Member Photo Thread

[Jubal Early]

ZZ, I come from a long line of redheads.  Luckily the temper has somewhat (but not completely) cooled with me.  My sister's hair is such a bright red that people will reach out and touch it.  She got so paranoid about it that for a long time she kept it tucked under scarves and such to hide it.

[Jubal Early]

I've had short hair a few times.

In hair school:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/uggoff/4476038197/in/set-72157623677874845/

Love that color!  My 14-yo daughter has a lot of purple streaks in her hair.  When I had long hair, I would let my friend dye the under part of my hair at the back with a dark purple, then I would pull it into a ponytail which was very dramatic with the red.

[urs]

Urs, I'm wondering if you dye it yourself or do you have a professional do it?  I did myself blond a few times and was told I would lose it all if I kept doing it myself.  I do know it did feel stiff after I did it and so now I'm just a natural grey.

If I were to make mine brown (original color) how would I look?  Or am I better just to leave it as is?

I am a professional, Ratman. I pretty much always do my own hair. Firstly, I know what I want, and secondly, I feel bad for making anyone else have to deal with my thick, coarse, curly, damaged hair. It requires a degree of patience that a lot of people don't have; plus, it takes forever.

You will not lose it from bleaching it if you do it properly. I have to bleach the crap out of my hair to get it this way, and it's just a few inches shy of my waist, so it can't be too unhealthy, or else it wouldn't be able to get that long due to breakage. You just have to make sure that when you touch up the color, you only do the roots! Do not overlap new bleach onto hair that has been bleached already, or else you will have excessive breakage. Sometimes, it's enough that you ought to just cut your hair and start over (which I have done to myself before, but I knew
I was doing it, and I had planned on cutting it, anyway). Bleaching does affect the texture of your hair - it swells the hair strand and makes it porous, with holes in it. So that's why you shouldn't double bleach your hair (not without professional assistance, anyway) - every time you bleach the same hair, it just adds more holes until it's no longer structurally sound. For some people, one bleaching can be enough to cause this. For others, like myself, it can take several light to moderate bleachings before you start to see really bad damage. So no, it doesn't make your hair fall out, it just makes it break off, and that's only if you're not careful. That is the overly long answer to your first query.

To answer your question about dying it brown: brown is a universally flattering color, so anyone can do it. However, if you keep facial hair and it's also grey, you need to dye it, too, so that you match. Honestly, guys can get away with grey hair, so I wouldn't mess with it if I were you. You look fine the way you are.

Jubal, I had meant to tell you earlier that I love that cut! I've done a lot of those the last few years thanks to Victoria Beckham. She also brought back brown hair - I never used to have to buy as much brown haircolor as I have since 2007. And, purple is one of the best colors to do next to auburn hair. It creates a nice contrast. Your natural color is quite pretty.

And ZZ, you are one of those girls that looks great with short hair. I think it might even look better than the long hair. Some women have the really great bone structure necessary to look smoking hot, as opposed to just cute, with short hair. You appear to be one of these women.

[Jezzebelle]

And ZZ, you are one of those girls that looks great with short hair. I think it might even look better than the long hair. Some women have the really great bone structure necessary to look smoking hot, as opposed to just cute, with short hair. You appear to be one of these women.

awww thank you!  now you're gonna make me think about cutting all my hair off :P i'll take pics if i decide to do it for spring, that short one about is about 5 years old and i havent had it short since then.

i am so envious of your color-rific hair!  i wish i could get away with that at my job, it's just stunning

[David M]

IMHO, a masterpiece is a masterpiece no matter what frame you put around it.

You are all stunningly beautiful.

[Ratman]

Thank you Urs. I didn't know those things.  ZZ your smile knocks me out.  I love it.

[Jubal Early]

Almost every year, we go to a Ren Faire.  My favorite part is visiting the Twisted Sisters to get braids done.  It usually takes about 15 minutes and lasts about 3 days. This one is from 2000.

[Maggie the Opinionated]

I am a professional, Ratman. I pretty much always do my own hair.

Somehow I missed that you are a stylist, Urs. No wonder your hair and makeup are always so spectacular and perfect! ZZ both your pictures are great but I *really* like your hair short. It just looks so polished and professional. Of course, if your goal is hippie biker chick that might not be the look you want.

I had long red hair, almost to my waist. Last February, I fell at work and broke both of my arms at the elbow.

Yikes. I don't know if I could cope with long hair any more and to say the truth, your shorter cut doesn't seem very short to me. Of course, compared to waist length hair ...

[Yog]

Every time I see a Maggie post in this thread my hopes are raised, ..and then dashed again when I find it's once again a comment with no pic.. 

[Maggie the Opinionated]

Every time I see a Maggie post in this thread my hopes are raised, ..and then dashed again when I find it's once again a comment with no pic.. 

Err, I don't think I have posted in this thread before. But maybe. I did post a picture of myself, early on. If I find it, I will add the link to this message.

