Out of thin (h)air

After a lot of hairsplitting, I finally zeroed in a haircut that I thought would give me a ‘different look’. To specify, I also downloaded a cute picture of a young lass to give a clear-cut idea to a hairdresser.  The picture happened to be of the girl featured in a 4G advertisement. While I thought I had done something innovative, the 4G cut was the norm in the parlor! Nevertheless, my hairdresser looked a little worked up. She looked at the picture and said, “Your face is broad and this cut might not suit you.” I insisted still I wanted it. Later on, she complained that my hair was too thin.

I told her to go ahead and do whatever suits me. Maybe that made her comfortable. After finishing off the job, she said she had delivered her best yet failed to give me that ‘picture perfect’ look. I told her it was okay as I knew I was never going to look like the girl in the picture. I also made a passing remark, “If your clients expect to look like someone, make it categorically clear they will just look like themselves.”

She more than agreed. I sought to know from her how a hairstylist or a makeup artist decides as to what suits one the best. I expected a technical reply but the girl was more than honest. She said, “It’s a gamble. Sometimes it clicks, sometimes, it doesn’t. There could be no golden rules to styling and makeup. I apply the same technique to everyone but people perceive it differently.”

The girl wasn’t a mere hairstylist, maybe a logical and pragmatic person. That set me thinking. There were two aspects to the point. One, we try to look or be like someone and that creates problems. Second, that something or someone we aspire for is born out our own imagination. In true sense, we can never become anything or anyone but just be what we are.

If one wears one’s heart on one’s sleeves, no complexion could hide that confidence. If one is not at peace with oneself, no makeup could camouflage the discomfort. One carries attitude and not look.

That’s the reason look and style could be the last thing judged in beauty pageants. Those crowned at beauty contests are supposed to have more substance than the look. That impeccable look doesn’t tell hide nor hair about inner constituent of a person. Again, what matters is what you think of how you look or be as all others will have different versions of your personality or your being.  

A lecturer once received a comment that it was an excellent speech and he had spoken minds of most of the audiences. Here was his prompt reply, “There is nothing like good or bad speech. A speaker speaks what s/he wants to and a listener listens to what s/he want to.”    

Come on, it doesn’t mean one should stop experimenting with styling and makeup! You are perfectly poised if you can take versions of others about you without turning a hair. 

-KanChan