It’s Zendaya’s world, we’re all just living in it.
Published on March 8, 2025 @ 08:28AM
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2024 was the year of Blonde-daya, and we were so here for it. During the Challengers press tour, Zendaya traded her signature rich brunette curls for a sun-kissed honey blonde that always seemed to catch the light just right. Working with her acclaimed stylist Law Roach and hairstylists Ursula Stephen and Antoinette Hill she consistently delivered unique and coordinated looks from head to tennis-ball-tipped toes.
"Choosing a hair look for Zendaya is always a collaborative decision,” says Hill, who has worked with Zendaya since 2021. “Her wardrobe stylist Law, Z, and myself come up with hairstyles that will complement the overall look.”
From bouncy bouffants to high-slung ponytails, Zendaya transformed her blonde lengths into an array of classic styles. Each look was the epitome of country club chic, marrying the intensity of a pro athlete with a coquettish flair in preppy hues—exemplifying the “tennis-core” trend that exploded in popularity last summer (no doubt thanks to Challengers and its success).
While the options are endless, we’ve narrowed down our ten favorite moments from Zendaya’s blonde era.
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“For the pre-Met Gala dinner, we wanted to do something soft and effortless,” says Hill. “The technique that I used was a round brush blowout to add lots of volume to Zendaya’s signature bob haircut. After I formed the curls with the brush, I then pinned each section allowing the curls to cool. This technique provides a long lasting curl effect.”
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This fierce long braid is pulled to the crown of her head to accentuate the line of her cheekbones. An oversized white bow completes the look, adding a sweet and soft touch.
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This fluffy blow-out has a bit of frizz that adds lived-in texture and vibrance to a look that could otherwise read quite stuffy.
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At the Challengers Paris premiere, Zendaya’s hair speaks for itself. Her blonde curls are impossibly smooth while an exaggerated side part frames her face like a sweetheart neckline.
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Zendaya’s look is pure prep last summer in Paris, her tennis ball-green dress and understated gold hoops matching her sophisticated updo, featuring a heavy side-bang to frame her face and a white headband to tie it all together.
“The inspiration called for long wavy textured extensions,” Hill says of this on-set BTS shot from Zendaya’s campaign with On. “We wanted length and lots of flowing texture. We partnered with Covet & Mane which provided the perfect color blend and wave pattern that mimicked Zendaya’s highlighted color and natural texture effortlessly. Once I added the extensions, I then softened the look with long layers for added movement.”
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This look would have gone triple platinum on Tumblr. At the LA premiere of Challengers, Zendaya’s almost two-piece polo dress is perfectly accented by a set of blown-out, bouncy curls and topped with a dainty pink bow.
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Zendaya swaps out her usual silhouette for a blunt bang for a London appearance. The bangs brush against her eyebrows while the rest of her hair is gathered into a twisted pony that adds a little edge to her look.
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Zendaya arrived to last year’s Met Gala adorned in regal jewel tones. The hair itself is pared back, her blonde curls are pulled into a soft updo to shift focus to her headpiece, featuring a soft veil for her to peek out from.
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2024 wasn't the first time Zendaya incorporated blonde into her look. “For the 2021 CFDA Awards, we decided to go with boxed braids that flowed down to Zendaya’s hips, which I was very excited to create,” says Hill of this show-stopping look. “We wanted to step outside of her norm and add a bit of fun and culture to complement her custom Vera Wang two-piece silhouette. I strategically and evenly parted out 11 boxes to form a bricklayer effect. I incorporated bulk braiding hair (which is loose strands of hair with no weft, adhesive tip, or tape) to each braid to add density and length. Lastly, I braided honey blonde color tones to the ends of each braid.”