Update:
I'm never wrong. I did post a rather unflattering picture of myself early on

http://isgodimaginary.com/forum/index.php/topic,37.msg254631.html#msg254631

[Yog]

* Yog lives in hope.

[Shylala]

AAH maggie! I was getting excited thinking I would see you ! +1 though

[styleislove]

Style, you get prettier every year.and those mischievous blue eyes stay the same.

Awww :3 Thanks Leesey. But I do not. xD.

Style I think it looks great like that.  I like the waves.

Thanks. Straight hair was better though, da?

[urs]

Thank you, Maggie and ZZ.

And this shows my color much better.

[catwixen]

so so so pretty ^

[jill]

This is me - - - -but the magazine isn't real.   See bottom corner - - magmypic.com

[leese]

^^love it.

[kevin]

cool! what about me?



i'm not as good looking as jill is, tho

[Jezzebelle]

 
+1

where's the centerfold??

[David M]

Thank you, Maggie and ZZ.

And this shows my color much better.

I don't know, call me old fashioned.  I mean, sure Urs is good looking and all that, but I just can't imagine myself saying, "Hey, guys, check out that hot blue head over there..."  You know what I mean?

[Ratman]

Thank you, Maggie and ZZ.

And this shows my color much better.

I don't know, call me old fashioned.  I mean, sure Urs is good looking and all that, but I just can't imagine myself saying, "Hey, guys, check out that hot blue head over there..."  You know what I mean?

Okay, I'll call you old fashioned.  I fine her hair a wonderful beautiful statement of the person that she is and is not afraid of people like you.

[urs]

Well, David, I don't expect everyone to prefer it, or even like it, but I don't do it for everyone else. I do it for me, because I like it. I define for myself what I think is pretty, instead of buying into the stereotypes about what is or isn't pretty. I don't believe that looking "traditionally beautiful" is the only way to feel good about myself or my appearance. I am not going to beat myself up for not being blonde enough, or thin enough, or not having huge boobs, or stretch mark-free skin. In my mind, outer beauty can consist of nearly infinite qualities, and I refuse to let our culture's shallow definitions of attractiveness confine my preferences, although I admit that occasionally I fall into the trap and feel ugly because I don't look like a movie star. Why would any of us want to feel that way, though? I feel best about myself when I look in the mirror and see bright, cheerful colors. I know a lot of people don't really understand why anyone would want to look the way that I do (or they think it's an attention getting thing), but that doesn't change the fact that when I am a blonde with "normal" make up and clothes, I don't like myself. I don't feel like me. Yes, I get much more approval from the world, in general, and men, in particular, if I am blonde or redheaded, but I am not seeking outside approval - I seek my own approval. Validation from others isn't near as satisfying as validation from myself.

I have also discovered a happy side effect of my appearance: I've made other women question traditional beauty, too. I've made women from all different backgrounds, ethnicities, and age groups re-assess what beauty really is, and in that, I hope I helped them feel a little better about themselves. I hope that seeing blue hair or neon make-up on me makes them realize that you don't have to look "perfect" to look pretty, and that it's more important to feel like yourself and do what you wanna do, instead of what the world tells you to do or how to look. I hope they see that ultimately (and yes, this is cliche'), being yourself and being comfortable in your own skin is one of the most attractive qualities someone can have. I hope they see that in me.

And thanks, Ratman. You get it!

[David M]

Ok, Urs, I get all that, but I think you took my comment way too seriously, and all wrong, as well.  I'm not trying to stereotype you, don't try to sterotype me, OK?

[Tish]

..... I admit that occasionally I fall into the trap and feel ugly because I don't look like a movie star. ...

OMG, don't ever - you are absolutely gorgeous!! 

[Ratman]

Um David M.  Nothing against you but I think Urs has heard  what you have said all to well.  Even if you didn't mean anything by it, it came through loud and clear.

[urs]

Lol, I wondered if it would come off that way. I didn't mean for it to. I am just used to having to explain myself to people all the time. I also get treated pretty rudely sometimes, by complete strangers, simply because of how I look. I get frustrated with the pressure that gets put on women to look a certain way, and instead of fighting or questioning that, we fall right into it, and then we don't even need help with the pressure, because we're so busy applying it to ourselves that we don't think twice about it.

Now that I've got a little girl, I don't want her to grow up hating her body or her appearance because our culture tells her she should if she doesn't look like Megan Fox or Jessica Simpson. I don't want her to grow up feeling the way I did, or the way I know most other women feel - completely inadequate, ugly, unappealing, fat. Before, my appearance used to just be personal expression. Now, it's more than that. It's a way for me to lead by example, and teach my kids, and maybe some others, that not only is appearance trivial in our judgements of others, but that it's also intensely personal, and shouldn't be dictated by anyone else but us.

I know guys don't always understand exactly what women are dealing with when it comes to our looks, but looks are made out to be a HUGE DEAL, and if it weren't, we wouldn't have the obsessions with plastic surgery, working out, dieting, eating disorders, aging, etc., etc., etc., that we do. It creates so much self-loathing and unhappiness, and I'm just over it. I don't want it for me, for my kids, or for anyone else.

