Verity's brunette waves: two looks to take to the salon

The most useful hair reference in Verity is not a dramatic colour transformation. It is the contrast between two brunettes: Anne Hathaway’s sculpted, side-parted lob and Dakota Johnson’s much longer hair, warmed with golden-red highlights. Together, they show how differently brown hair can read when the shape, finish and placement of colour change.

For The Colour Edit, the salon takeaway is precision rather than reinvention. We rate these looks as references for discussing individual details: the sweep above a cheekbone, the warmth running through a wave, the weight of a fringe. A photograph becomes far more useful when you can explain which of those elements you actually want.

What happened

In director Michael Showalter’s adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel, Hathaway plays successful author Verity Crawford, while Johnson plays Lowen, the writer brought in to continue her books. Their hair creates a visual connection between characters whose circumstances initially seem far apart. Hair department head Robert Lugo explains that the resemblance is intentional.

Hathaway’s look was created using a wig by her personal hairstylist, Fríða Aradóttir, who worked with her throughout the film. Its brown shade matches the actor’s natural colour. That is a notable adaptation choice: the Verity of the novel is blonde, so the shared brunette palette belongs to the screen interpretation.

The cut is a lob, or long bob, worn with a side parting and substantial movement through the lengths. Its reference point is classic Hollywood rather than a flat, sharply ironed finish. In a gala sequence, the waves become bouncier, giving the same recognisable silhouette a more animated feel.

Lowen’s hair offers a different set of details to take to an appointment. It is dark brown, nearly waist-length and accompanied by a substantial fringe. Golden-red highlights introduce warmth, while the glossy finish gives the character visual presence without requiring a conspicuously bright overall shade.

Johnson’s personal hairstylist, Joshua First, worked on her looks. Across the two leads, leave-in conditioning products and smoothing serums were among the tools used to achieve the polished waves. The useful distinction here is between colour and finish: a brown shade alone does not create that smooth surface.

The background

Brown is a starting point, not a complete brief

Brunette covers a wide range of depths and undertones. A dark brown base with golden-red pieces will look different from a uniformly cool brown, even when both are described as dark. Lowen’s colour is therefore a better reference for someone interested in visible warmth than someone seeking an entirely ashy result.

Highlights also need a placement brief. Fine sections distributed through the hair create a different effect from broader, contrasting ribbons. Ask your colourist to point out where they would introduce brightness on your own cut, particularly around the fringe and face, rather than relying on a shade name alone.

Your starting colour affects the route. Previously dyed dark lengths may need lightening before warmer, brighter sections can show clearly; applying a lighter dye over them is not a reliable shortcut. Take your colour history to the consultation, including home dye, so the plan reflects what is already on your hair.

The cut changes how the colour appears

A wave bends a highlighted section towards and away from the light, making its contrast with the darker base easier to notice. Straightening the same hair changes that pattern. If you usually wear your hair straight, ask to see a colour reference in that finish as well as in styled waves.

The two cuts also have different practical demands. Near-waist lengths mean more hair to wash, detangle and dry. A lob removes length, but maintaining a particular outline still involves trims and may require regular styling. Neither photograph tells you how the cut will behave after your ordinary weekday wash.

A thick fringe deserves its own conversation. Its fall depends partly on your natural growth direction, and it can need attention separately from the longer sections. Ask the stylist to assess it before cutting, particularly if you want Johnson’s substantial shape rather than a lighter, more separated fringe.