How people react to unnatural hair colours: blue/pink/purple hair problems | Chat

I've had this post drafted for a while and finally got round to posting it! Since I dyed my hair blue in my first year of Uni, I've gathered an assorted collection of experiences of the general public's reaction to me looking 'different'. I'm not trying to 'special snowflake' myself here in any way, it's no way a unqiue thing to do nowadays but I thought I'd share some of the funny/scary experiences I've had with coloured hair, and if there are any other rainbow gals out there please comment your stories below!



Obviously people's reactions are not in the sense of being mobbed in broad daylight or whatever, but having your hair an unnatural colour seems to make people think it's okay to say certain things/act in a certain way; even though it is pretty common (especially with the current trend for my little pony hair). I'd say 80% of reactions to my hair are positive and 20% negative.



You often get quite a few people complimenting you which is lovely, often I get shop assistants and strangers telling me they like my hair. Some people are also genuinely curious about how get your hair a certain colour, I've been asked how I dye my hair by people from a group of 15 year old teenage boys in McDonald's to people in til queues with me. I also often get 'you look like a mermaid' from drunk people on nights out, which frankly I am going to take as a compliment. My favourite reactions though are those of children, who often go: 'Mummy look at her hair!'. Once I was waiting to be served at the bank and a little girl went: 'Mummy look at her hair! She looks like a princess!' (best compliment ever, because children never lie obvs).



Negatively because you look different people can think they have the right to comment, and call you out embarrassingly in front of others because your hair isn't a normal colour. I had a waiter in a restaurant pat me on the head and ask 'what do you want blue one?' when was time to take my order (err get off me). On time I was walking to the bus stop I had someone distributing flyers shout 'OI you with the green hair!!' (cue everyone on the street turning to look at me) to get my attention. People may also think they have the right to touch your hair (they don't), I once had two 'lads' at a flat party play with my hair whilst discussing what colour it was: 'mate it's definitely blue' 'nah fam it's green look at it'.

Another time I was in a shop and a woman came up behind me and start stroking my hair, and when I turned around like wtf she went 'your hair is so pretty - I just had to see what it felt like!'. Err thanks I guess?

'YOUR HAIR LOOKS LIKE CANDYFLOSS I WANT TO EAT IT'

Unnatural hair colours can also seem to be a beacon for creepy guys in clubs: One very drunk guy, as his friend dragged him out the club: 'YOUR HAIR LOOKS LIKE CANDY FLOSS I WANT TO EAT IT' (that one was quite funny actually) and a less amusing creep: 'You're actually quite fit, but your hair is fucking weird'. What an absolute charmer.



 Ticket inspectors also regularly call me out on the bus 'your hair is interesting' 'morning luv, nice hair' (at 8.30am on a bus packed full of students, leave me alone plzzz). Guy on a reception in the gym: 'your hair is very errr...blue', bouncer: 'your hair looks like it's gone mouldy' (thanks). The worst experience I had was a guy following me down a dark deserted street asking me questions about my hair and telling me how much he liked it which freaked me out massively.

Find a friend with rainbow hair too and become my little pony twins

What you have to get used to with unnatural hair colours is the staring. People love a good stare. Most people just have a look because it's bright and bright things catch your attention. Others however will have a good long gawp. I come from the middle of the countryside, and when I go outside to walk my dogs or to one of the local small towns you get all sorts of brilliant reactions. I go to university in Manchester where there are plenty of people with bright hair, being a massive student city. However there is none of that in t'country. Here are some of the reactions I have registered in response to my hair:

The 'JESUS CHRIST WHAT IS THAT'
The 'please don't mug me' (old ladies clutching their handbags as I pass by, I shit you not)
The 'Ew. What are you doing with your life?'
The 'AVOID EYE CONTACT WITH THE WEIRDO AT ALL COSTS'
The 'OMG *double takes*'

Or my favourite from my Grandpa upon seeing my hair for the first time: 'GOOD LORD! What have you done to yourself?!'



Of course the negatives do not outweigh the fact that having unnaturally coloured hair is really fun. You are colourful 24/7 and also, as I have been regularly reminded, like a beacon; so your friends will never lose you out shopping/in clubs/packed places. You also become very used to being stared at, if I catch someone staring at me I know it's usually because my hair is bright, rather than I've got a massive spot or my skirt is tucked into my knickers. I'm not going to lie though it is very uncomfortable being stared at sometimes, but as I said if you are living in a major city the chances are unnatural hair colours are a bit of a norm, so you will garner less attention.

If you've ever had rainbow hair what reactions have you received? xx

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