As a kid I always loved seeing people with colourful hair. My favourite is electric blue, or when people have platinum blonde hair with blue tips. In my mind, it made that person so damn cool. The fact that someone could embrace themselves so much and put it out on show. Sounds silly but just being able to see people comfortable with themselves, its inspiring to me.
For years I’ve been sitting upon the idea of dying my hair. But I was always worked jobs that had strict policies when it came to the way we look. I get it, I really do. But I also question why in society we are so strict on how we should all look the same. Why can’t an employee be allowed to express themselves as long as it doesn’t harm others? I’m personally all for people being able to express themselves, but then that’s my opinion.
At the start of 2022, I changed jobs and joined a company who allows the expression of staff. reigniting the idea of wanting to change the colour of my hair. After months I still never pulled the trigger and changed my hair colour.
But then an opportunity came. In April 2022, I joined the National Youth Film Academy SetReady course as a Writer. But quickly ended up being Producer and Co-Director. We spent months writing, and producing on our short film Impressing Vincenzo. Just before filming we had an unexpected issue that lead to one of the character roles needing to be filled before we shoot. So I stepped up to play the role of Bertie Croyland, a diverse producer looking to inspire the world with her experimental productions. Am I an actress? No way in hell. In the past I use to do the yearly school productions, but never took it anywhere further once I left secondary school. That meant it had been over at least a decade since I had done anything close to acting. But we needed to fill the role and it saved the hassle of having to rewrite to adjust the missing scenes.
And so, I finally did it. First I got my hair cut short a few weeks before to a style I have admired from a streamer I watch. Short on the sides and then with the option to comb it back or have it forwards with a bedhead hairstyle.
Then the day finally came. I went to Boots and Superdrug’s to grab the Schwarzkopf Live blue hair dye and returned home in excitement ready to commit to my crazy idea.
With just days before heading to London for the start of filming, I cracked open the bottles and began to smother my hair in blue. I mean once I hit that point there was definitely no going back. The only thing I needed to make sure I didn’t do was get it on my skin. I love the Smurfs, but I didn’t want to literally become one. So after making sure I hadn’t accidentally dyed any of my skin, I set my timer and prepared for my transition.
I absolutely love how the blue came out. For so long I was put off on whether it would suit me, but boy oh boy do I love it! It actually made me feel so much more like me. Being able to express myself and show some funky colour in my life. The only thing I did later spot is it made me look like Joy from Disney’s Inside Out and became a joke amongst my friends. But overall I love it and have been sporting the colour since.
Will I go back to blonde? Or even maybe change colour? I’m not sure. But for now I’m happy to be rocking the funky blue hair.
Let’s take a step towards my next Not Bucket List Journey goal!
Not Bucket List Journey 