Post-"Tom"actic stress made me do it!

Yes, I realize that the title is very corny, but it does relate to the whole "me becoming professional" thing.

I was tired of going into rooms and conferences and seminars with people that I did not know and have to break the barrier of being a blonde. That is, I would have to dispel the insinuation that I was a stupid barbie who could be an office assistant instead of an Engineer. So, to stop it before it occurs, I went to the extreme and darkened my hair to a brown!!

Why is this so big? Well, my hair is a dirty blonde. So that means that I have darkened it significantly. In fact, I have never made my hair this dark before. Also, I am extremely disappointed with most people who feel that they have to lighten their hair to get attention, or to get noticed. What I mean is females who are obviously not close to being blonde, demonstrated by the blackness of their eyebrows, are dying their gorgeous dark hair to blonde in order to stand out, or to be different, or to gain confidence....etc. The sad thing about this is that you stand out as someone who is not happy with your look and that you don't have enough confidence to embrace the natural colour of your hair and work it. You have to be like all of the Playboy Bunnies and become blond so that you are accepted into society by males. I know that this is extremely biased and that not all males are like this, but I am becoming increasingly concerned with females who are changing their exterior appearance to become accepted and to gain that feeling of confidence.

So, this is my going against the grain angst. I did not get low lights to make me dark. Like so many women who dye to become blond, I have dyed to become brown. And I like it. It's darker than my natural, so I have to colour in my eyebrows to make it work. But I want to show women that you don't need to be blonde to make it. And, as strange as it sounds, some of the girls I have talked to are listening. They are throwing off the "chains of the peroxide nation," so to speak. I know that once the dye comes out, I will be back to the normal colour that I have: blonde. The thing is, if I can inspire women to just be themselves, than I am happy. I realize that me changing my colour is me not being me, but I think it takes one person to go against the grain to get people to snap out of the societal norms. And from what I have seen, I think that this may be successful.

I think that we as women need to be true to us. And to me, it is just hair. People have asked how could I do this. Well, it is hair and it will grow and it can be cut again and changed. It's just hair. I think that has resonated with some people, and my hopes are that they will give up the facade of the blonde and be dark. You are only dark for the first part of your life, then everyone goes blonde because of the grey. So, I say embrace it!

And finally, I think this came on because before Tom left, he kept talking about how I should try making my dark blonde hair into really light blonde hair, almost a platinum. And see, I did the opposite. Which, of course, is something I usually do. I think I did it because going blonder when you are young is what everyone does to fit in and be sexy and hot and bombshellish. No thanks. I choose brains and confidence. Hence why I decided to make the statement. I feel that there are too many Paris Hilton's in society, so I am trying to reset the balance.

Enjoy the pics!!