(PCM) I never thought the day would come when I would dedicate an entire article to the subject of hair. But, if someone spends every day brushing it, every weekend styling it, and every month cutting it, then hair is actually so much more important than we think and worth some serious consideration. I have decided to depict my own “hairology,” which basically reflects on what it means when I color my hair and how it changes my mood.
For myself, I have been about every shade of blonde or brown throughout my adolescent life. My own E.L. James novel would be called Fifty Shades of Blonde. I went from being a copper-orange tone when I discovered Sun-in during my awkward middle school years. I bleached my hair with that product until I was a Christina Aguilera tone of white. Then, I turned to the dark side dying my hair completely chocolate brown. DARK CHOCOLATE that is! The story continues with a back and forth mix between blonde and brunette, and everything in between.
What have box dye and split ends taught me? That with each tone I take on a slightly different persona. When I am blonde, I am more carefree; I feel young and spontaneous. My demeanor when I meet people is overly engaging and bubbly, the quintessential “blonde” if you must.
As a brunette, I am more serious. And, I am taken more seriously too. I am more relaxed and subdued when greeting others, and I don’t have to worry about any “dumb blonde” jokes surfacing. It is apparent that I have learned that “blondes do have more fun” as Frenchy from Grease would say. But, I do appreciate the way my brunette side helps me feel more focused.
I know what you are thinking: it is a shade of a color – not a personality pill. But, isn’t it the same with clothing. When you put on sexy Christian Louboutins and a tight mini-dress, don’t you feel like a Femme Fatale rock star, a purring cat on the prowl, stalking her next victim in a sea of drooling men? Or, when you put on your sweats with an over-sized Mickey Mouse t-shirt, you get to completely veg out. Suddenly, taboo foods are totally up for grabs, and no calorie-packed meal is too much. Switch over to a business suit, and all of a sudden you feel extremely professional. You want to log into Microsoft Outlook and start answering those work e-mails.
The subtle touches are what affect our mood. While a wardrobe is something that changes several times a day, your hair color is with you, for at least, a few months. It might be too that in a few months’ time, you can adapt from the hair color that defines you.
As fall approaches, I sink back into my darker roots. I am beginning a new adventure in my life taking graduate courses, so I also want to change my appearance; and in doing that, change my attitude. My blonde-ness was fun for the summer. The beach blonde highlights helped me better catch the sun in photos, and went well with a tan. But, as my future pastures reveal a more serious path, I feel my brunette change helps me to redefine my mentality. It is a feng shui of my life through hair. Besides, as a 20-something, I better enjoy this whimsical time of color swings because one day I might have to use that box of Clairol to hide the gray.
So the next time you make a drastic hair color change, take note on how it affects your mood, and whether that lightening or darkening of roots came with a season change, or life change. If you take a second to see how blonde, brunette, or red tones affect your mood, you can figure out your own HAIROLOGY.
