Thursday, January 7, 2010

The Mourning of Hair

The Mourning of Hair

That title sounds so... dramatic... like The Silence of the Lambs... only more like "The Morning of the Hare"... or Breaking Dawn of the Rabbit...

Sorry.

But seriously, I'm mourning my hair today. Why? Because for the past oh, say, seven years my hair has looked relatively the same. Untouched by dye and only cut to a modest variation, my hair has been long, straight, deep, dark and mahogany in color.

But today that changed. Peroxide was involved... along with hours in a salon chair... the sharp reek of chemical... the crinkle of tin foil....

The result?

Streaks.

Sounds anti-climatic right? But wait!

They are blond streaks!

BRIGHT blond streaks!

Bright, bright blond streaks!

LOTS of Bright blond streaks!

So much Bright Blond Streaks that I'm having trouble deciding if I still qualify as a brunette.

So whats the big deal? It's just hair right?

Well, yes and no. My hair is one of the few parts of my appearance I've never felt insecure about. My hair never got fat. It never grew zits or made an embarrassing smell in public. It never had a "There's Something About Mary" moment nor did it ever all fall out at once... even after a particularly hideous perm.

I liked my hair as it was. It was dark and dramatic... it set off my eyes... I liked saying, when asked, "Yes, that is my natural color... I haven't dyed my hair in years." My hair was familiar... it was comfortable. The thought of changing it was a little disconcerting... because once done, there was no going back (you cant immediately go back to your natural hair after dying it). The thought was a little scary. Scary? Really? Yes! I find change a little... scary, most of the time.

Which is why I dyed my hair today. One small step for man, one giant leap for Chelsi-kind!

Because I need change. I want change. But I'm more than a little scared of it!

Which is why I figured... If I cant change something as simple as my hair, how in God's green earth was I going to change anything else in my life?

Change is good.

So they tell me.

But just between you and me...

I miss my old hair. I'm scared of the coming change. I want to snuggle up in my deep bed, pull my old comforter over my head, snuggle up to Hawkydogs warm speckled hide and stay that way- safe, warm, familiar... comfortable... forever.

Thank goodness life doesn't work that way. But sometimes, just for a single moment.... dont you wish it did?

As you can see, depending on the light it can look either really light or really dark with light steaks. I think in reality it is somewhere in between but I'm having trouble getting used to it when it keeps looking so different all the time. Btw, the below photo was taken just after I got home and looked in that familiar mirror for the first time. I freaked out and called my sister.... I wasn't "posing" for this shot (I was just trying to get a shot of the streaks to send to her) and accidentally caught this expression... which I think should be titled...

"Holy Shit"

16 comments:

  1. Looks great! I am always the stylist guinea pig. I tell them to color away. But my natural is this dull blonde...you on the other hand, your natural is gorgeous. It looks good with the highlights, a fun change. In a few days, that blonde will dull out and you will miss that brightness. Embrace it...you look fabulous.

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  2. I like it!! I think it looks really good. Change is good. Sometimes!
    I used to get my hair colored professionally, years ago. Now I have my sister do it, but those OTC hair colors just don't work on my hair, maybe it's the natural curl or texture. So I just leave it. Although one of these days, when I can afford it, I'd love to go back to the salon and have a color done again!!

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  3. I love it! I think is was a good choice. Your eyes still look really blue!

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  4. It looks really good! Very striking.

    You'll get used to it, I haven't coloured my hair since I became a student, I'm embracing my dull blondness.

    I can imagine the shock it's going to be when I can finally afford salon foils again though!

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  5. I think it looks really good! Sometimes the highlights give your hair more texture and depth (or something like that!) Good for you for trying a change!

    I've been higlighting my hair for the past 5 years - when I turned 30 my nice reddish-blond turned blah brown, so my hand was forced...

    :-)

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  6. Looks fabulous! Hair is our crown, for many women it's a major aspect of our self image. So it's not a small thing!

    Embrace the change, and see where it leads you...

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  7. I love it! It's still dramatic, and it looks great with your skin tone. You'll get used to it, it just takes awhile. But I totally hear what you're saying about change. I am the same exact way. Maybe I should try a similar challenge to start me off on the ball of encouraging life change!

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  8. I love it! And your eyes are stunning. I feel the same way about my hair too. I'm very protective about it. Maybe you've inspired me to change it up a bit too??

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  9. Your lucky you have options. My hair has always been dishwater blonde, lighter on the end (washed out looking) and darker at the roots. So to even it all out, I color it. I wish I could just wear my natural hair.

    Your new hair color is beautiful. It really lightens your face and accentuates your lovely blue eyes. But quite honestly, you could dye your hair purple with green stripes and you'd still be pretty :)

    ~Lisa


    ~Lisa

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  10. I think it's FUN! As someone else said, it will fade out in a week or so, and you'll get more used to it. It's funny you did this because I just saw a friend who had her hair lightened (from a regular light brown to a foiled blonde, with it super dark, almost black, just the underneath part. Does that make sense?) Well I loved it especially since as I approach 39 I'm craving a change myself! I found out the gal who did it is super cheap. I love the foil. I am contemplating going to this gal and having her do mine, too. Hair color is so expensive, yet I can not stand my natural color these days, dishwater blonde w/some gray hairs in the part, LOL! So I get it foiled to keep it blonder.
    I commend you for this change and remember, it's only hair! Yes it's important, but, it will grow out and you can eventually go back and have some more of your natural lowlights put back in if you really few there are too many streaks.
    And I agree with Lisa, it could be hot pink w/polka dots and you'd still be stunning! :)

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  11. Girl ! YOu look GOOD!
    You are so brave! The last time I cut/curled/permed my hair I was in shock for weeks ( it was the eighties and I had a whole permy mullet looking thing happening- not pretty!) I swore I'd never do anything again- and I haven't! Except now I'm getting too old for long straight blonde(grey) hair! But I'm too chicken to cut it!
    I think you are the bravest girl alive!

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  12. Looks great! What does your BF think of it?

    I seriously envy your cheekbones. I don't think I have them so much as several marshmallows tucked between my skin and bones.

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  13. Dang Girl, I LOVE it!! I think your hair looks beautiful!!

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  14. I love it! I think it looks absolutely stunning on you! Yes you still qualify as a brunette! Don't worry it looks awesome!

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  15. It looks really good! I love it. I wish I could grow my hair out.

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