Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Hair and Now

Deb: The very instant I look in the mirror and decide it’s time for a hair change, it is all I can do not to run right that second to my hairdresser, the lovely Laura. From the moment I know, I can no longer stand to look at the old hair! CANNOT BEAR IT! Then when it’s done, I come out of the salon feeling wonderful, and I want instant gratification. “Hey nice cut”; “Wow, love your colour”; “This look is killer, where did you get it done???”  I know this sounds narcissistic.  Don’t care. I have made my peace with that.  

But this last time I changed my hair, something curious happened. Only the odd person noticed. And I went very short! Even my parents didn’t notice. Brother and sister-in-law––not a word. Neighbours––nope. Then a friend said “Wow I love your hair!” THANK YOU!  YES!  THIS IS WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT!!!
I explained to her that she was the first person to notice. She told me that the same thing has happened to her since she turned fifty. “Why?” I said, tears welling up under my new canopy of funky bangs with chunky blonde highlights. “Because, well, we’re older and people have seen all the versions of your hair. What seems like a huge change to you isn’t noticeable.”        


... Wow. Must I resort to a mohawk?! 

Or is it enough that every time I flick my bangs and give my husband a needy look he quickly says “LOVE YOUR HAIR, IT’S SASSY!”  So if you see me on the street and you want to give my husband a break, PLEASE mention my hair....

Barbara: I’ve experienced a kind of a different sitch. After being blonde for virtually all of my many(many) years, I went brunette for a role and decided to keep it for awhile. Play the other team for a change…. And people don’t recognize me. Even if I'm aggressively smiling at and greeting them. They get that glazed-over look and plastered-on smile that makes me think of how some people look at delusional street-people.


So I’ve learned to approach friends I haven’t seen in awhile by smiling, greeting, and then pointing at myself and saying “It’s Barbara. Brown-haired Barbara.” That seems to work.

But I guess you can say that they noticed I changed my hair!

PS My husband still feels compelled to point out that my “blonde roots are showing” … and he's not talking about my hair!

16 comments:

  1. Barbara, it's amazing how going brunette seems to even have changed the look of your features. I can understand that people didn't recognize you! And Deb, from the pictures above, I think the new 'do is very noticeable and looks great. Please, no mohawks!

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  2. I agree with Joanne. Each of your new styles looks awesome. Although I think I'm in favor of Deb's original color, I'm always pro-short cut. Now you just have to watch for how quickly it will grow back. Mine goes all Old English Sheepdog just a week after I get it trimmed. When I first got my hair cut short, I had to wait until after high school, because I didn't want a million comments from every other Captain Obvious on campus. "Wow, your hair is short." "Hey, you got a hair cut." "Short hair omg omg omg!!!!!" etc. Just dying my hair was a hassle back then, lol. And I know exactly how difficult those blond roots can be, Barbara. When I'm of an age that people stop noticing my hair, I think I'll finally shave it off. Too much maintenance.

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  3. Joanne -- personally, I would looooove to see Deb in a Mohawk!!

    Adrienne -- I edited the end of my blurb to say that my husband doesn't mean my hair when he calls me "blonde" *sigh*.

    And, oh, that those roots were still blonde *double sigh*.

    Also, you must send us pics of your shaved head -- even if it's in the very very distant future!

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  4. Deb, I think the reason no one notices the new cut n' style is because it looks So Damn Perfect they are dazzled!
    Barbara, my husband says to me, in my absent-minded moments, one of two things: "I was blond as a child but I grew out of it" or "Are they friendly spirits, Bullwinkle?"
    I have always thought that Marilyn Monroe wasn't remarkable-looking as a brunette, but as a blond she was transformed into a rare beauty. Must have something to do with the reflection of light on one's face.

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  5. Deb, I LOVE your hair! Are those new glasses too? And it looks like you've gotten more fit even since the last time I saw you, and you were quite fit then.

    Barbara, I love you brunette. If that is the right answer I mean.

    Meanwhile, for about five years now, but especially lately, and ever since I tried one on in a Little Ricky's in NYC, I've been craving a hot pink, straight as a pin bob wig. What on EARTH does this say about me? Probably that I could use some Botox.

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  6. Funny Gae. I've actually been wanting a purple streak in my hair. I think that probably says mid life crisis like nothing else.

    My hair has changed so much over the years, bobbed, feathered, long, short, straight, curly, black, brown, streaked, it's probably having an identity crises.

