Red vs. White

During our first class meeting, the topic on hair color was brought up and how hair color and style can symbolize many different things. We discussed how in a variety of Disney movies, the hair styles of Disney princesses are typically different from the hair styles of the antagonists of these movies (i.e. Repunzel's beautiful blonde hair and her evil "mother's" curly black and gray hair). 

In the recent Alice in Wonderland movie, I noticed how the Red Queen and the White Queen both had very interesting hair styles.

The Red Queen is portrayed as an evil, selfish, and extremely feisty queen who takes control of her kingdom with fear. The Red Queen's hair is short, wavy and red like fire. 

On the other hand, we have the White Queen who is portrayed as sweet, kind, and gentle. She rules her kingdom with kindness. In the movie, her hair is long, curly, and is the color white. Her white hair could be a symbol of pureness.

In my opinion, it is interesting to see how the difference between the hair styles of both these queens fit in with how their characters appear in the film. :)

Long hair DO care

Females have the choice of having short, medium, or long hair length. As annoying as it can be in the hot, humid, sticky long So Cal summers I love my long hair. From what I can remember I have only had two major hair cuts and the rest of the times I have been to the hair salons I only get trims. I remember in preschool and Kindergarten my father use to always do my hair in the mornings before school... yes, my father! He use to get a hand full of gel, rub his hands together, and slick my hair in the tightest and highest ponytail you can imagine. I remember always sitting "Indian style" on the rainbow carpet and even with my hair in the high ponytail, my hair would still reach the carpet. Then in first grade I got my first official "hair cut" and had it cut to my shoulders. I don't remember how I felt about it since I was so young but I do remember my second hair cut in eighth grade going into high school. My hair was at about medium length and I cut it "short" and HATED IT!!! At the age of 14, I thought having short hair would have been cute since everyone else was doing it. But, it made me insecure about myself and made me think it didn't go with me since I was told I have a round face. So I guess that traumatized me in a way and since then I have never got a hair cut and have stuck to trimming. Now that I am 21, I have only dyed my hair 4 times, received 2 hair cuts and get a trim about twice a year. Every now and then I do get the urge to cut my hair shoulder length but every time I get a trim and think my hair stylist trimmed it "too much" my heart breaks and I feel like its too short even though my hair still reaches my waist. I guess I can admit I am a little obsess with my hair but there is nothing wrong with that. I wish I had access to images to show my hair length at different ages but here is an exaggerated video of how I feel I react when I am on my way for a trim. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fA6NmJoYU6c

Just how much does hair mean to you

I am a guy who, for my whole life, I have never actually specified to the barber how I want to do my hair, until earlier this year (January). I thought I didn't care about my hair, I thought no one would, and I shaved my head bald. I went from 5 inch long hair to nothing. It was a new experience, it was awkward and I kept my cap on most of the time. I felt conscious about my bald head and quite a lot of times I do get stares. From this experience, I understood that the hairstyle of not having hair does not suite me, and how important it is to have a hairstyle that suites you.

Below is a link that shows girlfriends cutting boy friends hair, and to me it feels like hair is something that expresses your feelings and your personality, and allowing someone unprofessional do it must mean that that person must really mean a lot to you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erzXeFu7I_0

Hair: Yours and Mine

 I'd like to give my personal experience with hair and how it affects my lifestyle and character. It's amazing how fast hair grows back. Every summer the guys in my family shave their heads completely, in a sort of cleansing ritual. I wasn't thinking so far ahead this summer, and ended up shaving it off just a week before my freshman orientation! I felt shy the entire time. I found it a little difficult making friends during those few days because people thought it was weird for a teenager to not have hair. Many of them thought I was trying to join the military. Quite a first impression. Not only did my girlfriend wholeheartedly disapproved of me shaving my head, but so did many of her friends, which goes to show there are gender-norms in place for guys as well when it comes to hair. On the right is how I look today. I act more confident now that my hair has grown back, and I also find that I gain confidence from not just the hair, but from wearing contact lenses too. Anyways I just wanted to show how much different I look with glasses on and no hair vs hair and contact lenses.

Break-up with love and with your hair

One of the many things that girls universally understand is that when dealing with a break-up, the best way to cope and start anew is to chop off your hair. It's something that society has influenced upon girls. They grow up learning from shows and movies that the main character cuts her hair to deal with a broken heart. Why is this? Why do girls tend to majorly change their hair when they leave a relationship? What does it even mean for them to cut their hair?

These answers can be perceived in many different ways, but here are a few reasons why.

To Become a New Person: 

Hair is often used as symbolism in movies and in shows. The moment those shears snip away at strands of hair is when the girl becomes a new person. For example, Mulan cuts her hair in a dramatic scene where she runs away to impersonate her father in the army. This act is what made the distressed Mulan into the awkward man she made up to be Ping. The change in hair gives off the feeling of turning the page and starting a new chapter.

Increase Ones Confidence:

Hair is easily associated to ones pride. After a relationship that ends badly, a girls confidence can be wavering. In order to gain that back, what do we girls do? We make it our mission to look better then we were at the start of the relationship. 

In Order to Finally Let Go:

In a way, hair can also be used as a metaphor. At times, in order to be able to let go of an old relationship, girls cut their hair. Cutting what a girl is so used to having is something that can be therapeutic in a way. It gives the sense of letting go, accepting change, and being able to say "Hey, I can survive without you" to our hair and to a significant other.

Long, Beautiful Hair.

Many people seem to have the same ideology of having long hair. It is viewed as beautiful and worth preserving (for females).Similar to Tangled's view of keeping long, beautiful hair, David Beckham shares a relating opinion. When talking about his daughter's long, brunette hair, he commented his refusal of letting his wife cut it. He states that they have not cut it since she was born which he wants to continue doing. Beckham says that his daughter's hair is "just so good" and takes full credit
of it.


http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-beauty/news/david-beckham-never-wants-to-cut-daughter-harpers-hair-2015289

"Masculine" hair

Big muscle men are typically known for the intense masculinity they give off. What do they all have in common aside from the muscles? Their hair; a huge majority share small simple hair or in extreme cases no hair. Why is this? According to a study at the University of Pennsylvania states that men who have no hair are perceived to be more dominant and masculine in mature. A good example would be Dewayne Johnson. Short hair is also more associated with masculine professions such as the military, police and firefighting.