For example, a man with long hair pulled back into a pony tail holding a paintbrush creates a different impression than a man with the same hairstyle holding up evidence in court as a lawyer. The second seems out of norm and can work well for a writer.
So what does the style and length of men's hair normally mean? Now, keep in mind, these are generalization. This is what we generally think of people when they look a certain way. I love it when writers take generalizations and throw them on their heads.
Long hair
- radical nature
- artistic nature
- doesn't want to conform
- lazy
- was in the military
- works for an organization that requires short hair
- conservative
- perhaps he prefers easier to care-for hair
- trendy
- artistic
- rebellious
- part of a gang
- undergoing medical treatment
- involved in sports where wind factors in
Comb-overs
- vanity
- poor judgement or unawareness of others' perception
- vanity
- wants to keep their use
- insecurity
- obsession with appearance (people have to save up money for this type of surgery so that means he's got a health income)
- resistance to grow up or older
- if they wear the hat indoors it could mean self-conciousness or insecurity
- if they wear it outdoors, they could be worried about sunburns or warmth
- if the attire matches the hair, it could be a "power" image
- vanity
- ego
- concerned with impressing others
For example, could a bum collecting garbage have coiffed hair? Why does he have coiffed hair, what is his background? Perhaps he was a model turned schizophrenic?
Could the CEO of a company die his hair purple? Why would he do it? Perhaps we find out he's supporting a cause - in the protection of purple monkeys. A bit off the wall, I admit.
What are your favorite off the wall characters - where the hair doesn't match the personality... at first?
Source: reading people
Clarissa - What an in-tress-ing post ; ). You're absolutely right that we get impressions about people based on physical details such as hair, and based on how the character wears her or his hair. When I read your post, I thought of Agatha Christie's Ariadne Oliver, who's always trying out new hairstyles. She can't settle on one that best suits her personality, and it's always fun to see what she's going to do newxt with her hair. Oh, and she's rather off-the-wall.... ; ).
ReplyDeleteOh, I love Ariadne. I could not, for the long time, figure out how to pronounce her name. I finally had to listen to it being pronounced on a book tape. Air-e-ad-knee. Love the name!
ReplyDeleteCD
Very interesting. I'm writing a love triangle right now and one man has long wavy hair, and the other has a short buzz cut.
ReplyDeleteAubrie - Hmm, sounds to me like opposites. Does the woman have to choose? Look forward to reading the book.
ReplyDeleteCD
I was worried when I first read the post title!
ReplyDeleteI wonder where a mullet fits in? Probably depends on the time frame, as a mullet now screams broke redneck to me, while twenty years ago it was 'in style.'
The Man has a shaved head and he's none of those things! hahaha! He used to have long hair though...hippy freak.
ReplyDeleteAlex, if you're writing about a mullet twenty years back being in style, you'd be cool. If you wrote about it now, in 2010, you'd get a whole other reaction. Actually, I'm not sure I've ever liked the mullet... unless you have one. In which case... no, still not my favorite thing.
ReplyDeletePalindrome, perfect! I love when people make radical changes to their hair. It actually says something right there.
CD
Still laughing over Margot's in-tress-ting! :)
ReplyDeleteGreat post--interesting idea. Am tweeting.
It is interesting how you see the different hairstyles.
ReplyDeleteI do like the buisnessman's haircut. That's the short but not too short cut that a buisness man can get done during a twenty minute lunchbreak, once a month. Fairly popular in most cities amongst people who work in office buildings but aren't in a position to take long lunches.
Thanks for sharing this list.
I do know exactly what hair all my female characters have, even if I may not describe it. Maybe I should pay more attention to my male characters too!
ReplyDeleteAnother great post, Clarissa- never thought something as silly as hair could be as important.
Thanks, Elizabeth, Margot is a master with words!
ReplyDeleteCassandrajade, there was no way I could touch on all the different hairstyles and what they mean but it's a good way to keep hair in mind when describing people.
Rayna, I'm glad you liked it. I guess in the whole scheme of things hair is about one or two sentences in a novel but a good reminder nonetheless.
CD
Wow! Now that I think of it I don't think I have ever come across a character where the hair doesn't match the personality. Does that mean writers stick to stereotypes? And for what reason does that happen? Could it be that they want their readers to know what 'kind' of person they are without having to spell it out? Interesting.
ReplyDeleteGreat observations and thoughts. I like the attention to detail :)
ReplyDeleteGreat list here, Clarissa! Definitely something to think about. Hair can make a major or minor impression, depending on the style, the character's profession, attitude. So many things!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't take my eyes off that photo, Clarissa. Still chuckling.
ReplyDeleteIn real life, I've been fooled by hair styles a couple of times, but mostly by the young folks.
In my writing, I've tended to use appearance, hair style, and clothing to reflect personality. Maybe it's time to pull my characters out of their ruts.
Thanks for using the signature link at my blog today, Clarissa. Those of you who did helped demonstrate what I was struggling to explain.
It's easier to sometimes let the hair match the personality and that's why they do it. Yes. But, it would be interesting if the hair didn't always match, that way we have interesting characters once and a while.
ReplyDeleteLynda, thanks. Glad you liked it.
Laura, who would have thought! Now, I'm studying everyone's hair as I meet them. No wonder they think I'm strange.
Patricia, isn't that photo so funny! I laugh ever time I see it. I loved your signature links post. I was wondering how to do it. I will feature your blog on Sunday.
CD
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