Our hair color and hairstyle are large parts of our identity. When we change our hairstyle and/or color we mentally take on a different persona not only to people who know us but, happily enough, we feel a change within ourselves. Unlike most of my girlfriends, I change my hair quite often. I think women often get too comfortable and also are afraid of change.

My hair story began when I was very young and continues to this day. For the first 18 years of my life my mother cut my hair, and I didn’t get the chance to choose my own look until I was in college.

My college friends were city girls and taught the ropes to this girl from Kankakee by the Sea. They went to the hairdresser weekly because they said they were mature. They dragged me along to be pampered and I loved my first hairdresser, who streaked my brunette hair blonde and took pleasure in styling it as it grew longer throughout the year. Young women meeting me for the first time would ask, “Are you from LA?”

I wore my hair long until I married Sheldon in my 40s and  he casually mentioned to me, “I love short hair.” I was looking for a change and figured, why not try a new ‘do? I have noticed that women change “their look” when there is a change or a lack of change in their lives. If you don’t believe me, maybe this will help — here is why you should change your hairstyle.

1. Change is good. I think change is refreshing, darlings. A change in hair style or color, I believe, is uplifting.  According to UK hairstylist, Andrew Collinge, women change their “hairstyles” as much as 104 times during their lifetime! I suggest taking the plunge if you start to feel the itch for change. As Nike says, “just do it.”
2. Pamper yourself. Walk into a great hair salon and get pampered. A trim, a rinse, a new shade of color. You will at the very least come out with an added spring in your step. If you’re lucky, you may get a glass of wine or two on the house —never a bad deal. Might as well make a day out of it and get a mani-pedi too, who cares, you deserve it!
3. Transform your image. One of the top five reasons women change their hair is because they want to reinvent themselves. It could be a break-up, moving to a new city, a new boyfriend, or a new job. Or maybe it’s just a yearning for something different. Get out of your rut, change it up.
4. Adjust your age. Who wants to look their age? When you are young you want to look older. And when you are older, well, you want to look younger. ‘Tis the conundrum we deal with our whole lives, but guess what? A hairstyle can add a few years (if that’s really what you’re looking for) or better yet, it can trim a few off. Go to a trusted salon and have the confidence to leave the styling up to them.
5. Embrace a new perspective. I think changing your hair can change your life and your perspective on things. It may sound silly, but new hair alters our confidence, attitude and sometimes our personality. You know how it’s hard to have a good day when you have a bad hair day – well, it’s hard to have a bad day with great hair…

Now, I’m not just talking the talk, I’ve walked this walk many a time.  I have worn my hair long, short, buzzed. I’ve never added color, but I’ve explored all kinds of looks. With the change of my hairstyle my wardrobe  also changes which creates a change in my life, a transformation of my image and is just a fun new feeling to change things up a bit!