What Your Hair Says About You, Really…

Nov 29

“I’m having a bad hair day.”

We’ve all been there. We’ve all said it, but what does it mean? What does it say about us? For centuries now people have been ridiculed for the price women spend on their hair. Much of this stereotyping has been applied to women but, increasingly—as the Edwards case showed—it can affect men as well.

What is the reason for the high interest in maintaining our tresses?

Research suggests the prime reason is that hair maintenance helps us control how we appear to age. Hair also becomes a part of a person’s identity. It helps define the persona you aim to create to impress others, whether as an intellectual, a sexual being, a rebel, or some combination of the above. Hair can also influence the way you define yourself to yourself, as an extension of your identity. During adolescence, your hair matures to its more or less final form, leaving childhood texture and even color behind. As your adult identity forms, it develops around this image.

This developmental aspect of hair is perhaps the most interesting. Unlike the features of your face and body that bear the stamp of time’s passage, your hair could theoretically remain unaltered for decades with relatively little effort. You can cover up the gray; you don’t need to give hair Botox to help it remain “young.”

Reconstitution of aging thesis

As described by University of Kent sociologist Julia Twigg and Gakashuin University’s (Japan) Shinobu Majima (2014), the reconstitution of aging thesis argues that old age underwent a shift in the late-20th century, impacted by changes in relation to work, the family, and personal identity (p. 23). So-called “normative” age patterns no longer exist, and expectations for what’s appropriate at what ages are now highly individualized. You age the way you want to now, not the way you’ve been told to—and this extends to your appearance.

Does your style effect your mood?

A recent survey found that your strands can have a mega impact on your mood. In fact, 44% of women surveyed said they felt bad because of their hair. Among the top complaints? Flat, frizzy, and too-curly tresses.

My cure: An easy-to-do side braid that so many celebs have been sporting lately. It takes two minutes and fights my unruly summertime frizz. Also remember to add an amethyst oil for help with frizz.

Does a bad hair day make you crabby? What's your go-to bad-hair-day style?

I dont know about you, but my hairstyle very much reflects my mood. I use my mood to depict my style for the day. Chances are if you see me in a messy bun, I may need a hug.