Post by White Knight on Apr 28, 2006 10:36:37 GMT -4
The desire for women to be blondes goes far back in history. In ancient Roman times, women used blonde wigs or extreme measures to turn their hair blonde. Using pigeon feces was one widespread method of colouring hair. While a quick trip to the salon solves the colour issue today, back in those times it would take days for the colouring to set. The magic mixtures would have to be dried onto the hair, and then washed off days later–the results were not always guaranteed.
Today, is there a difference between a real blonde and a faux blonde? Genetically, there are plenty of differences, but socially, there are none. Blondes are treated equally by society, whether they are real or fake.
Sexual Attention
Either way, blondes tend to get more attention - be that the attention of men or that of any group of people. The question remains: do some brunettes who have turned into blondes deliberately manoeuvre their careers and lifestyles according to their hair colour? Even Marilyn Monroe, arguably the most famous blonde of all, started out as the plain, brunette Norma Jeane. The Hollywood studios created the most unforgettable woman out of her by giving her new, vibrant white-blonde hair and a catchy name. The absolute white locks of this 1950s bombshell are what have made her the ultimate sex symbol of her time and for many years to come.
Even more sexual attention was crowded towards blondes in 1953, when the first issue of Playboy appeared. Ever since its first issue, which happened to have the lovely Marilyn on the front cover, Playboy has had blondes in its centrefolds; in fact, 46% of these have featured blondes.
The Perfect Woman
The blonde craze started way before Norma Jeane became Marilyn. Aphrodite was the first famous blonde woman. Emerging from the foams of the sea, ancient Greek storytellers and artists have depicted Aphrodite as the perfect woman. Extremely beautiful, she has always been seen as appropriately sexual, yet still pure and mysterious. After Aphrodite, many female story characters became blonde, and so followed the crowds who heard these stories.
Youth
Blonde hair does not only attract attention, but it also accentuates youth. Many people are born blonde, and then later their hair colour turns darker. There are few people who maintain a light blonde shade as they age. The attempts to mimic the youth of a baby make women feel younger and prettier.
One Major Setback
Being a blonde has many perks; however, it has many setbacks as well. One standard setback that haunts blondes is the presumption that they are stupid. When a brunette or a redhead is dumb, people let it slide. Once a blonde proves herself to be no brighter than a cucumber, the automatic reaction from people is: oh, of course, she´s a blonde!
Although being blonde it is not an excuse for stupidity, there might be a hidden explanation for this behaviour. In the Victorian era, blonde women were depicted as being angelic, while brunettes were independent and somewhat masculine. The fragility of the blondes and their dependence on the males´ protection stuck over the centuries as it morphed into weakness and even stupidity.
Fun Facts
Here are a few fun blonde facts:
When wandering through the hair-care aisles of pharmacies and departments stores one can often stumble across the dye section. There, all colours are separated into their own sections, but the blonde colours dominate the majority of the space. Ever wonder why? Did you know that blonde hair dye outsells other colours by 5 to 1?
When passing newsstands, the glimpses of the models on the covers often catch our attention. More often than not, those models are blondes. Did you know that blondes sell 5% more when on a magazine cover? They are practically a safe bet, and many magazines automatically opt for a blonde cover.
Blonde hair started out as a genetic mutation about 11,000 years ago. At the time, cavemen were dying on their hunting trips, and the population of females quickly outnumbered that of the males. Nature has proved the survival of the fittest by producing blonde, fair, more attractive females, who have passed on their genetically mutated blonde genes by winning the likes of the remaining males.
According to a fresh study by the World Health Organization, natural blondes will be extinct within 200 years because there are less and less people carrying that ancient gene.