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    1. Beauty
    2. Hair

    Blonde or Brunette: The Great Celebrity Hair Color Debate

    They look so different—but which is better?!

    By Lauren Valenti
    Published 28 February 2015 In Features

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    Hair, Nose, Lip, Eye, Hairstyle, Chin, Eyebrow, Eyelash, Bangs, Style,
    (Image credit: Getty)
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    Despite the fact that we literally spend all day everyday looking at celebrity pictures, it's always kind of mind-blowing when we see side-by-sides of a former brunette who's now blonde, or vice versa. It's just such a drastic change. As something we debate internally on a near daily basis, we thought we'd take it to you: Which shade works best? We're placing our votes here.

    Amber Heard
    (Image credit: Archives)

    Amber Heard

    Blame it on our Old Hollywood nostalgia, but we love her as a Marilyn Monroe blonde.

    Dakota Johnson
    (Image credit: Archives)

    Dakota Johnson

    We vote brunette! Anastasia Steele for life!

    Jennifer Lawrence
    (Image credit: Archives)

    Jennifer Lawrence

    Sorry, we want her locks to shine as bright as her personality, so blonde it is.

    Dakota Fanning
    (Image credit: Archives)

    Dakota Fanning

    We love an au naturale blonde as much as the next editor, but brunette just suits her.

    Emily Blunt
    (Image credit: Archives)

    Emily Blunt

    She'll always be a brunette English rose in our hearts.

    Mary-Kate Olsen
    (Image credit: Archives)

    Mary-Kate Olsen

    We want our beloved Olsens to stay blonde forever.

    Anne Hathaway
    (Image credit: Archives)

    Anne Hathaway

    We love when Annie goes rogue, but when push comes to shove, we're all about how her brunette locks play off her alabaster skin.

    Carrie Mulligan
    (Image credit: Archives)

    Carrie Mulligan

    There's something delightfully mysterious about the darker hue on her, no?

    Kim Kardashian
    (Image credit: Archives)

    Kim Kardashian

    Blonde was fun for a while, but come on. There's no debate.

    Emma Roberts
    (Image credit: Archives)

    Emma Roberts

    Maybe it's just us, but the blonde seems to add a pretty lightness to her persona.

    Camilla Belle
    (Image credit: Archives)

    Camilla Belle

    Brunette 100%. Okay, maybe 95%, because she's just so beautiful either way.

    Cameron Diaz
    (Image credit: Archives)

    Cameron Diaz

    Remember that time Cameron Diaz went dark? Oh, Cameron.

    Scarlett Johansson
    (Image credit: Archives)

    Scarlett Johansson

    Brunette definitely looks good on her, but the blonde is just so classic.

    Miley Cyrus
    (Image credit: Archives)

    Miley Cyrus

    Ah, the marked departure from Hannah Montana to Miley the Pop Star. Blonde did the trick—and we like it.

    Cara Delevingne
    (Image credit: Archives)

    Cara Delevingne

    Girl can pull of anything with that bone structure/eyebrow situation, but we're Team Blonde.

    Rachel McAdams
    (Image credit: Archives)

    Rachel McAdams

    Will someone tie-break, please?

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    The ultimate daily digest for women of power, purpose, and style.

    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
    Lauren Valenti
    Social Links Navigation
    Beauty Editor

    Lauren Valenti is Vogue’s former senior beauty editor. Her work has also appeared on ELLE.com, MarieClaire.com, and in In Style. She graduated with a liberal arts degree from Eugene Lang College, The New School for Liberal Arts, with a concentration on Culture and Media Studies and a minor in Journalism.

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