or Latin-looking women at the moment. They're the 'flavour of the month.'

Correct and incorrect.

SoCal still looks toward the blonde/blue chicks with great fondness, particularly in the beach suburbs ... and in strip joints.

SoCal also accommodates the Latin/Middle Eastern look as "hot" to satisfy that same market segment.

[tickyul]

Originally Posted by D217

Pretty sure it was Hitler...

Haha, coming from swarthy little Schicklgruber!!!

[Pear Martini]

Originally Posted by UnexpectedError

I decided to look over some modern films and their leading ladies after reading your post. I tried to stick to ones with clear "sex symbol" sort of female leads, so Hermione Granger didn't make the cut. Here's what I found...

• Transformers- Rosie Huntington-Whitely- blondeish, blue eyes
• Pirates of the Caribbean- Penelope Cruz- brunette, brown eyes
• Fast Five- Jordana Brewster- brunette, brown eyes
• Mission Impossible- Paula Patton- brunette, brown eyes
  Thor- Natalie Portman- brunette, hazel eyes?
• Captain America- Hayley Atwell- brunette, brown eyes
  The Help- Emma Stone- blonde in that movie and naturally but typically bottled brunette/redhead, green eyes
• Green Lantern- Blake Lively- blonde, blue eyes

I just went down the list of top grossing movies of 2011 and took the first woman on the billing, skipping films that didn't seem to have a lead female (like Hangover 2) and movies aimed at teens (like Twilight). It seems like the dark eyed brunettes are in a comfortable lead.

Just to confirm this appearance that brunettes dominate, I flipped through a magazine and three catalogues that were near me. Lucky magazine was about 90% brunette, most of whom were white. The other 10% was blonde, save for one lonely redhead. Delia's catalogue was 100% brunette, maybe 5% were nonwhite, except for a single redhead in an ad. Anthropologie catalogue was 33% blonde...but then again, it only featured 3 models, a blonde, a brunette, and an Asian. Last catalogue is just a mini American Apparel lingerie booklet. 100% brunette, about 30-40% nonwhite.

Of course, this is all just a sampling but I suspect a wider study would support my findings: brunette females dominate in both the film and fashion industries. This perception that blondes are held up as the ideal or superior in any way is bunk, the data just don't support it.

Hmmm...interesting work. Maybe I have just been watching less serious movies and more "goofy bro comedies" for lack of better words.

that and Madagascar 3

[Trimac20]

Originally Posted by robertpolyglot

Correct and incorrect.

SoCal still looks toward the blonde/blue chicks with great fondness, particularly in the beach suburbs ... and in strip joints.

SoCal also accommodates the Latin/Middle Eastern look as "hot" to satisfy that same market segment.

Maybe in SoCal, but I just notice the whole 'Gentlemen prefer blondes' this doesn't apply so much to Hollywood.etc. ALSO, did you watch the last Miss Universe pageant? Even countries like Sweden had brunettes contestants, and even among the Europeans there were only a handful. Overwhelmingly brunettes. The preference is definitely changing, not to say attractive women with blonde hair and blue eyes are out of fashion. I love natural blondes, nothing like 'em, but fake bottle blondes not so much.

[Pear Martini]

Originally Posted by robertpolyglot

Correct and incorrect.

SoCal still looks toward the blonde/blue chicks with great fondness, particularly in the beach suburbs ... and in strip joints.

SoCal also accommodates the Latin/Middle Eastern look as "hot" to satisfy that same market segment.

I have noticed this too in Florida and Massachusetts. There seems to be two different "sexy" looks right now. The bleach blonde and the fiery latina. I have noticed many white woman, at my college definitely a majority of them dye their hair light blonde. At an event they were having at my college for scholarship students and donors I noticed that all of the women who were donors/family of a donor (over 30+, most seemed to be at least 40) had dyed blonde hair. The only brunettes in the entire event were me, one family of a staff member all had brown hair, and an Asian girl who was young enough to be a scholarship student.

It was bizarre.

[Trimac20]

Originally Posted by Pear Martini

I have noticed this too in Florida and Massachusetts. There seems to be two different "sexy" looks right now. The bleach blonde and the fiery latina. I have noticed many white woman, at my college definitely a majority of them dye their hair light blonde. At an event they were having at my college for scholarship students and donors I noticed that all of the women who were donors/family of a donor (over 30+, most seemed to be at least 40) had dyed blonde hair. The only brunettes in the entire event were me, one family of a staff member all had brown hair, and an Asian girl who was young enough to be a scholarship student.

It was bizarre.

Maybe it's among certain circles. I was watching both the women's basketball and the rowing, and noticed that almost all of the white women were blondes! I don't know how many of them are natural blondes, but it seems they are overrepresented in athletics too.

[sickofscreennames]

Originally Posted by Pear Martini

I have noticed this too in Florida and Massachusetts. There seems to be two different "sexy" looks right now. The bleach blonde and the fiery latina. I have noticed many white woman, at my college definitely a majority of them dye their hair light blonde. At an event they were having at my college for scholarship students and donors I noticed that all of the women who were donors/family of a donor (over 30+, most seemed to be at least 40) had dyed blonde hair. The only brunettes in the entire event were me, one family of a staff member all had brown hair, and an Asian girl who was young enough to be a scholarship student.

It was bizarre.

I think older (35+) women dyeing their hair blonde has less to do with trying to fill a 'blonde, blue eyed' beauty standard, and more with trying to conceal signs of ageing. Light hair supposedly makes facial lines less prominent, while dyeing hair a light color makes thinning less noticeable. Roughly 50% of all women develop thinning hair around age 35. (The lucky 50% that don't usually develop thinning hair upon menopause, which is why thick hair in nursing homes is so rare.)

When young women dye their hair blonde, they do so because they think it makes them more beautiful, but when older women do so, it *may* be simply to be more beautiful, but it could just as easily be an attempt to disguise the first signs of ageing.

I agree with the posters who think the notion of a 'blonde/blue eyed' ideal hasn't really existed since the 1980s, if not earlier. Even in the 1980s, blondes didn't seem to me to be a majority of the most glamorous women on TV, in movies, in ads...I'd say the ideal was prominent back in the 1950s/1960s, with the 1970s being the transition years .

[LS Jaun]

Considering many women change the color of they're hair more often then they change the brand of they're make up I consider it a very minor issue. I love it when a woman changes her hair style/color.
An aquantence of mine who I see about once every 3 months shows up at the pub with a different hair style/color every time I see her and I think it's great. She looks like she puts a lot of effort into it and I sincerely compliment her when I see her.