Contents
Why hair is a symbol of power and security
Psychology and image
“Hair is everything”, an exalted Fleabag (protagonist of the series to which he gives his name) snaps at a hairdresser after seeing the hair disaster he has done to his sister. And he continues: “I wish it wasn’t, so that I could think of something else from time to time, but it is. It is the difference between a good day and a bad day. It is a symbol of power. And it is that hair, indeed, is our letter of introduction; a way to express who we are.
“For me hair is the most important thing, and for my clients too. In the time of the coronavirus, that we go with the mask and we have a more withdrawn life, the hair is the
only ornament we have and that gives us life “, says María Baras stylist and artistic director of the Cheska Hall. Beyond being an ‘ornament’, hair is one of the most characteristic hallmarks of each individual, especially if we talk about women. Paloma Cuenca, psychologist and manager of the Golden Clinic, comments that the way she wears her hair says a lot about the personality of each one. In addition, he assures that part of the relevance given to hair lies in the fact that «we live in a society driven by the media and social networks, in which brands continually highlight the image of models, actors or famous people who they promote different colors and hairstyles that create need.
Throughout history, hair has consolidated as a symbol of power and health. There are examples of all kinds and in all areas. From the most recent pop culture (that Britney Spears shaving her hair, an act branded as her definitive downfall by the media) to mythology. “For centuries, having healthy hair not only represented an attribute of beauty, but also differentiated the social and religious status of the person. In the story of Samson he is a clear example: he represented his strength through his hair until Dalila cut it off, ”explains Paloma Cuenca. He assures, then, that long hair (in women) has always indicated health and power, and that currently having beautiful and healthy hair, regardless of its shape, is still a symbol of beauty.
About that long hair, which has historically been a sign of youth, María Baras explains that, depending on the culture and the country, it reflects one image or another. In general terms, it explains that “Very, very long” manes are associated with a more childish imageWhile “more trendy” hair usually reflects maturity. «This has a very personal connotation, there are those who think that having long hair ‘like a slob’, ‘like a hippie’ or ‘like a girl’; everyone has an opinion, “says the stylist.
And what about short hair?
If short hair was previously associated with being ‘not very feminine’, both the psychologist Paloma Cuenca and the stylist María Baras agree that this idea “is now over.” «If you have short hair, you convey more confidence and personality. Somehow you say: ‘Here I am,’ “says Baras. He adds that, if you wear a longer hair, in a way it is a way to hide behind your own hair.
A historically perpetrated idea is the association of straight hair with beauty and order and sloppy curly hair. “In the past it was said that straight hair offered a professional, confident and very formal image, unlike curly hair, which reflected a more spontaneous, exotic and dynamic person.”, Explains Paloma Cuenca. María Baras, for her part, explains that these ideas are generally already out of date. “Although there are people who perhaps still perceive it that way, in the world of fashion, for example, curly hair is increasingly appreciated,” he says.
Hair that needs more care
What the stylist explains is that curly hair requires more care than straight hair and, therefore, it is easier for it to appear less groomed. “It is true that it costs more to take advantage of it, but at this point I think that everyone loves curly hair,” he says. Likewise, it emphasizes the importance of ‘accepting’ the hair texture one has, in order to feel better about our appearance and not “crush our hair, but take advantage of what each one has.”
Paloma Cuenca explains that, for example, wearing dirty hair or a hairstyle that you are not really comfortable with can create insecurity in some people. Therefore, both the psychologist and the stylist urge not only accept hair as it is, but to find a haircut that matches the style and hair of each, in order to feel good. “The main objective with my clients is to find a cut that works and is easy,” says María Baras. “Having hair that we like and makes us feel comfortable will make us happier,” says Paloma Cuenca. And Fleabag was right: “Hair is everything.”