Does blonde suit people who arn't white? With pictures of yours truly.

June 28, 2009 3:45 PM

Does almost-white blonde suit me? I'm incredibly bored of my natural hair colour, and am considering going back to this style.

I used to dye my hair, and then got tired of it and went back to my natural colour (boring brown). It's been years now, and I find myself wanting to go back to crazy German-punkish blonde. What do you think? I do not pretend for it to look natural, in fact I love the fakeness of it (if I wasn't older than 21, I would actually go back to pink).

I don't have many pictures to show you, but you may see that I have hazel eyes and tan skin, with dark eyebrows (I'm definitely not dying them).

thank you for your honest opinions! If you don't like the idea, please give me advice on how to radically change my hair! (it looks like this now)

posted by Tarumba to clothing, beauty, & fashion (41 comments total)

God... I think you look so great with your natural colour, I wouldn't touch it. If you must, go much darker to create more contrast between your hair, eyes and skin tone... or just try a radical new cut. I'm by no means into the natural look for it's own sake (my own hair has been every colour but green and blue) but I think the blonde isn't good, and you look amazing in the second pic.
posted by lottie at 3:55 PM on June 28

I like the current color better than the light blonde. I think the bleached is a little too contrasty with your skin tone. Maybe try bringing out the red more? I'm not really hip to the highlights jive, but maybe go for some strawberry streaks?

Are you willing to go a little shorter? I think you'd really like it a few inches shorter, like collarbone-brushing length, perhaps.

Hope that helps!
posted by esmerelda_jenkins at 3:56 PM on June 28

I think the brown looks really, really good on you. You look really healthy and glowing. I think you'd also look good with a short hair style. Something cute and similar to this would be so great with your face shape.
posted by cooker girl at 3:56 PM on June 28 [2 favorites has favorites]

I think you look lovely in both pictures. I think, though, that the reddish tinge to your hair in the current look really adds a level of depth to your eyes, and if you switch to a pale blonde color it might not be as striking.
Since you don't mind hair color that doesn't look natural, could you do something bold with a variety of highlights or lowlights in a chunky sort of way, so that you have blond and reddish and brown? Or maybe just long, obvious streaks? That way it would still be fun and different, but not take anything away.
posted by Brody's chum at 4:00 PM on June 28 [3 favorites has favorites]

I had a friend who said, upon first seeing me after I'd bleached my hair one summer, "Bottle blondes are the best."

I tend to agree with that sentiment -- I always think of that whenever I see someone who's obviously bleached her hair. I think if you like it like that and actually like that it doesn't look natural, go for it. I think it's fun and I think you have the right attitude about it. (When I was a blonde, I even liked when I had substantial dark roots -- it just seemed "Yes, my hair color is fake. I really don't care what you think" in this badass sort of way. When I had red hair and it grew out, it didn't feel like that.)

Personally, I'm of the attitude that it's just hair. I think there are few things that one can do to their hair that's not reversible somehow. I think it looks fun on you in that photo (not that the brown looks bad -- just different) so go for it.
posted by darksong at 4:00 PM on June 28 [1 favorite has favorites]

I don't think blonde hair really suits your skin tone.
posted by jayder at 4:01 PM on June 28

As a bottle blonde myself (natural color is a flat medium brown), I think you look good both ways.

In the blonde picture of you, it does look a tad yellow, or brassy. Do you do it yourself? If you have it done at a salon, your stylist should be able to make it brighter or paler, whichever you prefer, but either way it would tone down the brassiness.
posted by peep at 4:01 PM on June 28 [1 favorite has favorites]

You look lovely both ways, but I think red would be stunning on you.
posted by Ruki at 4:05 PM on June 28

Are you willing to go through that weird half & half look when you grow it out again?
posted by Sys Rq at 4:06 PM on June 28

I think the brown is more flattering with your skin tone than the pale blonde.

If you like pink, what about pink highlights? I'm letting my hair go lighter this summer, but last year I had purple highlights and a purple glaze over my brown hair. And I'm closer to twice 21 than 21 myself.
posted by immlass at 4:06 PM on June 28 [1 favorite has favorites]

I'm a huge fan of white-blonde (note my username) but your skin tone is so gorgeously warm, you might work better with a more red or golden tone. I think a darker brown with a lot of burgundy red in it would look stunning on you, sort of like the darkest colors in the photo of your current hair, but intensified. It would make your eyes really pop!
posted by platinum at 4:06 PM on June 28 [1 favorite has favorites]

I don't know much about hair and fashion and stuff, but I know pretty girls, and you look much better in the current (brown-haired) pic.
posted by ixohoxi at 4:10 PM on June 28 [1 favorite has favorites]

You look great with your natural color. Since you're bored with it, even though you are over 21, I'd suggest the pink. (Being cute redeems a multitude of sins, including being over 21.)
posted by darth_tedious at 4:21 PM on June 28 [1 favorite has favorites]

Please dear god no. The current color goes amazingly well with your eyes and skin. Do something with the cut instead, to satisfy your urge for change. If you want to mess with the color, do something to "amp up" the natural color rather than obliterate it (more red maybe, highlights, something like that).
posted by madmethods at 4:27 PM on June 28 [4 favorites has favorites]

The problem with the blonde isn't that it looks fake, because you've said that you like it looking fake. The problem is that it looks unintentionally fake. Since blonde is a natural haircolor for many people, dying your hair blonde will appear to others as though you were trying to look like a natural blonde and failed.

