Leggy Brunette

Tropes and genres
Related tropes/genres	Angst, pining, UST
See also	The X-Files
Related articles on Fanlore.

The leggy brunette is a common trope that can be found in X-Files Fanfiction that depicts Fox Mulder seemingly preferred physical attributes in a potential partner for a relationship:

• tall
• brunette
• long legs
• big bosom

In a nut shell, everything physically Dana Scully is not. It can often be found in stories where Scully is insecure about her relationship with Mulder in terms whether he finds her physically attractive and/or somebody he would consider to have a sexual relationship with.

"My gut twisted as I thought of the growing need for a man in my life

and the equally depressing knowledge that no one was ever going to measure up to my handsome partner. And he didn't want me. He wanted the tall, leggy brunettes. So where did that leave me? It left me burning with jealousy over the Phoebes, Dianas and Bambis of the world that seemed to drift into his life with alarming regularity.

And they could touch him ... and I couldn't."

from Foreplay with Results by Donnilee, archived on Gossamer

History

The trope is based on canon: all women Mulder had romantic interest in fit that type: Diana Fowley, Kristen Kilar, Dr. Bambi Berenbaum and Detective Angela White. White was a blonde but a jealous Scully assumed that the blond was not naturally.

"(...)As far as looks go, I'm glad 1013 didn't cast someone too

glamourous ... and that MR is consistent with the leggy-yet-brainy brunette type Mulder seems to have preferred in his pre- or missing-Scully days (ie. Phoebe, Kristen, and even Bambi ... Detective White being either a Syzygy-induced aberration, or a brunette with a dye job."

Aaaak, it is Mimi Rogers!! in alt.tv.x-files on 5/1/98]

One of the first use of the trope was in the fan fiction Kissing Santa (2/2) by Alicia Donovan posted in alt.tv.x-files.creative on 12/1/96.

Fan Fiction

Liminal currently lists 107 stories for the combination of the search terms leggy brunette.