Blonde Moment

Tracee Ellis Ross Looks Like an Entirely Different Person in Retro Blonde Curls

And no, it’s not for Halloween.
By Marci Robin

Photo: Getty Images

It should come as no surprise that Vogue World: Hollywood brings out some of the most inspirational celebrity style of the year. Sunday’s event saw stars like Cynthia Erivo, Demi Lovato, Dakota Johnson, Hilary Duff, Hailey Bieber, Nicole Kidman, and Miley Cyrus creating memorable fashion and beauty moments. But they all had one key thing in common: They looked completely recognizable. Meanwhile, Tracee Ellis Ross showed up with a new look so distinctly different from her usual hairstyles that we did a quadruple take.

Ross arrived on the scene in an oversized, off-the-shoulder Marc Jacobs trench coat, dramatically fringed black shoes, and what seemed like piles of gems draped around her neck and dangling from her ears. But as theatrical as all of those elements may seem, the boldest part of her look was most definitely her short, blonde curls.

Ross is known for her fabulous, dark hair—on which she frequently shows off the effects of her brand, Pattern’s products—and while she regularly switches up the style and texture, this new color is a major departure.

Tracee Ellis Ross wearing an oversized trench coat and a short curly blonde hairstyle
Photo: Getty Images

Hairstylist Marcia Hamilton is responsible for the short, voluminous, loose spirals in a near-platinum shade of blonde. “New hue, same icon. Serving blonde magic,” Hamilton wrote on Instagram. Both Hamilton and Ross herself chose Madonna songs for their Instagram carousels—”Who’s That Girl?” and “Justify My Love,” respectively—and the look was definitely inspired by Madonna back when Madonna was inspired by Marilyn Monroe.

Instagram content

As star-studded and fashion-forward as the event was, Ross’s retro hairstyle instantly catapulted her to the top of the best beauty looks of the night. And we can only hope this signals Ross’s willingness to experiment with even more unexpected hair colors in the future.

More celebrity hair inspo:

  • Kim Kardashian Put a Structural Spin on the Classic Chignon
  • Jennifer Lopez Is a Y2K Vision in Chunky, High-Contrast Highlights
  • Kristen Stewart Just Made Her Most Drastic Hair Color Change in a Year

Now, watch Reneé Rapp prep for an evening out:

Follow Allure on Instagramand TikTok, or subscribe to our newsletterto stay up to date on all things beauty.