Here’s something I never thought I’d be writing about. It wasn’t even on my radar really.
As a woman with naturally curly, not at all naturally various shades of pink/purple hair, I’ve never followed trends in hair fashion. But I am wise enough to know, but not confident enough to not succumb. I know when it comes to body image – dissatisfaction sells.
Actually, that’s not entirely true, I remember aged 18, adding a professional perm to my already super curly hair as I wanted those tight, even curls that were so fashionable then.
And in the 80’s I back-combed my , already (in todays terms) voluminous hair so that it power matched my shoulder pads. I never did the crimping thing though, but I did love it!
And throughout the 2000 I totally ignored the straightening trend. (except for 2 days on two separate occasions when a hairdresser begged me to let them – I hated it and washed it out immediately).
We all know when it comes to Body Image, – dissatisfaction sells
I guess the industry had run out of people to perm and the fashion industry needed to make us dissatisfied with something else. So time to shame anyone with even the inkling of a kink (in their hair that is – sexually we were really encouraged to want anything other than ‘vanilla’) and invest in straigheners. Lank, pinned to the head, straighter than straight hair has been a thing for forever now. In fact, as a woman with pretty dull hair, the curl tends to have that, I only agreed to try the straightening the first time to see if it shone, it did not. The second time was to make my hairdresser happy, I forgot I was paying for the privilege!
And now, the fashion industry have realised that anyone who is going to own straighteners and then upgrade to better straighteners have done it now. Over the last couple of years I’ve noticed the curl sneak back in. Oh joy, people not having to spend any more time straightening their hair! But no , that didn’t mean au natural was ok, if you have something in between super straight and super curly, you still have a MASSIVE PROBLEM!
PLEASE REMAIN DISSATISFIED!
…and keep handing over the cash. Get yourself a perm or some volumiser. Because volume is the latest thing! Whey hey, I’m in fashion, its taken me to my mid 50s to get here.
What prompted me to write this pointless piece of nonsense?
Well, as I scrolled today, there was a ‘hairdresser’ disgustingly playing with the model’s, I quote, “FLACID”(!!!!! yes really), shiny, straightened hair. Yes, the hair that the majority of the female population have been spending their hard earned £££s on for the last two decades; and solving ‘her terribly issue’ and putting a smile back on her beautiful but sad face, by adding some volume.
I guess my point is to remind you that it is all a SCAM. That we are indoctrinated to feel dissatisfied with ourselves, be it our hair, our skin, our shape, our lips, our curves. our laughter lines, our style; because dissatisfaction sells products and products line pockets. And that’s fine as long as you know and as long as it doesn’t make you not love yourself exactly how you are. Or worse make you ill.
And I’m talking to everyone now, because in my adult lifetime, it stopped being enough to give women all the hang-ups about their looks; you men and, well anyone, irrespective of gender, age or race is fair game for creating a fake problem for.
Making us feel inadequate sells. And we all buy. Even those of us who know its a trick.
Just be aware that we’re all being scammed.
Read more from me about body positivity and body image in these posts
