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Every week, we put out a call for your redhead questions. This gives you a chance to get advice or input from our team of redheads. From beauty and fashion to lifestyle, redheads are unique, and we want to help make this community a place for you to turn to for all your redhead needs.
This week, we’re addressing the question, “Can you still call yourself a redhead if your hair is dyed?” While people’s opinions may vary, we’ll share our perspective. Two groups often consider this question: natural redheads who have chosen to dye their hair color and non-redheads who have embraced the redhead lifestyle by dyeing their hair red. Let’s dig into these two groups more:
Natural redheads who’ve dyed their hair color:
If you were born a redhead but now wear a different hair color, you are still a redhead! Your natural red hair is part of your genetic makeup; changing your hair color doesn’t alter that. While your appearance may no longer reflect your original hue, you carry the redhead gene and all its associated traits. So yes, you can still proudly identify as a redhead.
Similarly, if you’re a natural redhead who dyes your hair, you’re still a redhead. Dyeing your hair doesn’t change the fact that red is your natural color; it’s simply another way to express that part of your identity. Many redheads choose to color their hair for various reasons, but their natural color will always be red. The redhead identity is rooted in genetics and personal expression, whether natural or enhanced. So, if you identify as a redhead, you are, in fact, still a redhead.
Non-redheads who have dyed their hair red:
If you’re not a natural redhead but have embraced the redhead lifestyle, we, like you, call you a redhead ‘by choice.’ You have chosen to be a redhead, and we celebrate you too! While you’re not a natural redhead, that’s okay. We like the term redhead ‘by choice’ because it means you’re letting the world know that you weren’t born this way, haven’t lived a redhead lifestyle the same way natural redheads have, but still love the redhead way of life. While you may not be a natural redhead, that doesn’t diminish your connection to the redhead community. We acknowledge that while you may not have experienced life as a natural redhead, you’ve embraced the spirit and distinctive traits of the redhead lifestyle. We admire and respect that decision.
Let’s celebrate the redhead celebs who are redheads ‘by choice’
- Emma Stone: Although Emma Stone is known for her red hair, her natural color is blonde. She began dyeing it red for roles, and it became one of her signature looks
- Christina Hendricks: Christina Hendricks is known for her striking red hair, particularly as Joan Holloway on Mad Men, though her natural color is strawberry blonde, which she dyes to achieve a deeper red.
- Rita Hayworth: Rita Hayworth’s iconic red locks in films like Gilda made her a Hollywood legend, though her natural hair was darker, and she often wore wigs or dyed it to fit the redhead image.
- Debra Messing: Debra Messing, known for her role in Will & Grace, is often identified by her striking red hair, but her natural color is brown. She has maintained the red look for most of her career, which has become closely associated with her.
- Cynthia Nixon: Cynthia Nixon is best known as Miranda Hobbes in Sex and the City. While her red hair has become part of her look, she was born with blonde hair and dyed it to achieve the signature red color.
- Molly Ringwald: Molly Ringwald is often linked to her roles in 80s teen classics like Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club, where she sported red hair. While she is naturally a brunette, her redhead persona became iconic in pop culture.
- Hayley Williams: The lead singer of Paramore, Hayley Williams, is famous for her ever-changing hair colors, but she has often rocked bright red hair, especially during her early career. While naturally blonde, her red hair became a defining part of her punk-rock style.
- Geri Halliwell: Geri Halliwell, also known as Ginger Spice from the Spice Girls, made red hair a defining part of her pop persona. While naturally blonde, she embraced the redhead look and wore it proudly as part of her “Ginger” Spice character.
These celebrities have embraced the redhead identity for several reasons, and they’ve become just as iconic for their red locks as any natural redhead.
Many redheads share experiences of feeling ostracized, which is why How to Be a Redhead is a platform for everyone. Our mission is to uplift and empower redheads, but we also aim to celebrate the value of uniqueness and individuality. Whether you’re a redhead who wears your natural color, someone who has chosen a different style, or a redhead ‘by choice’, we welcome and embrace you. Thank you for helping us increase redhead representation and contribute to the broader movement of finding our place in the world.
Do you want your redhead question answered? Find us @howtobearedhead on Instagram and Facebook, and look for the Ask a Redhead question box!
Rock it like a Redhead!
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