In recent months the media have written extensively about blonde top women who would be more successful in their (business) life, whether they are wife of a CEO or CEO themselves. Blonde women have twice as much opportunity to execute an important job than other women; this is the result of a research by the University of British Columbia.

But is that really true?

I know two powerful top women who are anything but blonde and white. Those are Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama. This last lady is a role model for many other women in the world, bigger than America alone. Without her, president Obama may have not been so successful in the previous years. She is, after all, the silent power influencer behind world's most powerful leader. Michelle would be the moral compass of her husband. Furthermore she belongs to the 25 most inspiring women in the world (source: magazine Essence).

And now the answer to the question why blonde women subsequently are so successful.

Recent research shows that blonde symbolizes:

• youth and power
• young and obedient
• warmer and more attractive
• less assertive and independent behaviour (because that would be too ‘masculine’ | aggressive leadership).

What are the real facts?

According to Jennifer Berdahl and Natalya Alonso, who recently presented their results, it turns out that this 'blonde revolution' is partly explained by prejudices based on origin and age. Blonde hair is typical a hair colour of white people and now let just them occupy the majority of the top positions in the business world and politics.

This also affects the blondes among us: they have twice as much opportunity to execute an important job than other hair colour ladies.

Do dark haired women thus stand any chance of success?

Dark-haired is still seen as more intelligent, more serious and more professional. There is also talk of the phenomenon "the blonde paradox" as researchers call that.

If the hair colour of a blonde turns into brown, then soon she is being witnessed as a bitch.

So in order to have success, the dark-haired ladies should dye their hair blond? This is certainly not necessary. My advice to them is to be authentic above all. With this are a number of tips about staying who you are, despite or perhaps thanks to your hair colour.

• Stay close to yourself then your essence will shine, without saying, through your different layers.
• Be aware who you are and don't be afraid to show this to the world.
• Develop your own elegant style; whether it is about clothing or communication.
• Stand in your own sunshine and not in the shadow of your partner.
• Be a powerful source of inspiration for yourself and your environment.