Brown and Beautiful....

My recent trip to Italy only reminded me once more that I have always wanted luscious dark brown shiny long locks of hair. My hair is a middling sort of brown...currently highlighted, it has been a little both darker and fairer, it usually goes a little lighter in the sun and now it has a hint or two of a "more mature" colour.

I have always yearned for glossy black/brown hair like Catherine Zeta Jones or Penelope Cruz.....shiny, sultry, sexy....hair that would bounce around as I wandered nonchalantly around the streets of Rome or down Fifth Avenue.....hair that would cause men to walk into lamp-posts and women to ask me who my hair-stylist was....yes, I have given this some thought.

I started to think of the actresses that I find beautiful and they were almost all brunette....and, interestingly, mostly European.

Here then, are a dozen of my favourites.....gorgeous, smart, strong women with not an implant or an ounce of fakery between them. I am sure there are some I have missed....who would be on your list?

The gorgeous Penelope Cruz....

If you haven't seen her in "Volver" or "Vicky, Cristina, Barcelona", you must....

I could have done a whole post on her really!

Sexy and beautiful Sophia Loren....

Such gorgeous features....look at those eyes....I love this photo....

I called my husband earlier to ask him to name his favourite Italian actress....I thought he'd say he would have a think and call me back....without missing a beat, he said "Claudia Cardinale"....I can see why though, she's stunning....

This one's for you too honey ;)

The beautiful (and Welsh - hurrah!) Catherine Zeta Jones - always looks gorgeous and seems to pick just the right outfit - this is her winning her Oscar in 2002 at nine months pregnant, I can still remember how radiant she looked...

Yes, that's my hair!

The stunning Audrey Tautou....my husband's favourite "French" actress.....who knew he was so good at this ;)

Salma Hayek.....always gorgeous....

Juliette Binoche....stylish, feminine and just so French...

Charlotte Casiraghi, daughter of Princess Caroline of Monaco (and grand-daughter of Grace Kelly), this beautiful girl just oozes style and class....

Isabella Rossellini, daughter of Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rossellini....what a combination....

Elizabeth Taylor....those violet eyes and that beautiful black hair....strong, stunning and passionate....who can forget her relationships with Richard Burton....

The producers of "Gone with the Wind" searched high and low for their Scarlett O'Hara...the minute they saw Vivien Leigh, they knew they had found her....she was perfect....I can still remember the first shot you see of her in the film....

Natalie Wood was mesmerising in "West Side Story"....so moving and absolutely gorgeous....