As the leading lady in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes," Marilyn Monroe became one of the most famous blondes in movie history. Few stars have a signature look that's quite as iconic as Monroe's — from her makeup to her fashion sense to, of course, her blonde bob. Interestingly, though, the star went through a stunning transformation to become the Marilyn Monroe everyone recognizes. While it may be hard to believe, before she found her signature look, Monroe wasn't a natural blonde bombshell. What might be even harder to believe? She may have looked better as a brunette.
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Before the Marilyn Monroe persona and the look that came along with it were born, she was known as Norma Jean Mortenson, a brunette from Los Angeles with a difficult childhood. Dreams of stardom led Monroe to Blue Book Model Agency, where she was reportedly encouraged to give her hair a total makeover, removing her widow's peak and, of course, bleaching it blonde. From there, Monroe's blonde locks went on to become some of the most famous blonde locks ever. Yet looking at photos of her before the change shows that she looked striking with her natural brown waves, too. It's easy to see why some may have thought that the light brunette shade Monroe had wouldn't make her stand out in a crowd quite the way her blonde hair ultimately did, but it gave her a softer, warmer look.
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