Bring On the Blondes
Who's benefiting from the collapse of the economy besides vulture investors, short sellers and bargain-hunting fashionistas? Blondes! Or, more specifically, blue-eyed blonde models, who are experiencing a renaissance now that designers are casting "wholesome-looking girls with flaxen manes" in their ads in an effort to "reassure" rather than "shock" the consumer.
Need proof? Look no further than the May issue of Vogue, where the first 12 ad campaigns in the mag rely on "platinum-haired, blue-eyed goddesses." And designers like Marc Jacobs are getting in on the act, too, turning to blondes (or women who have recently become blonde) like Raquel Zimmermann and Lily Donaldson to hawk their wares. Hell, even Claudia Schiffer has managed to revive her career back thanks to her golden locks.
Don't think for a second, though, that any of this represents a new trend. Aryan queens have always been on top:
In mythology and fairytales BHBE [blonde hair-blue eyed] characteristics are ascribed to heroines, while their enemies are dark and ugly. Blonde hair also has magic powers: strong enough to use as a rope ladder in Rapunzel and as a powerful aphrodisiac in Pelléas and Mélisande.
In other words, it's a wonder that Hilary Rhoda ever had a modeling career to speak of in the first place.
