Wait, Did Taylor Swift Go Brunette? An Investigation Into Her Hair Color Evolution (2024)

Two decades in the entertainment industry generally comes with some major aesthetic overhauls, particularly in the realm of pop stars. But in Taylor Swift’s world—which, at this point, we’re all living in—blonde hair is a non-negotiable.

Since she stepped onto the scene in the mid-’00s, Swift’s beauty look has centered on an unending spectrum of blonde, with lengths typically worn free and loose—the better to accommodate the ample hair tosses and shake-outs featured throughout her performances.

Though magazine covers, music videos, and more have found the pop star temporarily trading light for trompe-l'œil dark, the switch-up has never inspired a real-life shift. (Even the moody grunge that accompanied herReputationera wasn’t enough to separate Swift from her natural hair hue.) Still, from golden to ash to platinum to ‘old money,’ Swift’s blonde (a color she comes by naturally) is as chameleonic as it is reliable.

Here, a look at Taylor Swift’s hair color evolution—and if we haven’t made this clear, it’s all about the blonde.

Taylor Swift’s Blonde Hair Evolution

Swift kicked off her career in 2006 with a head full of ringlets colored a light, slightly buttery gold characteristic of the era. Subsequent years saw her blonde cooling significantly, a natural-looking root giving way to golden blonde ends.

A near-platinum take (and bangs!) came next, followed by an extended period of ashen baby blonde (Swifties, see “Safe & Sound”) that eventually warmed to a color that comes closest to her current iteration.

After chopping her hair to swing above her shoulders in 2014, Swift’s blonde brightened, swinging from radiant honey to nearly strawberry to full-on platinum, debuted along with an equally subversive shag cut—and then back to baby blonde. The pandemic period ofFolkloreandEvermoresaw Swift redefining glamour as an at-home air-dry and seemingly untouched bronde. And finally, recent years have found Swift looking over her shoulder (Eras, and all), and tending toward a natural-leaning blended blonde that many are calling “old money” or a lesson in less-is-more luxury.

All About “Old Money” Blonde

Swift has helped to propel the collective’s recent lean toward ‘old money’ blonde, a soft and sophisticated shade that melds tone temperature. The color is in keeping with the “quiet luxury” trend that dominated 2023, driven by all things effortlessly luxe meets classic minimalism, elevated.

The definition of old money blonde depends largely on who you ask (or where you scroll). For some, the color comes down to an ilk of bright and beribboned highlights so intricate that they announce the cost and time required for their maintenance. Another camp, though, considers the hue a warm-meets-cool bronde sophisticated in its simplicity, and one that many come by naturally—à la the sort of shade currently favored by Swift. A commonality in the takes is that the blonde oozes elegance and ease, qualities that, in Swift’s words, never go out of style.

Wait—Has Taylor Gone Brunette?

Swift’s stint in Sydney, Australia came with paparazzi photos that sent TikTok into a tizzy, social users worldwide wondering, “Has Taylor gone brunette?!” The short answer is no, probably not. TikTokersmay be investigatingSwift’s turn from old money blonde to easy brunette, but the perceived depth of the shade is likely due to a combination of air-dried texture (a mussed finish generally leaves less room for next-level luster) and a general lack of lighting rather than an actual dye job.

TLDR: While she may play around with texture, length, and general vibe, Swift is unfailingly, loyally blonde—and at this point, that should come as no surprise.