Final answer:
In Roman society, middle-class women typically colored their hair blonde to adhere to the beauty standards of the time. This trend was reflective of the importance placed on outward appearance, which was considered a reflection of one's inner self.
Step-by-step explanation:
In ancient Rome, the use of hair color among women was indicative of their class in society. Middle-class Roman women typically dyed their hair blonde, which was a trend derived from the beauty standards established during the Greek era and persisted into the Renaissance, further evinced by classic Renaissance art that depicted idealized standards of beauty.
These standards were not only manifest in hair color but also in the makeup Roman women used; cosmetics in Rome could carry negative connotations, often associated with courtesans or adulterous women. Despite this, there was a strong cultural expectation for Roman women to maintain a specific outward appearance, as an unpleasant physical exterior was often thought to reflect an unpleasant interior. Thus, makeup was commonly used by women to adhere to these exacting standards of beauty.