Every Single Hairdo Mellie Has Worn on Scandal
On the Scandal: Revealed podcast a few weeks ago, Bellamy Young talked about how she gets in character to play Mellie. “Put on that wig!” she said. “I put on that hair — and it’s not exactly comfortable — and I’m ready to be in a bad mood and yell at people,” she said, laughing. If Olivia Pope’s calling card is her flawless fashion, Mellie’s might be her impeccable and occasionally outrageous hair. Let’s take a look at every single hairdo Mellie has worn on Scandal, from very voluminous wigs to unbelievably, comically voluminous wigs. The bigger the hair, the closer to God.
Our first Mellie sighting! From day one, the woman has loved volume.
Again, so much volume at the crown of her head. She must have a tremendous teasing comb.
Because how else could anyone achieve hair this big?
Bellamy Young is wearing a wig in all these photos. But the character of Mellie? We're supposed to think this is her natural hair.
Tight updo, drop earrings, and pearls: The Mellie Grant trifecta.
See?
Well, two out of three.
George Washington in the front, curly bun in the back.
This one is called the Lucy Van Pelt.
And this is called the mid-nineties local newscaster.
This is a borderline beehive.
This is Mellie's "relaxed" vibe. She's that tightly wound, that focused on projecting an image of perfection that her most easygoing style i...
This is Mellie's "relaxed" vibe. She's that tightly wound, that focused on projecting an image of perfection that her most easygoing style is still something that requires at least two different sizes of round brushes.
Sometimes, the volume is out of control. This is veering toward country-singer hair.
Same scalloped-edge jacket from "The Trail," but different jewelry and slightly different half-up, half-down hair.
You can find this exact chignon in every bridal magazine published in the last 80 years. Timeless!
It's like your mother always said: Pearls go with everything.
SO MUCH HAIR.
Maybe Mellie can release how-to guide to back-combing.
Oooh, flushed.
Not sure if it's an intentional homage or what, but this is a Scarlett O'Hara hairdo, 100 percent.
Bellamy Young makes some fantastic angry faces.
From the cheekbones up, this is a nineties alt-grunge mushroom cut.
Another low bun (now with side twists) that would be totally at home on a Pinterest board labeled "wedding hair."
What percent of her life does she spend staring at Cyrus thinking, "Oh, crap"? Like, 40 percent?
She also spends a not insignificant amount of time seething.
Pearl overload.
Fitz has no eyebrows, and Mellie looks like she's wearing an Elvis wig. God bless America.
This is a better look at the updo first spotted in "Defiance." In all the ways Olivia is sleek and minimalist, Mellie is practically rococo ...
This is a better look at the updo first spotted in "Defiance." In all the ways Olivia is sleek and minimalist, Mellie is practically rococo in her personal style. So much of everything.
Same Jackie Kennedy–esque jacket from "Beltway Unbuckled."
Mellie would probably describe her coifs as "timeless" or "classic." But the truth is that they're often just old-fashioned.
That out-of-sync feeling sort of sums up Mellie's life: Nothing happens at the right time.
Mostly, the wigs on Scandal are pretty good. But every so often, it looks like Mellie has Lego-person hair.
One of these days, Mellie is going to start storing things in her hair, a la Marge Simpson.
Many of the stories on Scandal are about loyalty: the Gladiators would do anything for Olivia, and even though he's kind of evil, Cyrus is evil for Fi...
Many of the stories on Scandal are about loyalty: the Gladiators would do anything for Olivia, and even though he's kind of evil, Cyrus is evil for Fitz. But who's on Mellie's side? Who's devoted to her? (Other than us?)
Flashback hair: Still voluminous.
She has pearls in a variety of sizes and colors.
Woah! The flattest and sleekest her hair has ever been!
This is how Mellie's hair looks when she's wearing pajamas.
Can't this woman have one damn day where no one lets her down?
Oh, this elegant just-so French twist? Isn't that what everyone wears to the obstetrician?
All day, every day, someone is crossing her, betraying to her, lying to her, marginalizing her — and yet she is still a badass.
The image of absolute perfection. Sadly, it's just an image. These people are deeply damaged. Even the baby, probably.
Post-Teddy, Mellie's hair has a slight red sheen to it.
Her pajama hair, her OB/GYN hair — even her shower hair is on point.
Still a little on the red side.
If your hair looks like it's actually a newsboy cap, it might be time to change stylists.
Conan O'Brien does not have this much poufiness upfront! Tone it down, friend.
These are Fitz and Mellie's go-to expressions.
"I want to look like Jaclyn Smith on Charlie's Angles." "You got it, ma'am."
Mellie and Cyrus should have a spinoff together.
Step aside, Skyler White. Mellie Grant can out-glare you every day of the year and twice on election days.
A fleeting moment of joy! Treasure it!
Nope, it didn't last.
This is not Mellie's best wig. The front part is brushed back awkwardly, and the bottom is a little too bouncy.
Step up your game.
Hard to tell what's sadder here: Mellie, or her weirdly pinned-back side part.
At least her eyebrows have never looked better?
Mellie! Stop! Abort!
Red alert! This is like Barbie's-brunette-sidekick hair.
Again with the one side pinned back. Not good.
Better, but still sort of blah.
Okay, now we're getting somewhere.
If that front section swoops any more, Mellie's going to sporting straight-up victory rolls, à la Sally Jupiter. (Please do this.)
Mellie doesn't have the go-to color scheme like Olivia does, but FLOTUS looks pretty darn good in green.
How do you decide what to wear to the bunker where you're going to hash things out with your husband and his mistress?
Mellie's faux-perkiness is so intense she could host a morning news show.
No one has this hairdo in civilian life. Maybe a politician or two here and there has this, but not any regular people.
Okay, the volume is starting to come back.
Bam! Drunk Mellie, A-plus hair, heavenly smirk — a thousand times yes.
Don't think for a second that she couldn't shatter that teacup just by squeezing.
With this hair color, Mellie looks an awful lot like 2008–era Addison Montgomery.
Mellie and Cyrus, part 9,000. It's amazing those two haven't killed each other yet.
Mellie gave up everything for Fitz, and the only thing she asked him to give up was his mistress.
The color is better, but that's still a lot of volume. Her hair is as wide as her face.
"I want an updo that makes me look like Rizzo in Grease."
"But formal?"
"Yes, formal. Formal Rizzo from Grease."
(...
"I want an updo that makes me look like Rizzo in Grease."
"But formal?"
"Yes, formal. Formal Rizzo from Grease."
(Bellamy Young appears to have worn this dress in real life, too.)
So flouncy.
She even has a pearl RING.
Try to think of another contemporary woman who wears her hair this way. You cannot.
Mellie's flashback bob is her absolute best hair. It's like early-era Jo on Melrose Place hair, and it is perfect.
Whereas this is approaching Peg Bundy territory.
But this is better! A little more laid-back.
Updo, drop earrings, and pearls! Everybody drink.
So at this point in the episode, we now know that Mellie's father-in-law has raped her, and that she is pregnant — and it could be Fitz's baby, or it ...
So at this point in the episode, we now know that Mellie's father-in-law has raped her, and that she is pregnant — and it could be Fitz's baby, or it could be his rapist father's. That's a heavy, heavy burden. And yet this bob remains so exquisite.
Wear your hair like this every day, Mellie! This is the winner. (Except for the bob, which is the true winner.)
No boring barettes or pedestrian hair elastics for this woman. Perfectly curling-ironed curls and elaborate pinning only, please.
Go ahead, try to cross Mellie Grant. You will live to regret it.