The White Lotus star Aubrey Plaza has long been a brunette and has become closely associated with her rich dark hair hue. So, when she debuted a new creamy blonde colour on the red carpet this weekend, the actress looked almost unrecognisable.

Plaza revealed the hair transformation at the Academy's 13th annual Governors Awards in Los Angeles, where she oozed Hollywood bombshell glamour in a black Mônot halter dress with a deep neckline and exaggerated thigh-high split.

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While her new hair was styled back in a chic chignon, if you take a close look at the colour you’ll notice it’s an all-over bright blonde – which is one of this season’s biggest hair trends.

Leading colourists Nicola Clarke and Zoe Irwin, of John Frieda Salons in London, have coined this look ‘uptown blonde’, which they say is the antidote to saturated bleached blonde, as well as beachy balayage – two blondes that have dominated trends over the last decade. This is richer (and higher maintenance) – hence its ‘uptown’ moniker.

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As you can see via Plaza, this blonde “is like a lightbulb,” Irwin explains. “You walk into a room and get noticed.” Clarke agrees, adding, “you get that glow from it”. Other celebrities embracing the ‘uptown blonde’ include Ariana Grande, who recently swapped it for her trademark brunette.

Meanwhile – as is more commonplace at this time of year – others are going darker with their hairstyle. Most recently Sydney Sweeney made the switch to brown from blonde. According to Sweeney's Instagram stories, she's "back to my natural colour" which reads as a warm mid-brunette.

If you’re keen on a seasonal hair colour transformation, we recommend consulting with a professional colourist who can advise on the best shades and tones for your colourings, cut and lifestyle.

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