DOWN

We’ve all been there– your impulses have taken over at three a.m., and you’re cutting bangs yourself. “It is just time for a change,” you say; for some reason, there is something that makes it impossible for this change to wait until the next day.

Personally, I look back fondly on my days of having hot pink strands in my hair (inspired by punk princess Avril Lavigne). To me, pink hair dye was confidence you could buy from CVS. It made me feel free-spirited and young. For a long time, this hair color was my way of showing my carefree attitude to others when meeting for the first time.

I have had my fair share of impulsive hair decisions. During the height of COVID, I went through box dye after box dye until I ended up with a head full of shoulder-length, muted orange hair that was anything but flattering. In retrospect, it was a poor decision. However, it reflected where I was in life at the time. I was on the edge of adulthood, spending most of my time in online classes. My sense of identity was completely shot. It was as if I had outgrown my old self but I had no idea who I was growing into. These feelings were reflected in my hairstyle at the time. When I look back at photos from that time, I look nothing like myself— which is because I felt so unlike myself.

Two years later, I have reverted back to the long, dark blonde hair that has been my default throughout my life. By trial and error, I have learned what suits me best and what I feel my best in. I no longer desire to experiment with crazy colors and spontaneous haircuts. My preference for my natural color most likely translates to the stability that I now feel in my life. My nineteen-yearold self is much more comfortable in the life that I’ve built versus the life I was living at seventeen, and this was reflected in my hair choices.

Hairstyle choices can not only be used to reflect one’s identity but also one’s emotions. Consider the classic trope of cutting your hair after a painful breakup. Coco Chanel was once famously quoted when she said, “A woman who cuts her hair is about to change her life.” A drastic hair change is one of the easiest ways to tell the world you are experiencing change. It can also give you confidence and a sense of power or rebellion.

The idea that hair holds deep significance is not uncommon. In fact, this idea is reflected in many different ways all over the world. In Indigenous culture, it is often a tradition to cut your hair and bury it when a loved one passes away. This is because Indigenous people believe that your hair is a physical manifestation of your spirit. In some tribes, cutting your hair represents parting with past values and starting over.

Throughout history, there have been many beliefs that hair can hold negative or positive energy. In the Bible, when Delilah cut Samson’s hair in his sleep, it is said that all of Samson’s strength and power was taken away. On the other hand, some people believe that cutting your hair after a traumatic event can make you feel lighter, because the trauma is stored in your hair. In fact, this idea has been trending on social media lately– the term “hair holding trauma” has over ten billion views on TikTok.

If you’ve been thinking about making that big chop or hair color decision but haven’t pulled the trigger, consider this a sign. Your hairstyle contains more significance than you think. By expressing yourself through your outer appearance, you just might find harmony with your inner identity. Life is far too short to hold back from authentic self-expression.