Yes, you are about to read an ENTIRE blog post about having red hair.
I just needed to rant and rave about it in one paragraph. Or five.
First of all, having bright red hair definitely has its perks. For one, my husband can always find me when we're in a store. I may be small, but my hair is like a flashing beacon of light when I'm lost. It's also a walking advertisement for my job, as it pretty much screams, "I'm a hairstylist!" When people call my work and they usually just say they want "the girl with the red hair." It narrows down who they're looking for pretty quickly. I've even had little girls say my hair looks like Ariel's. Which if you know me, that is pretty much the best compliment I could receive.
I like to think there is a sisterhood among redheads. Sure, it may not be natural, but us redhead wanna-be's tend to bond over our obsession with the color. I'd say it's kind of like how all men with beards have their own unspoken brotherhood (see here). My little sister is a natural redhead, and we call each other "twin" because of how alike we are. I like to think our hair has something to do with that.
But sadly, not everything about red hair is fun. It often causes strangers to say the most random and sometimes rude things to me. I've been asked if I color it red for the attention, which always cracks me up. Or many times I've been asked if it's my natural hair color. The answer to this is pretty obvious, but at times I wish I had the guts to respond with "Yes, I am a descendant of Ariel." I've had people ask me if I wear a wig, or if they can touch my hair. I've had people stare at me for about five seconds too long. And then there are the creepy old dudes that tell me how much they just LOVE redheads.
Just. So. Creepy.
Sometimes I hear people whispering behind me about my hair and how intense it is. I've had people stare at it and roll their eyes, or proclaim "woah, your hair is bright" when they see me. When checking out my license, that has a picture of me with blonde hair, people decide to tell me whether I look better with blonde or red hair. Thank you, random person.
Here is my response to these odd people on behalf of myself and all other (unnatural) redheads out there:
No, I do not color my hair for the attention. I simply love having red hair. It's bright, shiny, and frankly it just makes me happy. I've considered coloring it something more "normal" just to stop getting the stares and comments, but that would take a way a little part of my soul that is connected to my hair. Yes, I know my hair is red and really bright. And sure, complimenting my hair is just fine, but your strange and at sometimes rude comments are not welcome. Us redheads are just like the rest of the world, in that we are aware of what color our hair is.
To my fellow redheads, stay strong. Rock that bright hair, and remember that you are automatically awesome for having it.
And to Lucille Ball, thank you for paving the way for all of us redhead wanna-be's.
Happy Wednesday!
xoxoKelsey
(aka Red)
