Written by The Strategy
Hair is powerful.
It has the ability to completely transform how we look, how we feel, how we present ourselves in the world.
A good hair day gives a boost of positivity that no one is truly aware of until they run into a bad hair day. Hair is part of cultural traditions, a manner of self-expression, and, for some people, is such an extension of their personalities that they gain emotional attachment to it.
Hair is beauty and fashion and culture all piled on to the tops of our heads.
We are given clues to follow, like many things in our time, about how to do our hair for any imaginable event. Interviews, dates, parties, dinner with friends, a lazy day in, out for brunch…there is an instruction manual to be found on what is “appropriate” for any and every occasion. There are guides and tutorials on how to accomplish your wildest hair dreams available at the click of a button, and even more inspiration to be absorbed from real people that you see everyday.
With so much variety in what can be done with hair and how personal an aspect hair is, it is a mystery as to why other people’s hair is so controversial.
Why was it a news story when Miley Cyrus cut her hair short? Why is it interesting when Chrissy Teigen dyes her hair darker? Why is it so important for everyone to comment on the latest Kardashian hair escapades?
Part of the “celebrity” culture we live in? Yes. Because everyone likes to have opinions? Yes. But also because hair has the power to influence how we are viewed by others, whether we like it or not.
The most well-known case of hair related controversy is, of course, the infamous Britney Spears incident of 2007. Since then, there have been countless news stories revolving around a hair do or don’t, however none as controversial as that of the Giuliana/Zendaya situation that played out recently. Though different, both situations drew in huge media coverage, curiosity, and commentary. We all wanted to know exactly what happened, who said what- all the ins and outs.
Some might argue that in the grand scheme of life, hair is a nonissue. And to some extent they are right. But if it creates such controversy, if it draws in such attention, if it affects people as much as it does, than it is important. Our hair is part of each of our identities. It does matter.
Regardless of background or beliefs, hair has a huge hold on how we see ourselves and others. Magnified by pop culture and reflected on everyday people, what everyone else does with their hair will always be interesting.
And it will always be yours to create.
Written by Katrina Garofalo
*Photo for image from Style.com
