A Brunette, a Redhead, and a Blonde Walk Into a Bar, Who Looks Best?

I have been dying my hair for 4 years now, and I have done it over 40 times.  I can tell you right now that changing your hair color will change your life.  At least temporarily.  A girl who people think is beautiful as a brunette can look strange as a blonde, and a girl who is fiery as a redhead can look dull with black hair.  It all depends on what your face looks like and more importantly, what you want people to see when they look at you.

Black Hair

We’re talking jet-black here.  Often, black hair is the choice for “emo kids” (and unfortunately they sometimes bleach the underside of the hair, which is truly horrendous.)  I dyed my hair black last summer in an attempt to go back to my “natural” hair color, which was dark brown.  However, I noticed that given a fair complexion and a generally traditional image, black hair looked strangely fake.  I would recommend black hair if you have darker skin, or are going for a more unique and edgy appearance.

Dark Brown Hair

Dark brown hair looks good on a large amount of people.  It doesn’t carry any odd connotations, the way more radical hair colors can.  However, it is easy to fade into the background because it is such a common hair color.  However, I find that dark brown hair looks beautiful on most women.  The only women who can’t pull it off, in my opinion, are ones whose natural hair color is very light.  Despite the non-flashy aspect of dark brown hair, a nice chocolate brown can flatter most skin tones.

Light Brown Hair

Personally, this is the color I prefer on myself.  Light brown hair, while not very radical, can look stunning if you choose the right tone.  Golden or reddish light brown can give off a pretty caramel hue, which works well with warm skin tones and brown eyes.  Light brown hair is hard to screw up with.  Pretty much every complexion can pull it off, from cocoa to alabaster.  However, if the wrong color is chosen, it can look ashy and flat.  To spice up light brown hair, highlights can be used too.  This hair color also doesn’t carry any particular connotation.  While it’s possible to look flat and dull with brown hair, that can be fixed with choosing highlights or a better tone, and it’s good for a person who wants to make her own impression without hair giving off an unwavering vibe.

Dark Red Hair

Yes, that’s my younger brother’s middle finger in the picture.  Adds to the edgy vibe, right?  Dark red hair can be mysterious and sultry, or on the other hand add a more edgy and artistic mood to your look.  I used to dye my hair this color when I was a musician, back in high school.  It drew a lot of attention, but warning: this hair color will make you look like you are TRYING to get noticed.  If that’s not what you want, stay away.  It also works better in some circles than others.  You’re more likely to get a positive reaction at a concert or among artistic people than prepsters.  And as for skin tones, all can apply.  It can look striking on a pale girl and steamy on a dark-skinned girl.

Light Red/Auburn Hair

While dark red hair carries a mysterious vibe, light red hair can look very “girl next door” as opposed to “rocker chic”. especially if you can make it look natural.  Pale-skinned girls with pink undertones in their skin and freckles are the best candidates for this color.  I never liked it very much on me, because with my black eyes and warm-toned skin it’s clearly not natural. Many people will notice a redhead no matter what, but your reactions will be more positive if it looks natural.  It gives off the innocent and young vibe (many of us, including myself, had auburn hair as little kids), which can work with a lot of styles.

Dark Blonde Hair

Not my favorite on myself, but I have seen it work perfectly on other people.  If you are pale, you must get a tan in order to pull this off, unless it is close to your natural color.  Otherwise, it comes off looking fake, probably faker than you intended (who intends for their hair to look fake?)  Dark blonde hair is getting into blonde territory, which means you are noticed more often, but it can come with negative connotations of being less intelligent or boy-crazy (neither of these actually apply to all blondes in real life, but it does carry that vibe!)  However, a darker blonde is a little safer than platinum blonde, which, if not your natural color, can go in three different directions: super artsy and edgy (if cut short and creatively), Swedish (if it’s natural), and porno (if it’s extensions and you’re the color of a pumpkin.)  Dark blonde hair is a little safer but you are still subject to those pesky blonde stereotypes from time to time. This color works best on either tan girls, or natural blondes.

So there we have it.  So many different connotations can come from these colors, and it’s important that you pick the right one for your skin tone, and for the kind of image you want to give off.  But more than anything, don’t rely too much on the opinions of other people.  If you are a natural blonde who loves having black hair, don’t keep your hair blonde just to please the people around you, and the same goes for a brunette who loves having sunny yellow locks.  These tips are guidelines, not rules.

Image via Wikipedia