1 Non-Blonde on Going Blonde

Words by Matthew Spence-

To blonde or not to blonde. We’ve had to decide between these two decisions at one point or another. For most of us at least, it’s like 5 spots behind figuring out which college to go to or who to kill at the end of GTA V [spolier for a 10-year-old game btw]. Infatuation with blonde hair goes back centuries; to the new millennium traveling to 2023. From cinema to books to pop culture to everyday life. The six-letter word is like weed, we’ve considered it at least once but whether we do it or not is something else.

It shares the name of a generation-defining album by Frank Ocean [and a gross portrayal of Marylin Monroes’ life unfortunately]. Influencers to musicians to actors to your dormmate, we’ve all seen a blonde era for someone. Billie Eilish has one of the top 20 most-liked photos on Instagram of her debuting her fresh blonde hair at the beginning of her “Happier Than Ever” era. Over 20 million likes for revealing hair, respect it. A blonde era draws more eyes than nude magazines and catches the attention of people that toss the idea around like a ball to try it out themselves. Will it be their era of sleaze or the era of purity? who fucking knows. Everyones’ journey and reasoning for why is a jumble of paper in a hat and it results from many reasons.

Speaking as a POC. Does our infatuation with going blonde possibly stem back to the internalized racist rhetoric spread through generations that European beauty standards are what should be strived for? To achieve “the Bluest Eye”? While our beauty standards are deemed as less than minimal, belittled, and demonized as imperfections. That’s a nuanced convo for another time, but I felt that needed to be acknowledged.

Cutting away from the gravity of that, it’s not necessarily as complex and deeply rooted for many. Keep it simple, it’s fun and looks dope. Dying your hair is a fun (and slightly tedious) way to change the pace of your lifestyle and refresh the page for you. It’s sprinting out of your comfort zone, embracing the oddness. You don’t need to be in a band to feel as if that’s the most acceptable way. You don’t have to join Wallows, rappers do it as well: Lil Wayne, Future, Tyler, the Creator, Kid Cudi, Young Thug, Danny Brown, Playboi Carti, and most of Brockhampton, among others. Donald Glover took it a step further and dyed his beard blonde versus his hair. Of course, I can’t not mention the most famous blonde rapper: Marshall Mathers

Some may assume Blonde won’t look good on darker complexions, hence why some get turned away from the idea However, with years going back that’s just untrue as so many people have gone blonde and looked amazing. There are various shades that mesh heavenly with various skin tones, you’ll figure out what will look good for you. Tell anyone who thinks otherwise to “shove it up their ass”. You have one life, you’re not gonna have hair forever (possibly), might as well have fun with it.