If you want a fake color, I'd suggest a very vivid red or a very dark brown/black. They'll look more punk and less natural-haircolor-fail.
posted by decathecting at 4:27 PM on June 28 [3 favorites has favorites]

I've heard more than once that the most flattering hair color is the one you had when you were a toddler.
posted by scody at 4:35 PM on June 28 [1 favorite has favorites]

Is your natural color the same as your current color, or is it darker? I think you'd look best with a very dark, chocolatey brown shade. Going shorter - a bob or spiky pixie - would work well on you too.

The blonde makes your skin tone look kind of orange; if you do go blonde again, you might consider a more golden or honey shade.
posted by Metroid Baby at 4:38 PM on June 28

I thought 'No' on seeing the first pic, and then 'NO!!!' on seeing the second.

If you are just looking to punk it up a bit, maybe add a single streak in a non-natural-hair-colour colour?
posted by kmennie at 4:41 PM on June 28

Your hair could look great in a very white-blonde colour with dark roots and maybe emphasized with an edgier cut - but YOU look better with the colour you have now, or even a bit darker .

Your eyes are fantastic, and the red of your hair looks great with their colour. In fact - I'd put it even closer to them with some side bangs:

http://www.hairthursday.com/tutorials/achieving-low-maintenance-hair-side-bangs-tutorial.htm

You're pretty, and can get away with a lot but - decathecting is right: It's that the previous fake-blonde isn't fake enough, and just makes me think "drugstore blonde" instead of "salon blonde".
posted by peagood at 4:49 PM on June 28 [2 favorites has favorites]

I agree those recommending a new, shorter cut. I also agree that red could look great on you, but I think having it in highlights with your natural color (something along the lines of this using subtler tones) could look amazing on you.
posted by ashabanapal at 4:58 PM on June 28

The hair will look good as long as it is platinum blonde, not yellow-blonde as in the first picture.
posted by Elysum at 4:59 PM on June 28 [1 favorite has favorites]

I want to nth the people that say that if you're going to go for an obviously unnatural shade, fake it up as much as possible. A sharper cut with the blond would go a long way, but you could certainly go in for a vivid red, too. Of course, if your skin tone is at all normal, then I imagine there is a sea of other red haired women out there too.
posted by Schismatic at 5:04 PM on June 28

Are there salons around you that have apprentice programs? They generally do really cheap hair color as part of their training, and my impression is that salon apprentices adore people who are willing to do something fun and radical. If you're going to go blond, I would get it professionally done. I'm sure there is blond that would look awesome on you, but it's a hard thing to get right. I've tried several times, and I've never found the crazy German-punkish blond that suits my warm skin tones.
posted by craichead at 5:07 PM on June 28

The blonde doesn't look bad, but you look amazing with your natural colour. I nth the idea of a cool new hair cut instead of a colour change.
posted by canadia at 5:09 PM on June 28

If your life allows coloring your hair crazy German-punkish blonde, there's no reason not to. (Especially if you are perhaps thinking, and I'm basing this on the too old for pink remark, that this a last chance for crazy German-punkish blonde.)

There are a lot of good ideas here. However, a lot of them might require upkeep - like getting up that much earlier to blow dry or use products - so factor that in.

You look lovely and warm as a blonde and with your natural hair and I'm betting your personality will shine through even if you style your hair into a greasy mullet. If you made those shirts, I'm sure you can come up with something special for your hair.
posted by Lesser Shrew at 5:12 PM on June 28 [1 favorite has favorites]

From the pictures, and since you said you want a change, I'd say either go much darker (deep chocolate or auburn) or much, much more blonde. If you decide to go platinum, I'd do so with the help of a professional stylist, who can make sure your color is a punky platinum blond instead of I'm-totally-a-blonde-no-really yellow. You're pretty enough to pull of both the colors you showed us, but I think a much wilder white-blonde would be more fun and more obviously intentional.
posted by you're a kitty! at 5:18 PM on June 28

I like ashabanapal's link. I think those colors, or something similar, would look terrific on you.
posted by tangerine at 6:26 PM on June 28

If you bleach it, I'll just have to chase you with some pruning shears. :)

More red, please.
posted by foooooogasm at 7:05 PM on June 28

I like the blonde, I think you look good with it.
posted by fshgrl at 7:12 PM on June 28

Blonde hair, especially with the dark eyebrows, looks a little "fake" on you. Of course because it is, but blonde just works with some people better than others. If you dye it blonde, try doing your eyebrows, too. I think that would create an entire new look. But I think you'd look better with auburn/reddish hair. I think red streaks in brown hair is sexy.
posted by zardoz at 7:47 PM on June 28

I'm going to vote against the blonde dye, because as others have said it looks like you tried and failed to make it look natural. If you want to do something crazy with color but still stay within the range of normal human hair color, how about dying your hair white? It's a little more complicated and may need a trip to the salon, but it looks totally badass. Here are the first few links I found on how to do it (you'll need toner)
posted by fermezporte at 8:07 PM on June 28 [1 favorite has favorites]

crazy German-punkish blonde. What do you think? I do not pretend for it to look natural, in fact I love the fakeness of it

The brown is way more flattering than the blonde in the pic. But I totally get wanting some crazy; just put in some streaks. Or do the underneath pink.
posted by desuetude at 8:55 PM on June 28

I think the blonde is a little cheesy with your natural tan. I'm not actually into the reddish brown in your first pic, either- your eyes and skin are beautifully coloured and adding more colour is like wearing too much jewellery.

