I have an undercut that I can sweep to the side, pull back or tease into a pompadour. It attracts a lot of attention, both positive and, on occasion, negative. (I'll have an acquaintance tell me she preferred me with my long hair or a man tell me that shaved heads aren't very feminine.) It's unique and people remember me for it, whether they love it or hate it. I love my hairstyle -- it's fun, acts as a conversation starter and makes me feel (kinda) fashion-forward. (Proof: Miley Cyrus' haircut, which copied my style!) So naturally, I felt I had to one-up her platinum blonde look -- and my boring brown was not cutting it.
A couple of my friends who are colorists suggested muted violet streaks because that seems to be a hot hair trend right now, but I'm a pretty bold person and wanted to find a color that suited my personality. The answer was simple: bright magenta.
I wasn't nervous about the hair transformation I was about to undergo. Something I've embraced within the last few years is that hair is just hair. Bad cut? It'll grow back. Hate the color? You can change it with one trip to the drugstore. Horrible hair day? Pull on a cute topper... and tomorrow try a baseball cap.
To dye my hair I went to Cutler Salon in Manhattan where my friend (and talented colorist), Carly Missico was waiting with a big smile and a lot of hair dye. She bleached my hair first so that we were starting with a blank canvas. Carly brushed in just the right number of pieces to make a statement, while sidestepping the punk hair realm. I'd like to think my confidence in my new look influenced how people reacted -- I got rave reviews.
As a bonus, I was able to sport my new 'do during my first New York Fashion Week and got compliments from the trendy people I was photographing. With this new color, I felt self-confident in social situations and found myself talking with men and women alike about the process and the 'do. If you're looking for a hair transformation but don't want a cut, I suggest trying out a new hair color -- and why not make it a bold one?
