Paulina Gretzky's Swap From Blond To Dark Brown Is Still Her Boldest Hair Transformation

By Meg Hemphill
Paulina Gretzky watches her husband play golf from the side of the green Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Paulina Gretzky may be recognized for her association to great male athletes — her father is hockey GOAT Wayne Gretzky and her husband is record-holding pro-golfer Dustin Johnson — but over the years she's carved out an impressive social media following that's all her own. In the past, her suggestive pics often featured the model scantily clad with her long blond hair draping down her figure, adding one more element of curve. But in 2023, she joined the ranks of celebs who went from blond to brunette (and stunned both ways) by surprising fans with a bold hair transformation. She went from blond to brown hair seamlessly, ditching her natural shade for a rich chocolate hue, as seen at the Par Three Contest in Augusta, Georgia, in April 2024.

Warren Little & Romain Maurice/Getty

Since the transformation, she's had both positive and negative feedback from followers. After she attended an event in Palm Beach in September 2024, one Instagrammer wrote, "You look so beautiful! I can't help but love you as a blonde though!" But when she initially went darker in early '23, there was an outpouring of praise. "Going to the dark side," one fan commented next to a series of fire emojis.

Paulina Gretzky had short hair for a New York minute

Paulina Gretzky with a lob haircut in New York paulinagretzky / Instagram

Another group Paulina Gretzky can officially join? Celebs who went from long locks to bobs. Not long after her 2023 hair transformation from blond to dark brown, Gretzky chopped her tresses. Gone were the signature long waves, and here was a wavy blunt bob, which became one of 2024's most popular hairstyles, proving that Gretzky was ahead of the curve on this chop.

Once again, her followers praised the fresh look. When she posted a pic of herself in New York City in October '23, comments flooded in praising the new hairstyle. "Beautiful, love your haircut," commented one fan. Despite the outpouring of love for the look, by January 2024 she was wearing long hair again, and has since. But as of April 2026, when she was photographed caddying for Dustin Johnson at a golf tournament, the brunette tone was still going strong.