Something I wrote a few years back

My Life as a Brunette

Five weeks ago, I decided to become a brunette. I hadn't had brown hair in almost 10 years, and even then, I didn't consider myself a "brunette". It was always light brown. I wanted to see what it felt like. I wanted to actually call myself a brunette.. so after my hairdresser's 5 minute protest, she finally agreed to send me into brunetteland!

I found out some things during that time. First of all, even after having dark brown hair for a full 5 weeks, I still shocked myself everytime I looked in the mirror. I saw myself as pale and washed out, because I had been used to looking at blonde hair for so long. The day after I colored it, I wanted to immediately go and get blonde highlights. I called my hairdresser and she told me to give it a week.

Blondes and brunettes definitely get different responses from other people. Now, personally, I am drawn to people with darker hair. If you put a magazine in front of me and there is a blonde and a brunette on the same page, my eye will automatically go to the brunette. I don't know why.. I guess it's just the way I am. It's also one of the reasons I wanted to try it out.

As a brunette, I found women to be friendlier towards me. It wasn't my imagination. It's true. I don't know if women see a brunette woman as more trustworthy, friendly, or what, but I definitely got a more positive response from females. The opposite was true for men. It was almost like I became invisible. Not that I want men hitting on me, but it was so obvious that most men do prefer blondes. I did have a handful of men at church tell me they liked my brown hair, but for the most part, I would get a shake of the head (like "I can't believe you did that"), an actual "WHY DID YOU DO THAT?" or an "Oh, you colored your hair" response, which we all know means... "I can't stand it". My dad even shook his head at me.

As for my husband, he has always preferred brunettes so he tells me. He did like me as a brunette, but told me that he missed my blonde hair. After all, he married a blonde, right? Soooooo, after living 5 very long weeks with dark brown hair, I am finally a blonde again.

I learned a lot about people and myself while living in brunetteland. I also learned that I never want to go back there. Not because I don't like brunettes, because like I said, I naturally am drawn to them, but because I don't like ME as one.