With a recent study showing a typical woman changes her hairstyle more than 100 times throughout her life, that's life! wondered how people treated today's blondes, brunettes and redheads. We sent that's life! reader Kristin Castle, 30, out with three different coloured wigs and gave her challenges to complete. Would her hair colour change the way people responded to her, and would she feel any different?
CHALLENGE 1 - WHICH WAY?
Kristin asked directions in her three wigs. Would people treat her differently each time?
BRUNETTE Walking down the street, a couple were approaching. This is it, I thought, checking my wig.
'Excuse me, could you tell me how to get to the station?'
'Sure,' the man smiled.
His girlfriend was just as helpful and I breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe this wouldn't be so hard after all.
REDHEAD Now, with my stylish red wig on, I was surprised by how confident I felt. I wonder if this is how our PM Julia Gillard feels? I thought. Looking for someone to help me. This time, I smiled at another couple.
But before I could even get my question out they walked straight past. It happened again. And again. What's wrong with me? I wondered.
But eventually two girls stopped and they were more than happy to help. I got there in the end but was the red wig the reason it took so long?
BLONDE Next it was blonde Kristin's turn. Approaching a man waiting outside a shop, I asked my usual question.
Whipping out his mobile, he was going to go one better. 'I'll show you a map,' he offered.
Before his phone could load, two other men had come over to help. I tried to stifle my laugh. The blonde wig was working wonders. 
CHALLENGE 2 - SHOP TIL YOU DROP
Kristin dropped two bags of shopping to see if people were more willing to help her as a blonde, brunette or redhead.
 BRUNETTE Worriedly putting on the dark wig again, this task was more nerve racking. Remember how well the last one went, I told myself.
I dropped my bags and watched as oranges, apples and lemons spilled out. I frantically began picking them up but, looking around, my fellow shoppers were just walking past. No-one's going to help, I thought, embarrassed. But finally a saviour! A man got down on his hands and knees. ‘Thanks,' I smiled sheepishly.
Although I was grateful for the one person who had helped me, I couldn't help but feel deflated by the number of people who had walked by.
I couldn't wait to see what happened when I went red and then blonde.
REDHEAD Half expecting the same response, I trudged back into the throng of shoppers.
On the street, it felt like groundhog day as shopping flew out of my hands. But this time there was a big difference.
Eight shoppers crowded round, helping me to capture my runaway fruit. Within 30 seconds it was all back in my bag. Weird!
BLONDE Thank god this is the last time, I thought as I prepared my third drop. But as I reached a crowd of shoppers, I suddenly lost my footing and fell!
In a heap on the ground, I was mortified. In the blonde wig I felt like the biggest klutz.
After a pause a group of five people came to help me up. I couldn't have been more thankful but did notice a few disapproving looks.
CHALLENGE 3 - SHORT CHANGED
Kristin pretended to be short of change to see if hair colour helped in a crisis
BRUNETTE Determined my unlucky streak as a brunette was coming to an end, I marched into the shop with my $2.70 in my hand. 'Could I have a bottle of water please?' I asked the man behind the counter.
'$2.80,' he said.
'Oh no, I'm 10 cents short,' I fretted.
'Don't worry about it,' the man shrugged, handing over the bottle.
Success for brunettes! Once I'd given him the money, I let the man in on my challenge and gave him the extra 10 cents. 'Thanks for being so kind,' I smiled.
REDHEAD On my way to a newsagency, I had another $2.70 in my hand. 'Just a bottle of water please,' I asked.
'$3 thanks,' he replied.
Panicking, I realised I was well below what he was asking for.
'Sorry I only have $2.60,' I said, expecting him to turn me away.
'That's okay,' he nodded.
Leaving the shop with my water in hand, I couldn't believe my luck! Forty-cent discount for a redhead - not bad at all! 
BLONDE Walking up to the counter of another shop in my blonde wig, I asked for another bottle of water. This should be a cinch, I thought, feeling confident.
'That'll be $2.80,' the shopkeeper said, handing me the bottle.
'I'm so sorry, I only have $2.70,' I frowned. She shook her head. 'You're 10 cents short.' Drat. My first hint of failure and how surprising it was as a blonde.
Kristin's verdict
As I'm currently a brunette I'm a bit sad people were least helpful when I dropped my shopping wearing the dark wig, but maybe I just got a bad crowd. The confidence I felt when wearing the red wig was amazing and I was tempted to keep it! I definitely got the most attention when I was a blonde, but I'm not sure if it was a good thing or not. I certainly got a bad vibe from a few women.
At the end of the day it was great to walk in someone else's shoes (or should I say hair?) for the day and I'll make sure I keep my options open when I next visit the hairdressers!
A big thank you to Wig Affair on Pitt Street in Sydney for providing the fabulous wigs Kristin wore for this story.
For more amazing real life stories, click here.
Has anything interesting happened to you as a result of your hair colour? Share your stories by leaving a comment below. |
