Going platinum: can a wallflower turn bombshell?

Isn't it funny how much we rely on hair color to indicate personality?

For most of my young teen years, I wanted to go red. The original inspiration was Anne Shirley of Anne of Green Gables -- I wanted to be like Anne, smart and imaginative and brave... and red-headed. Being that I was eleven at the time, understandably I didn't do it. Going into middle school, I wanted to go red like Dana Scully of the X-Files -- brilliant, skeptical, awesome.

And whenever I'd tell someone about the desire to go red, like my hairdresser or even my mom, they'd say, "Oh, you don't have the personality to pull off red hair. You're not outgoing enough."

I think that kind of sucks. And I'm not sure if it's because I don't like being told that it's my personality holding me back from that hair color, or if it's the assumption that your hair dictates your personality.

If it had been, "honestly, with your coloring, no, red doesn't go with your skin tone", then I would have been fine with that. In fact, that's probably true too. (I don't know for sure; I've never tried.) But to be told "your personality doesn't go with that hair color" sucks.

But I've been thinking about it, and I've been thinking about how much I've been blending in lately. And it's true: I'm not outgoing, I'm not a big networker, and I'm kind of a wallflower.

I went to the Glam.com and Stylemob party about a week and a half ago. Being in San Francisco, I've gone to tech parties before and I've stood there and I've usually met one or two new people, and even then it's been because I've been with the boyfriend, who's much better at the mixing and networking than I am. I was excited that, at the Glam party, I met four or five new people. (And they were all awesome people, including Tami of fête à fête.)

But if I hadn't thought quickly and grabbed a seat at a booth and stayed there the whole night, I don't know if I would have gone out and met people. And that's not to say that it wasn't a good party -- I just don't do well at these events where people go to trade cards and promote themselves. It was so well-attended that there wasn't room to dance, and I've always been bummed that there's never karaoke at any of these tech parties. Because while I have a tough time introducing myself and handing out a card to one person, I can get up on a stage in front of hundreds of strangers and belt out a song. (Crazy, right?)

So is it because I'm naturally a brunette? Or is it all bogus?

Let's test this theory.

I've gone platinum blonde. Already it's a conversation starter -- everyone who's ever seen me brunette at least once goes, "Oh wow! You're so blonde!" the first time they see me.

I've never been this blonde before, not even as a little kid. It's definitely new, and I'm definitely reaching for lipstick and eyeliner to try to balance out this new look. I also feel guilty whenever I look at The Non-Blonde, now -- I went to the dark (light?) side! I went blonde after being non- for so long!

But you know what? I'm glad to be trying something new. And I'm hoping that maybe this will help me... well, blossom. Some big things are coming up this spring and summer, and I can't let myself shy away from these awesome opportunities. (Will there be karaoke??)

So yeah. I'm a blonde! ...Does this mean I get to go buy new make-up now? (Kidding! ...right?)

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