I wasn't trying to go off on a rant at you, David. I was just getting the explanations out of the way, because I would have likely had to give one at some point. And this is an issue that matters to me on a professional and personal level. It's my job to help women figure out what will make them feel the most like themselves, and I see so many that feel torn between what they really want to look like, and what they're "expected" to look like. I have to have this kind of conversation at least a couple of times a week. I actually have to remind (or even convince) some women that it's okay to look however they want to look; that it really is their decision. I encounter low self-esteem daily, hourly. It's just sad, that there are so many girls out their who feel like they're ugly unless they do things a certain way, and it's just not true. I don't want to be a part of that, from either side. So that's all this is - me explaining my disdain of our cultural preferences regarding beauty, and the disdain I, and other women, receive when we don't play the game. I want to change minds about this stuff. I want to challenge perceptions and beliefs. That's what I was doing - I promise I wasn't b***hing at you!

[JadedPulse]

+1 urs.

I for one, think you are absolutely gorgeous--no matter the hair color.

[Ratman]

Another +1 Urs.

[styleislove]

Oh, Urs, you're so pretty :3 the color is gorgeous!

I've always wanted white hair...X3 try to imagine a Style like that, would look silly, yeah? but I would love it.

[David M]

Lol, I wondered if it would come off that way. I didn't mean for it to. I am just used to having to explain myself to people all the time. I also get treated pretty rudely sometimes, by complete strangers, simply because of how I look. I get frustrated with the pressure that gets put on women to look a certain way, and instead of fighting or questioning that, we fall right into it, and then we don't even need help with the pressure, because we're so busy applying it to ourselves that we don't think twice about it.

Now that I've got a little girl, I don't want her to grow up hating her body or her appearance because our culture tells her she should if she doesn't look like Megan Fox or Jessica Simpson. I don't want her to grow up feeling the way I did, or the way I know most other women feel - completely inadequate, ugly, unappealing, fat. Before, my appearance used to just be personal expression. Now, it's more than that. It's a way for me to lead by example, and teach my kids, and maybe some others, that not only is appearance trivial in our judgements of others, but that it's also intensely personal, and shouldn't be dictated by anyone else but us.

I know guys don't always understand exactly what women are dealing with when it comes to our looks, but looks are made out to be a HUGE DEAL, and if it weren't, we wouldn't have the obsessions with plastic surgery, working out, dieting, eating disorders, aging, etc., etc., etc., that we do. It creates so much self-loathing and unhappiness, and I'm just over it. I don't want it for me, for my kids, or for anyone else.

I wasn't trying to go off on a rant at you, David. I was just getting the explanations out of the way, because I would have likely had to give one at some point. And this is an issue that matters to me on a professional and personal level. It's my job to help women figure out what will make them feel the most like themselves, and I see so many that feel torn between what they really want to look like, and what they're "expected" to look like. I have to have this kind of conversation at least a couple of times a week. I actually have to remind (or even convince) some women that it's okay to look however they want to look; that it really is their decision. I encounter low self-esteem daily, hourly. It's just sad, that there are so many girls out their who feel like they're ugly unless they do things a certain way, and it's just not true. I don't want to be a part of that, from either side. So that's all this is - me explaining my disdain of our cultural preferences regarding beauty, and the disdain I, and other women, receive when we don't play the game. I want to change minds about this stuff. I want to challenge perceptions and beliefs. That's what I was doing - I promise I wasn't b***hing at you!

Wow.  So much that I want to respond to here, as what you have written is easily as beautiful as your pictures, if not more so.

First, I'll say that I have been disgusted with the societal pressure put upon women to look a certain way ever since I was about twelve and I used to read my sister's Redbook and McCall's magazines in the bathroom, filled with articles and ads specifically designed to make women feel bad about themselves so they'll spend tons of money on products they don't really need to look beautiful.  I used to watch them spend hours with their hair in curlers with bags on their heads attached to hoses that pumped hot air onto them, only to melt into tears when the curls wouldn't curl just the way the wanted them too.  I watched their dates sit nervously being "entertained" by my father while my sisters were upstairs trying to make themselves more beautiful, when they could have been out having a good time with one another instead.

But this begs the question of why you, as a beauty professional, would encourage women to do anything more than simply show themselves to the world the way God made them.  I've never seen a hair color that came out of a bottle that was as pretty as the shades and highlights that come naturally with good hygiene, nutrition, sunshine, and even aging.  I know that it's how you make your living, but why encourage women with straight hair to curl it, or women with curls to try to straighten it, if you think it's wrong for them to think that there is anything wrong with the way they look naturally?

Quaker women have been challenging these perceptions for centuries, and in modern times many feminists also, not by painting themselves different colors but by wearing simple, modest clothing and ignoring the preceived "need" for make-up and other beauty tricks, and I find them to be among the most attractive women in the world.

If you want women to believe that they are good enough just the way they are, why don't you try presenting yourself to the world just the way you are?  I believe in my heart that you would be just as stunning, if not more so.