The Many Shades Of

I got a hair cut yesterday (at Chelsea Salon), nothing out of the ordinary, just a little shorter to shape it up and get some bulk off now that it is Florida summer time. However, I realized that in getting my hair cut just the little bit, I am officially back to my natural hair color. Now some people my not think that is a big deal, but if you know me at all, it is. This is the first time since, well, I do not even know anymore, that my hair is dye-free.

I have been dying my hair in some shape or form since at least high school, although it may have started in middle school. It started with that popular Manic Panic semi-permanent color. Hot pink, purple, blue, green, red...yea, I was that girl. And yes, my mom helped me do it. Her logic: if that was the worst I was doing, she figured she would help me do it right. (Love you mom!) These colors usually washed out in about a month, allowing me to change it up pretty often.

Of course, I then started dying more permanent colors. Usually some shade of red, burgundy, etc. Then I would decide to try to get back to something of my natural color, using mixes of browns and blondes. Although, I quickly learned that my natural hair color does not exist in dye form. Even when I came close, however, I usually broke down and dyed it again. And these many years of dying of course came with a few fun mishaps, like the time it was burgundy and my mom and I tried to add blonde chunks. They turned a fun shade of orange. I went to my hair dresser the next day. But it still did not stop me from dying it later.

The last time I dyed my hair now was around October of my second year in grad school. I actually turned it a fun shade of purple on accident. I put another shade on top the next day and came up with a pretty cool color. For some reason after that, though, I have decided to stop dying it. Now, this has not been an easy habit to break, but about a year and half later, I am back to my natural color. It is even starting to do its old summer habit of getting blonder as I actually get out in the sun. Woot.

It was fun to realize when sifting through pictures from grad school that I could organize them by hair style. I am not really sure I can give an exact reason that I found solace in dying my hair like I did. Of course an obvious reason is form of expression, and it is surely easier to change your hair color than your cut on a whim. Nonetheless, it really became a part of who I was, and well, who I am. I do not really have anything deeper to say about it at the moment, and I cannot promise that I will not show up one day with a new hair color. But for now, here it is people, the all natural.

Sidenote: The Student Activities Center cookout out at the Rez was way too fun this afternoon! Gotta love working with people who are just as competitive as you...