Symbolism, Imagery, Allegory
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
Mia in uncomfortable in her own skin. Or maybe in this case we should say that she's uncomfortable in her own hair. Her parents and little brother have blonde hair, but Mia is a brunette. This is genetically improbabl, and it makes Mia feel like a square in a family of circles, or whatever shape represents fun. A rhombus, perhaps?
But when Mia dons a blonde wig for Halloween, it's "the first time I actually looked like any of my immediate family" (9.60). The wig allows her to pretend to be someone else: someone who fits in, even though brunette Mia is hardly an outcast. As a blonde, Mia cuts loose, has a wonderful time, and thinks Adam will like her more (because her blonde family is so gosh-darn cool, after all)—but he tells her she's cool just the way she is, even if her hair is a boring brown.
However, the wig becomes a synthetic spirit animal to Mia. She says that whenever she doubts Adam's feelings for her, she thinks about the wig, and it helps her with her insecurity. Why does pretending to be someone else help Mia be more secure in herself?