Old Flame
You can't tell from this screenshot (or the film itself, which is also black and white), but Rita Hayworth as Gilda (1946) epitomises the essence of the fiesty redhead. As classic movie stars go, I think she's my favourite, bar Vivien Leigh. Rita's screen presence was invariably smouldering, and would have been so without her auburn mane, but it's one of her more recognisable assets.
However, it wasn't natural. Rita (born Margarita Carmen Cansino) was of Spanish descent, and at the start of her career was forced into typical Hispanic parts based on her heritage. The changes she made to her image (not just the hair colour, but also painful electrolysis to broaden her forehead) helped her into the starring roles that made her a household name.
Like Rita, I'm not a natural redhead, but I've often felt like I should be one. My mother has brown-auburn hair which she constantly dyes over because she hates it, but I've always liked the reddish tones that she passed down to me. The redhead can encapsulate two personalities - the mischievous minx and the pale-skinned innocent.
I'll admit that the reasoning behind my sudden colour change was partially practical. Since I don't have a day job currently, I need to scale down some of my expenses, and that includes my salon visits. I'll still get regular cuts, but my foray into blonde hair seems doomed for the time being. On Saturday, I was out shopping and made the decision to grab an at-home dye. I almost went for chocolate brown or coffee, but since my hair's been so lightened, it seemed a little stupid not to return to red for a while. It's the same shade as I had back in spring of this year, but quite a lot brighter still (and it was bright then!)
Do I feel like I failed at the blonde thing? Not really. It's a shame, and I was getting into being Goldilocks, but financial convenience is more important. Plus, I'm known for switching up my appearance on a complete whim - may as well stay true to my flippancy!
I might not be a Pre-Raphaelite masterpiece, but now I'm back to red, it feels like I never left it...
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