Sydney Sweeney’s hairstylist defends star’s ‘MAGA bob’ makeover following ‘wig’ jibe
Sydney Sweeney has defended her hairstyle (XNY/Star Max/GC Images)
Sydney Sweeney’s hairstylist has appeared to hit back at criticism of the star’s new look, which internet commenters said has “Stepford wife” energy and makes her look like she was “dressed by Fox News”.
Sweeney, who recently starred as lesbian boxer Christy Martin in Christy, made an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Monday (1 December) in which she sported a straight, shoulder-length blonde bob with a centre-parting.
People were quick to take to the internet to share their thoughts on the 28-year-old actress’s new hairstyle, with many likening it to the same coiffed style often worn by women in the conservative movement, with folks saying her hair is from “the MAGA look book”. Another joked the makeover made it look like she is “running on the Republican ticket in 2028” and is not dissimilar to Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka.
Many more said, in various ways, that her hair is a “stiff wig”.
American Eagle backlash
The jokes about her appearance came in the wake of intense backlash over her 2025 ad for clothing brand American Eagle, which ran with the tagline “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans”.
“Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair colour, personality and even eye colour. My jeans are blue,” Sweeney says in the 23 July ad, titled “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans”.
The slogan was seen by some as promoting white supremacy and eugenic ideology, with “jeans” being viewed as a double entendre for “genes”.
Despite the criticism, Sweeney refused to address her critics but was subsequently defended by the White House and Republican president Donald Trump. It also came to light she has been registered with the Republican Party since 2024 – further adding fuel to the theory that the ad was promoting a right-wing, white-centrist narrative.
Criticising Sweeney’s Tonight Show look as embodying this, fashion critic Blakely Thornton called out hairstyle as “the stiffest wig” and making her look “like Effie Trinket’s lost niece”.
“I don’t want to keep talking about this white girl, but I’m very aware that at this point, her and her team of what I assume are white, Republican, self-hating gays are committed to the bit,” Thornton stated in an Instagram reel.
“They’re doing this s**t on purpose. Why else would you go on a late-night talk show looking like Effie Trinket’s lost niece? The stiffest wig this side of the Mississippi unless you want to get read for filth.”
Following this, Thornton shared another Instagram reel which appeared to show a comment exchange which Sweeney’s hairstylist Glen “Coco” Oropeza, which Thornton caption: “It’s 11pm and I’m feeling petty.”
Oropeza allegedly commented: “Wasn’t a wig but you can’t get my girl’s name out of your mouth.” Adding: “You’re obsessed.”
“Stiff where? You’re doing a lot…,” another comment allegedly reads. “Take a breath, diva. You can keep trying to spin a narrative, but we all know you just need click bait cuz your content is TIRED. If you need attention, just say that. Imagine caring this much about a hairstyle you didn’t create and a woman who doesn’t know you exist. Goodnight.”
In response, in the comment exchange, Thornton in reply: “I hope you get paid overtime for being a sycophant after 9pm PST. If so I can sign your timesheet. And you’re right, Black people are tired … very much so … good luck on the rest of the press tour.”
