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Why a "Confused" 29-Year-Old Gwen Stefani Had Braces and Dyed Her Hair Pink

The Voice Coach rocked the look in 1999 for a very personal reason. 

By Jackie Manno

Gwen Stefani's signature look has been her platinum blonde hair since the 90s, but there was a period during her No Doubt days where she experimented with something totally different. 

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In a 2019 conversation with VogueThe Voice Coach was reminiscing about her iconic styles throughout the years. While flipping through throwback photos, there was one that specifically caught her attention. While with her band members at an award show, she rocked bright pink hair with bangs, and braces. Read all about why she chose the look, below. 

Gwen Stefani's braces and pink hair look

As a form of empowerment, Stefani decided to reinvent herself when she was going through a period of transition in her life. 

“So, what happened with the pink hair? It’s so true: if you go through a breakup or a really big change in your life, sometimes you go ahead and change your hair to try to, I don’t know, wash whatever feelings those are out of your hair,” she explained. 

RELATED: Little Gwen Stefani Has the Cutest Bangs While Holding Her Baby Brother in a Throwback

“I was really confused at this time. I was 29 years old. I was really confused about my relationship. I didn’t know who I was. I had come off a long long tour. I had gotten famous. I got to buy a house. I got to move out of my parent’s house. So much had happened,” she added.

The "Don't Speak" singer came up with the idea for the look herself. “I didn’t have any budgets. I didn’t have a stylist. It was literally on my own with all guys,” she said. “I wanted my hair like cotton candy light hair. I had this vision of what I wanted and I ended up with fuchsia pink hair for like a year,” she said. 

Gwen Stefani in 1999 with pink hair and braces

Luckily, everything would end up working out for Stefani with her relationships. She's been married to fellow The Voice Coach Blake Shelton since 2021. As for his quirky hairstyles, he has been known to dabble in the mullet 'do

RELATED: Gwen Stefani's Red Lipstick: Everything to Know

Nowadays, Stefani is back rocking her blonde locks. In a 2017 interview with InStyle, she revealed the icon that is her major inspiration behind her classy style. 

"Growing up in Anaheim, so close to Hollywood, I've always been obsessed with their silver-screen looks. I definitely adapted that into my own [style] from a very young age. I'd plaster posters of Marilyn Monroe on my bedroom walls and spend hours trying to replicate her hair and makeup," she told the outlet.