Hair!
It’s been a busy quilty week here but nothing to show here. The biggest news of the week is hair! It seems like such a vapid subject but I am increasingly convinced that it has more of an impact on how others perceive us than we realize. Here’s my take:
Here’s my BC look-Before Color. I liked that look just fine. But as I aged, I became more invisible. Frequent occurrence: standing in the front of a line of people and they look over me at the person behind me and hail them forward. I would say something like “But I was here first” and what do they say? Every time? “Oh, I didn’t see you there.” This was not intentional I’m sure and their comment was genuine. But for whatever reason, this just happened. This was not a big deal, just a minor annoyance.
Then when I lost weight it got worse. Perhaps because losing weight makes you look older? Heard this at Weight Watchers (not from the leader!) and it’s absolutely true-“Your face or your butt-choose one”. I chose my butt and aged faster and I’m fine with that trade-off.
I thought about what my stylist calls “Fashion Color” for literally 2 years and then did this last month:
It took some getting used to. Now I was definitely visible! No more hiding in the background. But I also noticed that people really did respect and notice me more. Go figure, but they did. I liked that!
Unfortunately that fabulous color was very short-lived, about one haircut. I swim 5 days a week and put conditioner on my hair before it goes under the cap. Since my hair never was exposed to the water and chlorine, I figured I was good to go. Not. The conditioner stripped the color entirely out. I was bummed-loved that color!
I didn’t want an all-over Fashion Color so Plan B was to add Fashion Color extensions, the only viable option. But all of a sudden I became a High Maintenance Girl! It’s not that bad but not the type of routine I’m used to.
It takes about 40 min extra to have them put them in. And they need to be reset as your hair grows out. The extensions last for a year (these are human hair extensions) and then will need to be replaced. You have to be careful about brushing and what products you use and they feel a little funny on your scalp. With all this high maintenance I’ve decided to commit to this for a year and then reevaluate. I really do like having that color!
Whether it should be this way or not, hair does make a statement and we’re judged based on the look we project. When I chose to do something out-of-the-ordinary, I knew people would judge and I have gotten a few judgy looks on occasion. This is not that radical of a look! It may seem like a vapid thing, but I’m happy being visible again and I’m willing to put up with the maintenance for awhile.
I’ll be in Florida next week but I’ll be posting photos from the Valley Quilt Guild Show which had a spectacular display of red and white quilts-stay tuned! I’ll be linking up with Nina-Marie’s Off the Wall Friday-I always look forward to her linky party!
Hi Jenny! I agree totally with your comments about hair color (I love yours, BTW). A few years ago there was a lady at Art Quilt Tahoe with red (or should I say RED) hair. You couldn’t help but notice her. We ended up sitting at the same table for dinner one night and I asked her what made her decide to color her hair. She said that in her art world, she hung out with a lot of younger people and was tired of being called that “older lady” when someone referred to her. Now she was referred to as the lady with the red hair. The next year, I looked for her (I remembered her out of the 100+ attendees), and spotted her immediately. I skipped a few years and when I went again last year, I looked for her again. I didn’t see her. So perhaps she was there with normal hair color and I didn’t notice her? In my mind, you will always be memorable – but I certainly agree with your comments.
Thank you Schatzi! Yes, hair color will definitely make you memorable! Maybe that’s why I’m not ready to do my whole head a color. Nice story about how hair really does make a difference.
Fascinating!! And I do love the color. I haven’t really seriously considered fun color for myself…..my super conservative husband would NOT be able to deal with it. But I have 2 friends who do it and I love it on them.
Ah but I was surprised by my hubby’s reaction. At first it was 2 minutes of utter shock. I went to bed that night thinking oh what have I done? I woke up the next day, decided I liked it and went on with my day. Later that day he pulled me aside, looked straight in my eyes and said he loved it. It totally shocked me! Ya never know!
I have a bright blue clip-in extension that works well. The sun here-especially because we are at high altitude-really fades any fun color quickly.
Thanks Sophie! I sure hope mine does not fade!
LOVE IT!!!!! You’ve inspired me to use my pencil hair color today. I’ve only used it once, 18 months ago and liked it a lot but someone made a kind of snarky comment and I’ve faded back into the background. Today I’ll try to be braver. Honesty, love your extension.
Well Meylonie you know if you’re going to put some funky color in your hair you’re going to get an occasional snarky comment but just go on. Not everyone will like it. I think of it as bold, not brave. Go bold!
I think it’s brave to do something really different that makes you be noticed! I always had a louder voice that projected well naturally. I didn’t try to make it loud, it just was. No one ever had trouble hearing me. Now I’m much older, 72, my voice is softer and I so often hear, your voice is so quiet it’s hard to hear you! Ugh…I can’t win.
I understand your feeling of being invisible. I sometimes feel like that too since I”m fair and my hair is now a natural platinum blond instead of ash blonde.
But, I don’t think I could do the Fashion color…I guess I don’t want to be that noticeable. As for snarky comments, one time I ,in a conversation with two women who were lamenting having to color their hair, suggested trying the natural look. They both said, in unison, what gray! I don’t want to look old! Guess that told me what they thought of my appearance!
I just go on being natural, I earned it.
Thank you Marlette! It’s funny sometimes Howe people make comments that they think are subtle and instead shout! I’m just not ready to accept invisible yet!
I love the color! I have gone all natural, which is a nice mix now of silver, white, and gray. My hair is soft like a baby’s and it looks almost like I had it done. Still, I’m 71, so no need to fight the obvious older hair color. Now I get the reaction to that sweet old lady look. They are trying to be nice, but it kind of makes me want to yell…I don’t have one foot in the grave yet! Hahaha. I’ve thought of putting some streaks of real shimmery silver in my hair for special occasions in keeping with my magpie love of things blingy. LOL
Oh I wish I had that! It sounds divine Betty Jo. If I had something lovely I would go natural also but I do not!
Betty Jo if I had that kind of hair I would go natural too! Lucky you to have such hair. Gotta say, shimmery silver does sound intriguing!
Jenny I like it and had no idea that those splashes of color were actually extensions! I always thought it was a little piece of color added to the hair. You would never be invisible to me and I think of you often as I’m doing the Angela Walters FMQ right now….it all started with Jenny and seeing those lovely quilts you do!
BTW my 7 year old son wants green hair after his favorite youtube-er and favorite color……I said no to that….for now.
Enjoy Florida
Oh all this hair stuff is new to me too Mary! Glad you and enjoying fmq so much-isn’t it a kick? Um 7 yr old with green hair-no! Too much trouble and too expensive!
Last time at my hair appt I asked Theresa to do blue highlights. But they didn’t take. Now I have a blonde ombré effect in my really red hair. After I went grey I got the red hair I always wished I had!
Oh cool-I always wanted red hair! This whole hair color thing is harder than I thought-apparently more of an art than science.
Hey Jenny, I was in your class yesterday (Ft. Myers) and at the Tues. nite meeting and thought how great your hair looked. I have had a similar cut for about 18 months but do not have any where near as much hair as you and also mine is thin, I never guessed you had extensions! Maybe I should discuss these with my hair dresser.
Anyway I really enjoyed the class and plan to start my 21 day commitment to FMQ the first of April when I return to Maine.
I have checked your web site and think your tutorials are wonderful!!
Go for it Bea! Since they are extensions they add volume. They are a bit pricey and require maintenance though:-( I’m thrilled too hear that you’re committing to the 21 days! Let me knows how it’s going and write if you have questions.