Dark Red Rabbit: New Hair

I used to be a compulsive hair-dyer. There is just no feeling quite like impulsively picking out a new shade, waiting as it sets in then coming out of the bathroom or beauty salon looking (and feeling) like a different person. While this past obsession might not have been healthy, consciously deciding to change ones looks can be an exciting and creative move. The art of fashion is therapeutic– and hair and make-up are part of fashion.

Yet changing your locks goes much deeper than wearing a pink tu-tu skirt for the day, it is more permanent and it is a change of your face–the first thing anyone notices about you. In the past changing my hair color might have been about wanting to change other things in my life, and I now sort of associate new hair color with change. Before, it was like if i wanted to change something in my life I might begin by changing my hair–and it did usually give me a jumping-off point. Now, it seems when I grow and my life changes I find myself wanting to show this on the outside with a change of self-scenery.

Dying my hair dark did this instantly, but I am also slowly changing my outside appearance (as I slowly grow inside) by growing out my hair. Unlike cutting long hair short, which is a fast and dramatic change, growing your hair takes time. You slowly begin to notice a difference, you can compare month to month progress, measurably knowing how far you’ve grown in 6 months. For me, this becomes an outside mirroring of my inner self work…and I find it comforting.

The only legitimate problem I see with beauty & make-up is the fear that by using make-up or hair dye we are covering where we don’t feel secure. That using beauty products may be reinforcing bad feelings about one’s natural face, hair, etc. Before this dye-job my natural hair had been growing out for months, which I enjoyed. I also often do not wear make-up and like myself au natural. While exploring looks with fashion & beauty can be a positive (evolution also plays a part–which I can explain more in the comments–make-up is our plumage) I think it can only be a positive if we also can experiment with not dying hair or not wearing make-up. My next step in this is to experiment in growing out my arm pit hair–so look out!

How does dying your hair make you feel? What does this physical change do for you emotionally?

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This entry was written by Rabbit White, posted on 2009-11-10 at 12:21, filed under Weekly and tagged Lifestyle. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post. Post a comment or leave a trackback: Trackback URL.

8 Comments

emily

Posted 2009-11-10 at 13:14 | Permalink

Dying my hair makes me feel powerful and sexy. It is my ultimate pick-me-up. I have stuck with the same color for quite a few years now, but it still makes me just as happy every time I touch it up.

My natural color does not really bother me–in fact, two summers ago I had a mohawk. Letting my hair grow out meant being my natural color again for many months. I had no problem with that, but I do get restless without doing something to my hair every once in awhile, whether it be a new hair cut, dye job, styling technique, etc.

I am also growing out my hair at the moment. This is probably the longest it has ever been in my life right now. I am impatient, but curious, to see how I will like have actual “long” hair. I’ve done every other style under the sun, practically. I am considering dread locks eventually though, if I continue to keep my hair longer.

: )
emily´s last blog ..Welcome to my new visitors & a “thank you” to WordPress.
Laws

Posted 2009-11-10 at 13:34 | Permalink

Having my hair cut short– cropped short, high and tight, a military fade (no skinning a brothers hair!), by the right person (Dolinger, my friend) is goodness.

It gives me a boost in my confidence, my step is lighter, my shoulders are back, gut is sucked in. I’m proud and beautiful! Even if I look like an uneducated hick.

When my hair is shaggier/longer, you can really see my reseeding hair. Plus, my hair doesn’t sit “right”, in my humblest of opinions. So getting it cut is a great way to give myself a boost!

Of course, as a personal preference, I take issue with makeup on women! I love the ‘au naturale’ of a ladies face. I like to see the original color, the forms of her cheek, unhindered by blush, where once there was acne, across her brow, the wrinkles that form, her nose which shows a special sigh to her form.

A light amount of makeup is acceptable, in my mind/opinion.
Pretty Robotic

Posted 2009-11-10 at 14:31 | Permalink

Rabbit, you are a stunna’! I love the new hair and the haircut! I think dying your hair says so much about where you are in your life. I just got a new drivers license, so I compared the new one to the last previous two. First, blonde. Second, deep red. Third, definite brunette. All different, all similar at the same time. Different colors of hair for me, make me feel different like I’m creating new roles for myself with new identities. However, most people identify me with certain hair color. It seems that everyone has their own idea of what role your hair set/should set for you. Connecting you to certain periods of time, instead of who you are now (and indeed, moving on with life.) I think you look lovely, as usual! & I’m enjoying being a deep brunette, even though my hair isn’t naturally this dark! XO
Rabbit White

Posted 2009-11-10 at 14:44 | Permalink

Emily, I’m loving the evolution of your hair! a mohawk with natural color sounds especially nice. I’m right there with you on the impatience of growing hair out tho!