I think you should go deep deep shiny chestnut brown to make your eyes stand out. Take a peep at French model Noemie Lenoir- your colouring is similar to hers, and she has very expensive stylists making colour choices for her, so you can benefit from their expertise.

A richer reddish brown would be good. Blonde is striking but not actually flattering- it clashes with her tan, and deep dark brown hair is stunning and makes her green eyes really stand out (scroll down).
posted by pseudostrabismus at 9:01 PM on June 28 [3 favorites has favorites]

Between the two pictures the brown is far more flattering. I don't think you have the skin tone to pull off the white-blonde; lighter blondes are all about the pale. It's possible you could rock a dirty or red-blonde but, honestly, you're pretty clearly most flattered by a brownish shade.
posted by Justinian at 10:27 PM on June 28

Thank you so much for all your advice. I think I'll eithr go platinum blonde (I promise going to the hair salon for that) or delve into the world of highlights! I just want to look groomed, you know? I fell my hair is simply too plain to be alowed.

Lesser Shrew: You nailed it! I feel like I will very soon wake up having a beige van and a K. Gosselin hairdo! I do feel if I want to do it, I should do it now! I just turned 25, and got married, which automatically made me feel like such a grown up! the problem is my body ages, but my tastes don't..I still love Hello Kitty, white hair, and Nutella for lunch, you know?

Decathecting: What an eye! I actually did do it myself for that picture, I had to kill my roots, and I had about an hour before leaving for the airport to go to a sort of serious academic affair, which left me the choice of doing it myself or looking like Shakira.

You are a kitty!: thanks! I will definitely go to a professional this time...because I'm no longer a starving student and actually have an income! I always wanted to try white hair, you know?

Fermezporte: that is exactly what i dream of! I may print the pictures and give them to the stylist.
posted by Tarumba at 4:08 AM on June 29

You might consider a blue black if you want something punky-but-passing-for-natural. My only hesitation in going for platinum for you is that, even in the second picture, your hair looks fairly fried and processed. One more dye job (to get it to, say, black) probably won't hurt it, but the multiple bleachings necessary to get it to platinum might. Just something to consider.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 5:25 AM on June 29

I can't believe you would be so pretty and make yourself less so just to be "punky." That is how much I think you look better with your natural color.
posted by dame at 10:16 AM on June 29

It seems invariably true to me that hair color should be darker than skin color. When I see people with deep tans and blonde hair, it looks very strange, and not particularly flattering (nature backs me up here, those people will have skin like a leather handbag by 35). Blonde hair really looks best on people with very fair skin like Portia de Rossi.

This is not to say that "obviously unnatural" colors are bad, they can be fine, but with your skin tone, I'd go with a color for fun, rather than bottle blonde.
posted by explosion at 10:30 AM on June 29

I think you look lovely either way because you have great features. I certainly understand the itch to go blonde. Two recommendations if you want to go blonde: get highlights instead of one color, and get it done professionally.
posted by heather-b at 11:59 AM on June 29 [1 favorite has favorites]

I have a friend with a similar skin tone, she's Irish-Chilean. She is lovely as are you. I think she's really rocked bright, bright red, her natural dark (actually, she has a twin who keeps it dark) but currently, her hair is a rich, dimensional gold, (here, in front, looking a little dumbstruck by the flash) and it's AMAZING.

But hey, if you wanna do platinum? I would say CHOP IT OFF and keep it spiky or fluffy and short. And don't be too shy to add a splash of color, like pink, to that!
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 12:55 PM on June 29

The thing about punky platinum colored hair is that it needs to be paired with a punky cut and style. It also needs lots of product to look right. And going really light from dark is a big commitment. You will be getting your roots done every 4-6 weeks depending on how fast your hair grows and spending lots on pomades and muds and blue shampoo and reconstructor, not to mention new makeup to compliment your new look.
May I suggest, if you do your hair white that you cut it very short (to get rid of the most fried parts). With your lovely skintone you don't want to do blonde halfway or it will wash you out.

It looks like you have some great untapped natural wave to your hair. To go in a completely different direction the right stylist could take the weight off and give you a healthy looking natural curly/wavy haircut that can be left to dry on its own with a little product. What about a lovely light bronze? Or a honey brown with warm caramel highlights? Both would look really nice with your skintone and your natural curl/wave. You could always add bright red or even gold and white streaks to the bronze or black or yellow streaks to the brown if big curly hair isn't punk enough for you.
posted by tinamonster at 11:35 PM on June 29