Diary of a SubUrban Housewife

In The Pink

I am genetically predisposed to having colored hair. It runs deep on both sides of my family.

So it should have come as no big surprise to my mother when I started changing my hair color at the tender age of 12. Sun-In. Yeah. Me too. But I was lucky, my hair turned a lovely golden blonde, not the brassy orange of Sun-In lore.

By 16 my stepmother was trotting me off to the salon for "streaks" as they were called in the 70's. Either foil or that dreaded cap, the one they use the crochet hook with to pull the hairs through the tiny little holes.

I've had color done in the salon. I've colored my own myself. My sister, mother, and best friend have helped me. I've colored my sister's. My mother's. My best friend's. Henna, black, blonde, red, highlights, lowlights. You name it, I've done it to someone or had it done to me.

Now I only have my hair done professionally because now it's by necessity, rather than choice that I color my hair. And frankly, I have the disposable income to pay someone to take care of it for me.

But that's not the case when you're seven, as my daughter is.

I think it was two years ago when we decided pink streaks would be a good choice for her. So Zoe and I purchased hot pink dye and gave her hot pink streaks. They looked cute and faded after a while. I guess Chuck was fine with it. It wasn't like we consulted him or anything.

Then last summer when I was getting a "weave" (streaks for the new millenium), I had the hairdresser put some in Zoe's hair. It looked darling. Chuck had a bit of a fit over it. I guess he wasn't as fine with the blonde as with the pink. Oh well.

All summer Zoe has been bugging me to streak her hair again--blonde. I keep meaning to do it while Chuck is out of town, but frankly, we've never quite gotten around to it.

Today is Freaky Friday at camp. Zoe came home last night asking for me to color her hair. Hot pink. She knew we still had the hair dye. I said maybe. Then we went out for sushi where I discovered the cure for my sleeplessness--excessive consumption of saki (I slept 10 hours last night!). When we came home from dinner I was a bit tipsy and in no condition to color anyone's hair. Chuck then informed me that he was going to color Zoe's hair for her. I found all the supplies necessary and left them alone.

Now my daughter has hot pink hair. She's also got a hot pink back, forehead, butt, cheeks, and neck, but that's a story for another time.

Posted by beth at August 22, 2003 02:50 PM