Sydney Sweeney's is giving her signature blonde locks a break and talking a walk on the brunette side.
The "Euphoria" actress, 29, traded her signature blond hair look for a shoulder-length brunette style with bangs during a visit to California's Santa Monica Pier. She shared photos of the outing with friend Jayde Hafner in an Oct. 14 Instagram post.
"When ur bestie shows up and says 'here put this wig on,'" Sweeney wrote in the caption, adding laughing and smiling emojis.
For the day out, Sweeney paired the darker hair with a white Santa Monica T-shirt, denim shorts, sunglasses and white sneakers, as seen in the photos.
The carousel captured more than the temporary makeover. Sweeney and Hafner went on rides, visited the arcade, grabbed food and sat
for a caricature. Sweeney also shared a video of herself attempting the pier's hang-time challenge, holding onto a bar suspended above the ground.
The actress has experimented with darker wigs before. She wore a black bob to the 2024 Met Gala and transformed her appearance to portray boxer Christy Martin in the 2025 movie "Christy."
Sydney Sweeney sports ad controversy sparks criticism
The lighthearted post comes a month after Sweeney's appearance in a sports ad sparked debate.
In September, the actress appeared in a campaign for sports trading app Novig, posing nearly nude with sports equipment covering parts of her body.
The ad drew objections from female athletes who said it sexualized women in sports. Gymnast Gracie Kramer and Olympic swimming champion Ariarne Titmus were among those who criticized the campaign. Sweeney subsequently shared images of athletes posing nude for ESPN's Body Issue on her Instagram story.
The debate followed backlash over her July 2025 American Eagle campaign, which used a play on "jeans" and "genes." Some critics interpreted the messaging as invoking eugenics.
Sweeney later told Peopleshe did not support the views others had associated with the campaign. "I was honestly surprised by the reaction," she told the outlet. "I did it because I love the jeans and love the brand. I don't support the views some people chose to connect to the campaign. Many have assigned motives and labels to me that just aren't true."
Contributing: Anthony Robledo, Melina Khan, Alyssa Goldberg, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Sydney Sweeney swaps her signature blonde hair for a surprising change