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  7. I love both new do's--it's funny what a change can do for attitude, but the people around us don't always get it. I alternate reddish and blondish depending on the season (I have the uncolor, naturally) and nobody flinches, no matter how bright.

    I'd love an outrageous color, but I am way to pasty to pull it off.

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  8. I've never experimented too much with my hair. My older daughter takes the cake on that. But I think the pink bob wig sounds divine. To My Kateness's point: maybe the pink light would be transformational!

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  9. Joanne I promise I will only resort to a mohawk if I have no other choice. Adrienne, all I can say is bless your heart for thinking you even know my original colour-long gone my friend. But I knew what you meant. Actually, it is the exact same auburn colour with just a few chunky highlights. My Kateness, the reference to Bullwinkle made my day! I am a huge cartoon buff. Love the Rocky and Bullwinkle. "Wanna see me pull a rabbit out of my hat? Oooppps, wrong hat!" Gae thanks for the kudos and I am begging you to get that hot pink wig! Megan I am there with you as far as hair change goes. Our family albums read like a Hairdressers Magazine feature. But change is good right? Fun. After all, it's only hair. What do they say? "The difference between a bad haircut and a good one is two weeks?"

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  10. Sorry, folks. We are having issues with our comments. Have tried pop-ups and that hasn't helped -- and even erased some comments. Thankfully they were emailed to us. So here's a comment from awesome blogger Watery Tart, from Barbara. and from Deb:

    Watery Tart: I love both new do's--it's funny what a change can do for attitude, but the people around us don't always get it. I alternate reddish and blondish depending on the season (I have the uncolor, naturally) and nobody flinches, no matter how bright.

    I'd love an outrageous color, but I am way to pasty to pull it off.

    Barbara: I've never experimented too much with my hair. My older daughter takes the cake on that. But I think the pink bob wig sounds divine. To My Kateness's point: maybe the pink light would be transformational!

    Deb: Joanne, I promise I will only resort to a mohawk if I have no other choice. Adrienne, all I can say is, bless your heart for thinking you even know my original colour--long gone my friend. But I knew what you meant. Actually, it is the exact same auburn colour with just a few chunky highlights. My Kateness, the reference to Bullwinkle made my day! I am a huge cartoon buff. Love the Rocky and Bullwinkle. "Wanna see me pull a rabbit out of my hat? Oooppps, wrong hat!" Gae, thanks for the kudos and I am begging you to get that hot pink wig! Megan, I am there with you as far as hair change goes. Our family albums read like a Hairdressers Magazine feature. But change is good, right? Fun. After all, it's only hair. What do they say? "The difference between a bad haircut and a good one is two weeks?"

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  11. Got this Facebook note from my cousin, Nives: Reminds me of a fascinating film called "La Moustache" where a man begins doubting his own existence when he shaves off his mustache after years of having one and NO ONE notices and no one even remembers him ever having had one... http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0428856/

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  12. I think you both look fabulous and are strikingly gorgeous ladies.

    My DH didn't notice when I lopped 6" off my hair. I want to go dark but he keeps whining about this and asking me to please not. I wonder if he'd actually notice...

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  13. Thanks, Rosina! As far as dark goes, I say go for it. It's only hair. And it's so easily changeable.

    But send us pics!

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  14. Rosina, try the Mohawk! I promise you he'll notice!

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  15. Hmmmmm.... drawing inspiration of y'all. I've never dyed so much as a single strand of my hair. (Born a toehead blonde, aged into a dark blonde with natural summer highlights. Long, straight, thick hair. Usually wear it in a bun at the base of my skull or a high ponytail. And, I am the queen of craftily decorated hair barrettes.)

    As a part of my rapidly developing early, post-divorce, midlife crisis, I've been toying with doing something kind of radical with my hair -- as in face framing streaks of green and/or purple or something equally inappropriately youthful (because I never got this stuff out of my system when I was young, never had the urge then *frowns*). As my friend Sarah (who is 12 years older than me, dyes her very long, graying hair a lovely reddish brown, and is still adding to her tattoo collection as of last Mother's Day) says, "It's only hair. It's the safest form of rebellion." I am lusting after jars of Manic Panic.

    Y'all're definitely feeding the flames of my hair experimentation fire.... Hmmmmmm..... *rereads comments again* Yup, y'all're my kind of chics. :) *hugs*

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  16. Rigel! You've been having a party in here while we were away! Thanks for all the wise and wonderful words!

    btw, your own hair sounds gorgeous, so I find it hard to want to push you to change it. But I will corroborate your friend's mantra: it is also the quickest form of therapy!

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