Laws, I love the “feeling” you talk about that comes from having a particular hair style. Interesting that you prefer women with little to no make-up. A lot of men say this & I wonder if it is a reaction to the extreme make-up fashion has ushered in over the years. Evolutionary speaking, women are the “prettiest” at ovulation, when nature wants us pregnant: smoother skin tone, larger eyes. Make-up is woman’s way of cheating nature, of getting that ovulation look all the time. It makes sense than that men would prefer this subtle change to black lipstick and false lashes. But me? If I’m wearing make-up it will probably be more of the latter!

PR: You bring up an interesting point. People who know us well and have a grasp on our faces often form opinions of what our hair is supposed to look like–family is notorious for this (and notoriously annoying.) Personally, I love seeing people I’ve known in the past change their look, it always makes me feel happy for them, and intrigued by them. Seeing someone on Facebook that I haven’t seen in 5 years looking exactly the same is not very exciting.
Leigh @ Constant Cravings

Posted 2009-11-10 at 16:33 | Permalink

Last year I decided to stop dying my hair and that was empowering. My first gray hairs sprouted around 13 and I dyed my hair almost religiously each month for over a decade. I’ve been red, light brown and dark brown but rarely was happy with my new color. After a consulatation with my new stylist upon moving back to nyc, we decided to let the color grow out and rock the gray. I didn’t realize how much gray hair I’d have now, but I’ve grown to love it. Some think it ages me, but I thing it makes me look quite distinguished. Oh, and the purple shampoo for old ladies that makes my gray hair look like silver streaks is absolutely amazing! I’ve always felt grandma chic at heart, so the gray hair suits my interior and exterior visions of myself.
Leigh @ Constant Cravings´s last blog ..Modern Vintage Wedding Inspiration
Rabbit White

Posted 2009-11-11 at 07:51 | Permalink

Leigh, I love love love that! My natural color has is very ash and has a grayish twinge. My hair fantasy is to grow out my natural and put silvery streaks in…I love the idea of having long hyper feminine hair and arm pit hair.
Alana

Posted 2009-11-15 at 21:33 | Permalink

I always, ALWAYS chop or dye my hair when I’m ready for a change or feel stuck in a rut. It’s impulsive, but I never regret it and it reminds to examine what I’m frustrated with in my life and that I’m in control.

My hair has been every color of the rainbow at this point, though these days I mostly stick with black with some crazy color under my bangs. It’s never really had anything to do with disliking my natural color, I love my natural color, the cut and color have always had a lot to do with the persona I want to embody at a given point in my life. Right now my hair is a slightly longer than chin length heavy china doll bob and when I straighten out my natural waves I become super sexy power bitch or I can leave it soft and wavy and be relaxed, vulnerable me. I feel the same way about make up, most days I go without but some days I just want that different persona, that something that certain make up looks give me allowing me to act out of my comfort zone.

Say what you want about beauty standards and models, but fashion, in and of itself, is a great way for women to express who they are or create the person they want to be.
Alana´s last blog ..And it’s just bad news, bad news, bad news
Gregory Dennis

Posted 2010-04-22 at 16:24 | Permalink

I had my hair “moderate” long as a youth, meaning, a little above the collar. I enlisted in the US Marines after high school, and was bald for a brief time, but after boot camp, you’re allowed to have your own hair style, so long as it conforms to the regulation, that being 0-3 inches and tapered.

I left the Corps after my enlistment and grew my hair back out, this time down to my collar. In between that time, I got married, and my then-wife liked the high and tight cut, so I chopped it back to regulations, and then went back to the Marines.

The wife left, and I ended another enlistment in the Marines to return to civilian life and my own company, but the haircut stayed. I prefer a high and tight, but settle for a high fade. If I’m low on money, I bought a set of hair clippers a while back, and will shave my head ala Stone Cold Steve Austin. However, most of the time, I go to my favourite barber, a man I have been going to since I was a kid. He’s the only civilian I will ever let touch my hair. The fact that he’s old school and still shaves your sideburns with a straight blade helps. I’m not sure what I would do if he ever retired (he’s had his own shop for years, and most of his clientele are likely his age, and he’s roughly 70).

After so many years of wearing my hair basically bald or Marine style, I freely admit to not liking the feeling of growing out my hair, and want to go to my favourite barber to cut me and shave the nape of my neck with his straight blade again. As I still tend to be a walking Marine Corps billboard even as a civilian, I like the feeling of a fresh haircut the same as I did when I was in the Corps. I like upholding the image that is associated with being a Marine, even if I am no longer in service.

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