I understand it is not really important or topical to wonder about not-so-complex things like what people choose to wear or what products they promote -- in times of ISIS and social media bans -- but I still wonder about this issue which may seem trivial to many, if not all.
It was recent visits to large scale public events that really made my stomach churn, just for a little while, till I told myself that there are far more important things that demand my attention. And rightfully so. So my attention was pulled back to the grand musical taking place on stage.
However, the many interruptions to my view by different shades of blonde were not very pleasant. In fact, with more and more of such passing heads, that feeling in my stomach became permanent.
Why blonde, and why to such horrendous degrees? Let’s not forget the wide variation of the hair dye, each more blunt or more troubling than the last. I’m certain that I am not trampling on any freedom of choice when I only inquire for the cause of such choices.
That hurl in my stomach can be put aside for now, and that is only a subjective effect of the “blonde” sight.
I personally do not praise or like the forced-on blonde-dyeing, which does not quite suit the Asian “brown” shade of complexion. In most cases, it looks funny, regardless of how fair-skinned one is in this country.
It may seem like I am badgering on about someone’s freedom of choice and being one of those “mean girls” from high school. On the contrary, this phenomenal “choice” represents something that not all who “go blonde” even consider, let alone understand.
This epidemic of dyeing one’s hair blonde seems like a desperate attempt to look like the fancy Westerners we watch in movies and music videos. I can argue further and try to justify that blonde is just any other colour, everyone has the “right” to choose his/her hair colour.
But why blonde? Why not some greens, some purples, and a few reds? In reality, the rarest choice of hair dye is anything but blonde or some variant.
When it comes down to how the pseudo-educated, cool, well-versed in pop culture, upper-middle class or the elites choose to dress and present themselves, it is not difficult to understand how they are trying to construct an artificial lineage to the Westerners.
This exclusive choice to go blonde has now become a part of the repertoire of the upper/middle class.
I’d rather not lurk into the very cryptic reason as to why a large, specific class of women resort to the “cake” of make-up and look a certain way (because one may believe artificiality is the new definition of beauty).
But dyeing their hair blonde, choosing that specific colour which clearly does not compliment the skin tone, seems like going the extra mile. I do not refer to that extra shade of foundation that is put on one’s face, and that can be just as readily, with a few hours of effort, taken off.
It is the hair colour which will stay for some time regardless of the numerous chemicals that can be used to take back the mistake of choosing that specific hair colour. That blonde will stay, at least for a while.
So before jumping the gun, following the cool kids, the rich folks, and fancy celebrities, why not decide on a colour which does not horrendously contradict one’s skin tone and pick one that can actually make you look nicer?
Our need to look Western is probably not one of the registered reasons behind the “blonde” look. Not many question why they do what they do; they simply follow others. Time is of the essence these days, so why ask questions anyway, right?
This recent wave of blonde heads passing by me is obviously not the first time I took notice of this certain “blonde” choice of the upper/middle-class masses.
But that particular hurl in my stomach and that pang of annoyance in my stiff frown are things I did not want during grand musical festivals, but the “blondes” kept coming, for the entirety of my six-hour stay, some blunt, some not so much.
Our need to feed desires to look better, superior (read: Western) should have some limit, or maybe a moment should be spared to re-evaluate the sacrifice of the natural brunette or the luscious jet black. How about take a moment to simply ask: “Why go blonde when you can be a natural brunette or any other colour under the sun?”