Hair apparent
Thinking of experimenting this autumn? This is why you definitely should…
Late last year, I bleached my black, box-dyed hair peroxide blonde (I was clearly going through something, okay?!) and laughed politely as many people asked the ever-so-unexpected question, ‘Are you having more fun?’ Nudge, wink. I mean, what more can you say to an elderly great-uncle, twice removed? (Who also knows nothing about beauty or style, may I add.) The answer is – not much.
But the sad thing is, it’s not just my great-uncle who’s bought into hair stereotypes that warrant a hefty eye roll. Just look at this year’s winter Love Island. Ellie was instantly branded the ‘token blonde’ bombshell, with Lana worried about Ron turning his head largely because of her hair colour. As a 24-year old deep into the highs and lows of dating app culture, I’m also acutely aware of my hair colour’s impact on my love life. Which is… fun. Ahem. Sure, I can choose to swipe left on anyone who proudly announces their narrow-minded preference for a hair type, but I’ve had first-hand experience of landing on a date with a guy who started suspiciously asking me whether I was a ‘natural’ blonde.
Having to make a swift exit when it becomes clear your date cares more about your hair than your conversation is one thing, but it’s a stereotype that can even follow us into the workplace. Eileen Carey, a Silicon Valley CEO, is a prime example of this. In 2017, Carey told the BBC that the investors she was pitching to at work said they would feel more comfortable dealing with a brunette. ‘I was told for this raise [of funds] that it would be to my benefit to dye my hair brown because there was a stronger pattern recognition of brunette women CEOs,’ she explained. So where is this nonsense actually coming from?
A colourful history
Hair historian Rachael Gibson has spent years delving into the history of specific colour stereotypes and it’s kinda wild. Take blonde hair for example; only about 2% of the world’s population is naturally blonde, so, because it’s rare, it’s always been a desired colour. ‘In Ancient Rome, where hair was mostly naturally dark, blonde hair was often worn by sex workers, as it meant they’d stand out from everyone else. It’s even suggested that sex workers were required by law to either bleach their hair blonde or wear a blonde wig,’ she explains. And while the ‘dumb blonde’ stereotype doesn’t have an exact origin, Gibson says, ‘The first person to be on the receiving end of the term was the 18th-century French courtesan Rosalie Duthé, who was renowned for being beautiful but not particularly talkative. Hence the nickname.’
Your focus should be on how the hue makes you feel
Bru
