I Just Went Blonde

I went to my hair salon when I turned 40 with a request. I was only half-joking. I was ready for a change. Nah. I wanted an experience.

“Make me a blonde,” I said.

“No,” said my hairstylist. “You wouldn’t look good as a blonde. It will wash you out.”

“C’mon,” I pleaded. “I was born blonde. My hair didn’t begin to turn brown until elementary school.”

“Nah,” he said. “It won’t suit you.”

“But I want to know what it’s like,” I said. “Men are exorcist heads on the barstools when I go out with my blonde bestie. The guys can’t contain themselves as soon as she walks in.”

My stylist and I shared a laugh.

At the time, I was married. I wasn’t seeking attention. I was being my smart ass self. I was joking. But I did crave a radical change in the manner that milestone birthdays dictate.

I settled for LASIK surgery.

It was a good choice.

I was thrilled to abandon my contact lenses.

I agreed with my stylist. I remained a brunette. A few people refer to me as a redhead. Even the sexy hot guy I recently went out with did.

Until the other day.

I returned to my new hairstylist.

He’s been touching up my color for months. I kept delaying the highlights expense but half a year had passed. It was time to get them again.

I’m guessing he thought I needed a change, or maybe summer was coming. Or maybe he thought I needed a little help with my dating game. Not really sure.

When I went out that evening I discovered one thing.

I can hang with the blondes.

If that night was an indicator, blondes do get more attention.

I’m not gonna lie.

It was fun to live vicariously through their platinum locks. To be fair, I’m not an extreme blonde. But I am no longer what I affectionately refer to as a mousy brunette.

It is highlights have gone wild.

As was the night.

More men than usual approached me. We went to multiple places that evening. The same thing happened each time. And guys who know me commented on my hair.

I even saw high school friends who now love me as a blonde.

Who knew?!

Can I say blondes have more fun?

Nah.

It’s only been a week and I always have fun. There’s no real data proving that blondes have more fun. The phrase dates back to multiple references.

In 1925 Anita Loos wrote the book Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. It ultimately became a musical, and later the well-known movie of the same name in 1953.

In the 1960s Clairol utilized the advertising tagline, ‘Is it true blondes have more fun?’ to promote their hair color.

Musician Rod Steward expanded the blonde phenomenon with the song Blondes (Have more fun) in the late 1970s. See video below.

What can this newly minted blonde say?

It was only one night but I did get more attention. Did it surprise me? No. I’ve witnessed many of my blonde friends get attention over the years. A striking blonde can turn a man’s head.

It doesn’t mean we brunettes, and others are out of luck.

It’s a preference.

Some men like blondes. Some men like brunettes. Some men like redheads. It’s not unlike the other preferences we each have as men and women.

I think it’s more accurate to say a blonde may immediately stand out.

They can catch a man’s eye.

Blondes are the shiny penny of hair color.