A conversation between me and a girl at a party:
Girl: “Oh my god, your hair is so pretty! I’m obsessed.”
Me: “Thanks! It’s fake.”
Girl: “Oh.” *eye roll*
End of conversation.
Unfortunately, this isn’t a fictional conversation that I dreamt up. This is a real interaction that I have actually had numerous times. Sometimes the dialogue changes, but the underlying tone of judgment remains each and every time. It feels terrible.
You don’t want to hear my sob story, though—and that’s not what I’m writing to tell you about. Instead, I want to address the taboo that exists around hair extensions and hopefully, by the end of this article, you’re confident enough to own up to your fake head of hair (if you have it) and disregard the eye rolls going forward.
Let’s start with the many reasons we may have for getting extensions in the first place. This isn’t to say that you owe anyone an explanation for the decision; rather, it’s a starting point to open the conversation for the purpose of this article. So, whether it be adding length to a short bob, volume to a flat do, or correcting a bad haircut, extensions have a lot to offer. None of these reasons (nor the many I haven’t mentioned) are grounds for judgement. You want to spice up your look with some coloured ends? Extensions are a wonderful way to do this without the damage that comes with colouring your hair. Want to try switching it up from day-to-day? Clip ‘em in then rip ‘em out! Seriously, whatever your reason, it’s a good one and it should be celebrated, not looked down upon.
This, of course, is only a starting point to get us used to talking about something that most people believe should be kept secret. Personally, I think that’s ridiculous; why hide something that makes you feel good about yourself? The hair you wear is an expression of you. So, own it!
Contrary to popular belief, extensions don’t make you fake. Clipping/taping/weaving/bonding some hair into your head won’t transform you into a plastic barbie doll with “phony” written across your forehead. This is something I was very much afraid of before I started wearing them, but trust me, it’s completely irrational. Believe it or not, they can actually be a huge confidence booster. Once the fear of coming off as high-maintenance goes away, you feel good—and people notice that confidence!
Okay, so now we’re making progress. The conversation is open so let’s really dive in: why are hair extensions such a big deal? Well, you could chalk it up to jealousy or misunderstanding, but our goal is to curb this judgment altogether. Nice hair is nice hair. Who cares if it’s fake? If you wanna rock your natural locks, you go, girl! But, if you want to amp up your look with an artificial addition, all the power to you!
Honestly, if we’re going to compliment someone on their hair, and then act exceptionally annoyed when they’re honest with us, why? Are we still acting like girls altering their appearance is unacceptable? In a world full of Kardashian-Jenners, we shouldn’t be surprised when someone tells us they have extensions. It’s not that deep.
Whether it be jealousy or a poor preconception, the stigma around extensions needs to stop. It shouldn’t be a demonizing quality. It’s like makeup for your hair. We don’t judge a girl when she feels good wearing makeup—instead, we hype her up. So, why can’t extension culture be the same?
Let’s channel some girl power and support one another, no matter how we choose to style our hair.