Mention of Marilyn Monroe has sparked a minor avalanche of ideas. (I remember her dying but was never a fan.) Monroe starred with Jane Russell (1921-2011) in the film ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’ (1953). This film is, apparently, a musical comedy. I have not seen it; it’s not my sort of thing. (In fact, since starting to write this post, it has been shown on television. I watched for about a minute before I gave up. It was certainly not my sort of thing.)
But the title of the film does beg the question, ‘If so, then why?’ It is not enough to dismiss the title as outdated or misogynous. Indeed, it transpires that the film was based on a comic novel of the same name by Anita Loos, published in 1925. This was followed up, in 1927, by But Gentlemen Marry Brunettes, which was also made into a film called, simply, Gentlemen Marry Brunettes—which was also made into a film. (Maybe I’ll give them a read.)
Furthermore, there are other questions that are being begged:
Do ALL gentlemen prefer blondes?
Do women prefer to be blonde or brunette?
When choosing to colour one’s hair, do more brunettes prefer to become blonde than vice versa?
Here, one must take into account whether it is easier to darken light hair or lighten dark hair, and what is implied should the preference be in favour of the more difficult of the two.
There may—or may not—be data out there to answer these questions. Perhaps companies selling hair dyes know. But I am not setting out to come to any conclusion on the matter. I am wanting to just ask questions—as is my wont.
In the past, I have come across the idea that those with naturally blonde hair—and a fairer overall complexion—are those who are less able to disguise certain underlying health conditions such as tuberculosis or other respiratory ailments. Poor respiratory physiology often presents as a bluish paleness. Unable to disguise such ailments, blondes are ‘preferred’ to those with darker hair or complexions whose respiratory ailments do not show up so obviously.
Lips, in particular, may take on a bluish tinge. This can now be disguised with lipstick—oddly coloured varieties notwithstanding. This answers the naive-sounding—but nevertheless begged—question, ‘Why redden already red lips?’ Most lipsticks are on the general theme of red.
Addendum
Having begun to write this post, I’ve now come across a hair colour called ‘bronde’! Obviously, a portmanteau of brown and blonde. At first, I didn’t believe that it really was a word, but it can be found in dictionaries. One internet description says that it is 'a blended hair colour that fuses blonde and brown tones, creating a dimensional, natural-looking shade that is neither fully blonde nor fully brown’ (before becoming even more effusive).
(Apparently, the word was first used about 15 years ago, and—as if I didn’t know already—I am decidedly behind the times.)
