Your Hair’s Sending Subliminal Messages
By: Taylor Barfield
Tags: Society, Style, Politics, Hair, Gender

Been to the barber lately? Numbers show that on average, guys are at the barbershop almost 6 times a year, while gals go around 4 times a year.

This makes sense, seeing as guys tend to keep their hair short and neat. Gals on the other hand normally prefer longer hair, which doesn’t require cuts as often.

Remember back in ’07 when Britney Spears shaved her head? She was making a statement. She wanted to regain control of her life.

Or how about Frank Ocean dying his hair green? Or pink? The change sparked forum discussions. What is this elusive artist saying to us?

Okay, so our hairstyle signifies something. It’s seemingly connected to our personality. Not everyone has it in them to go blonde. Maybe 1 in 100 people are interested in a mohawk.

Let’s take a look at some of the more popular hairstyles and the aura they give off.

Bald

You might be bald by choice, or, more likely, because it just happened. Whichever it is, knowing what you present to the world is valuable.

And it’s not all bad.

Preventing baldness, or once the damage has been done, reversing the effects with regrowth products, are hot topics for men in particular. Bald isn’t considered conventionally attractive — but that doesn’t mean being bald makes you a lost cause.

Bald men are viewed as more socially mature.

More specifically, bald men were rated as more intelligent, influential, knowledgeable, well-educated, [of a] high[er] social status, honest and helpful.

Sure, a lot of old dudes are bald, and aging detracts from your looks (George Clooney might have something to say about that). Naturally, we’re going to equate baldness with oldness, and oldness with unattractiveness.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Research suggests baldness communicates dominance, masculinity, confidence, strength, and leadership. And that you’re perceived as a tad taller than you really are.

So if you’re balding or already bald, forge on. Having hair’s overrated.

Man bun

Introduced in the 2010s, the man bun is said to have peaked in 2015. While it was all the rage, it enjoyed soaring popularity for its vibe.

Bohemian, offbeat in a cool, catching way. These are some of the descriptors attached to the man bun.

Per Wikipedia, the man bun is “associated with Brooklyn hipsters”. That didn’t stop Chris Hemsworth, Orlando Bloom, Leonardo DiCaprio, and others from trying it out for themselves.

The man bun challenges the concept of gender, as long hair, even when tied up, is typically reserved for females. For this reason, men who grow out their hair and have it up in a knot are viewed as confident in their masculinity.

But how does society feel about it?

Well, it’s inspired a whole range of sentiments on the internet. “Man-buns are the sexiest thing in the world” is the title of this piece. And then there’s this one titled, “How The Man Bun Is Destroying Our Civilization”.

It appears the man bun — most certainly a trend — is split right down the middle. It’s one of those things you either love or hate, with no room for impartiality.

Buzz cut

This one’s been popularized by plenty of celebs, Zayn Malik, Tom Hardy and Conor McGregor among them. It’s a DIY ‘do anyone can rock. It has an instant classic feel to it.

Low-maintenance and sleek, it’s a no-frills hairstyle that’s identified with military men. Now, however, there are endless variations to it so you won’t be clumped into one group.

And compared to longer hair, it’s much more versatile. Business, party, wedding, dinner, vacation: The buzz cut has you covered.

Of course, face and head shape, as well as how you pair it with a beard or no beard, are all factors that determine if a buzz cut is right for you.

For more conventional tastes, the buzz cut is definitely appreciated as a solid, timeless look. It doesn’t draw too much attention and isn’t going to scandalize your parents-in-law. It simply carries you into the day, smart and masculine.

Bangs

All girls and women get bangs sooner or later. From this gallery, you’ll be able to find ones for whom they work, and ones who ought to snip them right off.

As for the types of bangs, a stylist commented,

Short baby bangs will focus on your eyebrows or glasses. Brow skimming bangs will focus attention to your eyes, while a curtain fringe will accent cheekbones or nose.

Basically you should be opting for bangs that enhance your good features and don’t “overwhelm” your face.

There are pros and cons of course. Reviews from men are mixed, though it goes without saying your hair shouldn’t be altered for the other sex’s benefit. It is your hair, after all.

Some argue that bangs reduce you to a child. Others that bangs are “quirky” and “cute”, but that having them symbolizes a “flimsy sense of self”. Having bangs, as a matter of fact, speaks to a whole larger issue of gender politics.

But it doesn’t have to be complicated. Fringe away if it’s you.

Pixie cut

As an androgynous pick, the pixie cut had its heyday in the 90s. Nowadays, embracing it represents nonconformity and outright boldness because really, what woman will voluntarily accept a “boy cut”.

Well, actually, many.

And the perks are more than you might imagine. For one, it’s worlds easier to withstand the hotter days of the year. You don’t have to worry about straightening and conditioning, which means fewer products and the products that you do have last longer.

It’s all about being brave. Maybe being mistaken for a lesbian. Maybe even that you’re enduring some sort of crisis.

But the bottom line is the pixie cut hasn’t fallen off the map. It’s here, and stylistically one of the most iconic options to choose from.

Curly

There’s a tendency to think of straight hair as more professional. Curly hair, conversely, signals the woman is “dangerous” and not “well-behaved”, at least according to this one blogger.

Straightening, though, has gained traction as of late. Jennifer Aniston, famous for “The Rachel” (a shag cut, layered with highlights), couldn’t resist. Straighteners beat blow-dryers every day of the week.

Or so it seemed.

Today more women are about individualism. They concern themselves less with what’s in vogue and more with what crystallizes self-expression.

Then again, it’s been pointed out that Hollywood is pushing the straight hair agenda. Media is to blame for rallying large parts of the population in support of a given look.

All that’s not straight — waves, frizz, curls — speaks to the unbroken side of femininity.

You can have a read of this page about which men like, curly or straight. But from reading the air out and about, the consensus is neither is “better” and both are worth it.