Blondes, Brunettes, and Red Chairs

Why stand out when we are conditioned to fit in?

fotoblur

Three statements; There are three statements from my adolescent/adult life that have forever been ingrained on my brain. I don’t think I will ever let go of them. They are absolutely ridiculous, actually, and I can’t believe that I am about to share one.

Two months after my thirteenth birthday (yes, I am about to share a story that happened over 10 years ago….Deal) my parents loaded me up, and drove me down to good-ole Alabama to complete the rest of my “growing up.”  Yes, I cringe every time someone asks me where I from. I don’t really know how to answer.  

“Well, technically Connecticut," that’s the state I’d rather say. But I can’t lie; "I went to high school in coughcoughalabamacoughcough……and college. I went to college there too. That’s a total of ten years, count them, TEN.”

But I digress. It wasn’t really THAT bad, just not the best place to find yourself. Especially when you walk in the front doors of your new school only to be surrounded by 500 of the country’s most beautiful southern belles.  Why I do believe I was a little self-conscious to say the least. Not to mention the fact that earlier that summer I had attempted to color my hair for the first time, in my life……

The Fox is Black

Need I say more?

I can’t remember the name of the color, but it was red. And it only took to half of my hair…..And it turned purple.  Maybe not purple, exactly…More like a maroon.  Then I went to the salon, Fantastic Sams I believe it was.

And got BANGS.

Not good bangs either.....Eighth grade bangs.

Oh my, I cringe just thinking about my yearbook photo.  Talk about an awkward phase. At the worst possible time in my life, while I should have worried about making friends and being myself, all I wanted was to get highlights….…and use Crest White Strips.

And blend in, instead of stand out.

Martenson and Nagel via  Lotta Agoton

Then one day in art class, I remember it as clear as day. I sat behind a boy that, at the time, I thought was the bee’s knees. He was adorable.  Every time I was around him my face turned the same color as that half of my hair.

On the particular day in question, another girl in the class asked him which he preferred, “Blondes, brunettes, or redheads.”  He responded with a quick;

“Blondes, but brunettes are good too…..Redheads, ehhck, no thanks.”

Then,

He turned around,

Looked at me…..

And said, 

“Oooopps…. Sorry.”

Obviously, he ended up being nothing special, but yeah, my hair has pretty much been blonde ever since…..