What I've noticed in the process is that that all of my hairdressers over the years have tended to push me lighter and lighter. Every time I request low lights, they want to add a few highlights to "brighten" me up a bit. Therefore it's been a back and forth battle between light and dark with the person holding the bowl of dye winning each and every time.
A blond friend has termed to tendency for hairdressers to push blonds lighter and lighter until we're all the same shade of platinum, "Blonderexia."
Anyway, I realized it would take a great force of will to turn this head from light to dark. I've been to almost half a dozen hairdressers in the past year while on this quest, without success. A few weeks ago I tried to forcefully request the change to brunette and what I got was darker roots and a toner washed through my blond hair. I walked out of the salon ... a blond yet again.
SIGH.
SIGH.
Finally I asked a friend who had made the dramatic shift from blond to dark brunette for the name of her hairdresser. And I'll be damned if I didn't get the best cut, color and blowout of my life this past weekend.
So here you go, kids. Here's the new me! I'm ready to take a walk on the dark side as a mysterious raven-haired ingenue. I'll be curious to see if I notice any difference in how I'm treated or if I get any less attention at the gas station. I definitely feel more bad ass with the dark hair. More dangerous. Kind of like a secret agent. I just have to resist the urge to shoot a pretend handgun at my co-workers.
 |
| Une femme dangereuse. |
It looks great on you and a change is fun! I think I was taken more seriously as a brunette, even by people that I've known for years.
ReplyDeleteI've heard this and I'm very curious to see if it proves to be true for me too.
DeleteI love it so, so much (even though I just posted about dying my own hair and the horrors that usually ensue.) When I got it done professionally, I did everything from platinum blonde and highlights (early '20s) to do dark it was a deep purple "Orchid." Now I'm boring and cheap, but you look fabulous, my friend.
ReplyDeleteVery Cleopatra ;)
Oooh. Halloween costume done!
DeleteSo, is this like going behind enemy lines? Are you gathering intelligence for a future post?
ReplyDeleteYes.
DeleteI've a friend who's a natural sunny blonde. She decided she didn't like the roles for which she was being typecast (she's an actor) so opted to go full-on redhead. Now she's considered edgy and funny (she was always that - but no casting agent knew this). Weird how people are, isn't it? As a male, I've noticed a difference in treatment when wearing a suit versus jeans and a t-shirt. The respect quotient heads north when you're wearing a tie. It'll be interesting to read about the changes in attitude that you encounter as a (totally badass) brunette.
ReplyDeleteI'll take field notes and report back to you.
DeleteIt looks so great. You look like a secret agent for sure. Double-oh-rawr. I've always wanted to try going dark, but I'm too much of a chicken. I haven't even had the balls to mix up my cut for the last 10 years.
ReplyDeleteI get worried that I'm stuck in a rut and so I hurl myself out of it. As you can see.
Delete;-D
This just suits you. It does.
ReplyDeleteWhy thank you.
DeleteMandy I love it! It looks wonderful.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Keith
Thank you, sir.
DeleteIt's super cute!! I've been every color of the rainbow and one thing I enjoy about being a brunette is getting to wear more makeup. Heavy eyeliner FTW!
ReplyDeleteAlready done!
DeleteIve been white blond, red and dark brown. I really like myself dark brown in the winter. The only problem I run into, is that I have to change my make-up with my hair color. Oh darn.
ReplyDeleteYou look hot, sister!
Thanks! It's been fun playing with color!
DeleteWhoa! Are you related to Morisha Addams?
ReplyDeleteWhy do I feel like a helpless victim of the brunette.
I loved Mortisha. That lady had style!
DeleteI have to ask: is grad school rearin' its ugly head here? A desire to be taken more seriously vs. the dumb blonde stereotype?
ReplyDeleteP.S. My g/f never gets the cut she wants, either. She almost always has something imposed on her. WTF?
Maybe hairdressers are control freaks. I don't know!
DeleteI think when you have the right facial features, the right bone structure, which you do, then you're going to look beautiful no matter what color your hair is. You look great.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I think it helps to have a stylist who knows how to match the correct tones to your skin tones.
DeleteI like it. It really makes your facial features stand out and in a good way. Either way, blond or brunette, you got it going on. Rock that look girl! You own it
ReplyDeleteThanks! The first thing my husband said was, "I can see your freckles!"
DeleteLOL.
I decided years ago that dark hair is not flattering to me, or to a lot of other people I know. So I scrolled down expecting not to love your new color. In fact, it looks great on you. A little less zen, perhaps, and a little more dramatic. All kinds of possibilities for change!
ReplyDeleteI think with the right stylist and the right tone, you can get away with more than you think!
DeleteI'm very dark myself, but each decade I usually go blonde for a few months. I'm too lazy to ever maintain it, but it's fun and mixes things up when I need a change. And it's the best when you feel happy about the change afterwards. Have fun! You look marvelous dahhhling (though I'm guessing you'd even look marvelous bald).
ReplyDeleteNow let's not crazy here.
DeleteI don't think you changed hair color. You had your evil twin pose with you . I know its going to be a best seller.
ReplyDeleteyou look like a secret agent...
ReplyDelete