How Transforming My Hair Shaped My Identity

I always felt that hair was a big part of my identity. It has the power to alter your entire look and boost or lower your self-esteem. I’ll admit that I was stuck in the subtle emo-inspired bangs covering one eye like a curtain sweeping look from middle school through high school. But you know what? It was time for a change. This is how transforming my hair shaped my identity:

College was my time to bloom. I didn’t make any drastic changes right away. Instead, I took baby steps. I cut my shoulder-length hair to a bowl cut.

I wore that for a few months and finally made the leap to the edgy hair of my dreams. The hell with it, I was ready to shave it off. This is when the true transformation took place. As soon as I heard the buzz from the clippers, I was overwhelmed with joy.

The Deeper Side of My Transformation

Embracing my masculine traits

I was always a tomboy, at least in terms of my style and my interests. But somewhere along my path, I became ashamed of my masculine characteristics. From peer pressure to beauty standards, I desperately wanted to blend in with the common characteristics associated with the female appearance.

When I shaved my hair, I challenged all of my superficial fears and in turn, was able to let them go. I was finally proud to embrace my masculine side!

Symbolism of cutting my hair

I began viewing my long hair as a part of my past identity, a piece of me that no longer represented who I was in the present. In a literal sense, I was cutting off all of the negative issues and notions from my past. Therefore, freeing me.

Taking back control

Allowing the comments of others to control how I looked became a constant ripple in my life. By shaving my hair, I took the power back. Yes, I received unflattering comments about my new look, but I didn’t let it get me down for long because I was proud that I took the leap. I looked and felt damn good. And that’s all that mattered.

Freedom to express

The hardest part was over. Now, I could experiment and get creative. Every time I got a new cut, the shape was slightly different, a new color was added. My hair became a mode of self-expression.

From embracing my masculine traits to finally feeling free enough to express who I was, this is how transforming my hair shaped my identity. From this experience alone, I discovered how much hair has had an influence on my confidence, identity, and mental strength.

I could say that I wished that I did it sooner, but in all seriousness, I think that my hair transformation came at just the right time in my life.

If you’re thinking about changing your hairstyle, but you find yourself holding off, take some time to consider it. If the thought remains, it’s probably something that you deeply want. Take those baby steps and see where it leads you.

Good luck on your journey,

Harumi