Many students and teachers have found a multitude of avenues for self-expression due to the recent cultivation of numerous makeup and fashion trends from social media. However, some Bulldogs utilize another medium to express their identity: hair colors.
“When you look at someone, the first thing that will stand out will be their hair — especially if it’s a different color,” senior Lena Cho said. “Whereas with makeup and clothes, people can always follow a certain trend. Even though someone may have the same hair, everyone looks different because of the way their face is applied to the hair.”
Since dying her hair for the first time in kindergarten, Cho has experimented with unique shades countless times such as pink, purple and yellow. Another notable attribute of Cho’s hair color journey is how it reflected changes in her personality as she grew older, setting it apart from other means of self-expression, according to Cho. Now, her bleached, blond hair exemplifies her outgoing and bright persona.
“I feel like when I did the purple and pink, I felt more rebellious and less held back,” Cho said. “With my yellow hair, I felt more elegant compared to my pink and purple hair. I just felt like I was more well-kept together.”
Similarly, freshman Kate Song fell in love with this form of self-expression back in elementary school. Song was first exposed to unconventional hairstyles, like perms and different colors, when she was looking at her mom’s old pictures, which inspired her to experiment with her own hair, according to Song. Now, her vibrant green highlights stand out from the crowd.
“Honestly, my hair is a way of showing myself to other people,” Song said. “Whenever I look in the mirror, I love my hair. It’s just something that you can enjoy every single day. It fits with my style, and just how I like to express myself.”
After dyeing her hair for the first time in sixth grade, Song has done so over 14 different times and has had hair colors ranging from purple, blue, pink, red and green, according to Song. Like many, her hair is an extension of her style and identity and also an asset of herself that she enjoys.
Evident from his bright blond highlights, sophomore English teacher Vinny Rico has dyed his hair since he was younger, much like Song and Cho had.
“When I was younger, I liked doing things to stand out, so dyeing my hair was a fun way to do it,” Rico said. “But now I do it because I just think it fits my personality.”
Rico initially dyed his hair to stand out, and brown, lavender, yellow and orange are just a few of the colors he has tried out recently.
While Cho, Song and Rico began dyeing their hair for different reasons, they still partake in this activity as it is an exciting outlet to express their unique personalities.
