Women put a lot of emotion into a new hairstyle. OK I may be generalizing, but I put a lot in my new hairstyles. I expect them to make me “feel” different, either to aesthetically reflect who I am and how I’m feeling or to somehow magically make me feel different. I admit this is a lot of pressure to put on hair and my hairstylist, but, as a Ginger, I’ve been defined by my hair since I was a kid. It seems only natural to me now that it should reflect who I am.
Most women will get drastically different hairstyles at major milestones in their lives, break-ups, new jobs, just married, pregnancy. (Again I’m generalizing, but I don’t think I’m far off.) I just don’t know if they do it for the same reason I do. Sometimes I just need to FEEL different.
I had long straight strawberry-blonde hair until I hit 22 when I announced to my boyfriend that I was going to the hairdresser. His response, “don’t cut your hair or dye it, I forbid it.” I was shocked. It was the first time anyone aside from my parents had forbidden me to do anything. (Ask my mum how that turned out.) I came back from the salon with a short “Rachel-from-friends” style and much blonder hair. I felt rebellious and smug, he hated it but I didn’t care. (Incidentally over the next three-plus-years he tried to forbid a number of things I had no intention of doing until he “suggested” I not do them; you can’t take the Ginger out of the girl folks.)
When we broke up I went back to long-straight-strawberry-blonde, (spite is a magical thing). At 31 and in love, my boyfriend told me I would look amazing with a short-Bob. I laughed it off, but I was in love with an amazing guy and quitting my job to start freelancing, I was empowered and I needed new hair to define it. So one night when he met me at a wedding reception he was surprised to find a slighting-drunk-high-on-life-Bob-sporting me. I looked fantastic and more importantly I FELT fantastic! My hair grew back long and straight as soon as that relationship went to shit and I had to find a new job because a freelance client “couldn’t” pay me.
Recently my hairdresser convinced me to go dark red and get bangs. I looked different, but I didn’t feel different. Every time I looked in the mirror I didn’t recognize myself. For the first time, my hair changed but I didn’t. For the first time it was just hair. Maybe it was just the wrong style? Maybe I need something more drastic than bangs to make me feel different? So now, my hair not quite back to strawberry-blonde, has gone back to the short Bob.
As sassy as my new hair looks, I don’t feel sassy, I don’t feel different at all. I’m not sure why I expected to, or even why I wanted to. Is it possible that it’s just a haircut after all, and all of the change before was happening inside? Is it possible that a simple haircut can’t change your life?
Well whatever the reason at least my hair looks and feels fantastic. I guess the rest is up to me.
Yeah new blog! I’ve had the same hairstyle since well….. I was born. Long, thick and wavy. Although sometimes I attempt to get it stick straight which lasts for about 5 minutes. My hair color changes often though, at one point I dyed it super dark and when I look back at the pictures I realize it didn’t suit me at ALL and it was what I was going through at the time. Now I sport a color one shade darker then my natural brown with a red hue, and it makes me feel the most “me”. Feisty redheads unite?
Thanks Julia! I’ve written two more in my head since I ran into you on Friday. Just need to get them down on “paper”. I always find it fun to re-invent myself through clothes and new hair, I just need to figure out what I am trying to change in order to re-invent myself, turns out the secret is not in the haircut alone. I think these feisty readheads should unite over some Gin-based cocktails soon. Read your latest post this morning, jealous of your adventures and the way you’ve been able to capture them perfectly! Nice work!
Hope to see you soon!
*she
I learned a long time ago that no matter where you go…there you are. That in my life also applies to what I weigh, what colour my hair is and what threads I happen to don on a given day. A fresh hair cut and a new pair of awesome fitting jeans does make you feel great in in the interim…but my changes always come from a lot of contemplation…and always from inside.
You are always beautiful, inside and out. Can’t wait to see the new do. Xx
Very true WC very true. And thanks so much!
I’m sure you look great, Red…no matter what your hairstyle and how you’re feeling. We’ve never met, but I’m picturing a really hot Joanie Holloway right now. =)
^sorry if that sounded creepy….didn’t mean it that way. =)
Ha! No not at all. Just haven’t had a chance to respond to the last two comments yet! It’s pretty flattering actually. P.S. I was just in Banana Republic drooling over the new “Mad Men” line. It’s good to hear from you! Hope you had a great summer!
-she
My summer was pretty meh to be honest (I’m not so positive myself these days), thanks for asking. The high point, and low point, was a short summer romance that didn’t end as well as I would have liked…ugh. Anyways, enough about me…from your blogs, it seemed like you had a busy one, huh? And why no entertaining posts about classes or dates recently?
NAH, I have been thinking about you for a while! I am so sorry I haven’t responded until now. Busy summer? Yes, even busier fall unfortunately (or fortunately?). Anyhow I am back to a somewhat normal schedule this semester so am looking forward to posting more often. Sorry to here about the summer romance, I hope your fall flings were more successful
Classes were maddening, it is so difficult to work with people in a different generation. But I have taken a break and am working online this semester, solo study is definitely the best. I do have to update things a bit there was an exciting European adventure, and some success in the dating department. I have to get permission to blog about that though so stay tuned. I’ll be posting a response tonight to the Vancouver Magazine article “Do Vancouver Men Suck”, I’d love to hear what you have to say about that. Hope to talk to you soon and more often. Have a great afternoon! – She