Hair Today, Gone on Thursday EDIT

Funny, how life always has the last word on everything. After all the emotion & the thinking and re-thinking about my conversations with my friend regarding the flea market issue, it rained and none of us went. Figures.

I’ve decided to try a new hairdo. Not unusual for me but it always seems like when I do that it gradually morphs right back into the same ol’ hairdo in time. Maybe that’s just what my hair wants to do naturally, I don’t know. This time though I’m going to be brave and try out a radical hair color process. Before my mid twenties, I had dark brown hair. I really never liked it. Then I started going grey, probably around 25 years old. I tried dying my hair dark brown but it looked more like shoe polish. I really didn’t want grey hair but the brown just wasn’t working. I could still see the grey and there wasn’t any shine to it. Then I began trying out a few blondish highlights. That worked wonderfully well, easy, covered/disguised the grey and with little upkeep. As the years progressed, so did the grey hair. In time, I was almost completely blonde, still trying to disguise the grey, which had multiplied greatly. Soon, I was almost completely grey; therefore, completely blonde. I don’t like much in “upkeep.” The less, the better.

I’m lucky that blond looks good on me but there were times when I wished I had my own dark hair back. I’ve often worn dark wigs for Halloween parties and received many, many compliments. I wasn’t surprised because I figured God knew best when he gave me my hair and my Italian coloring. Unfortunately, he didn’t give me anything to keep the grey from popping up. I’ve tried gradually going back to brown hair, then I tried abruptly going back to brown and although both looked great, it lasts about 1 week. Very soon, I’d need a touch up for all those grey hairs as my hair grows very fast. Also, color fades very fast on grey hair. So it wasn’t long before I was light brown-haired, which really did nothing for me. All of me soon looked faded, hair, face, etc.

So I found a hairdo that is dark brown on the underside and pale blonde ( like I am now) on top of that in a mid length bob style. It’s pretty dramatic and radical but kind of neat at the same time and would accomplish everything I would like all at once. Being a rather conservative person, I was somewhat undecided if I should do it. Then I remembered that now I’m an Artist!! I can look weird/strange/different if I want. Everyone knows artists are strange creatures so I’d fit right in.

I did email the picture to my daughter, asking if I was too old for that look. She loved it but said I would need to dress appropriately for that kind of hair. She would send me pictures of what type of clothes I should wear. I thought, great! She’s much more stylish than me and has always been my style guru, so whatever she says, I go along with.

Then a thought hit me. No one looks at me anymore. It doesn’t matter what I wear or if my hair doesn’t fit my clothing style. So sad to become an invisible woman. It happens as we age. I knew it was coming and I was hoping I’d be able to deal with it and I guess I am. Some days more than others. I never see any guys giving me the “eye” anymore unless they themselves are an old geezer. But that’s ok. Experience, confidence and wisdom have replaced the insecurity that once formed my opinion of myself.
I just hope I don’t hate it but I’m glad I’m spunky enough still to try something more edgy. But then that’s what us, artists do.