What's with the red hair?

[Shostakovich]

Shosty here to introduce a sensitive subject.

Now, I've been to the FSU and live in a city with a large Russian population, have dated Russsian & E. European ladies who have immigrated to the US and take a genuine interest in Russian history and culture.  There is a Russian lady on staff in my company, we jabber on about Russia all the time.  I'm just getting an understanding about what gives over there but starting to get a clue. 

Those R/U W, we love 'em.  There are beautiful women of every race and nationality but, for me, and my guess more than a few here, the slavs take the cake.  They know it and like anyone who knows they have power, are eager to enhance it.  Thus RW don't go overweight (unless it no longer matters) and spend most of their meager incomes on clothing.  I've become sensitive to the variations on the theme: Often when I see a particularly well dressed woman, one with that style both modern and yet which hearkens back to an earlier time, I can tell she is from SPB or Mockba.  The Ukraine girls don't have that level of sartorial sophistication yet I notice especial attention to tailoring and press of the garments.   The girls in Donetsk parade about with the bags emblazoned with designer names whose articles they can not afford - the bags telling of fashionista ambitions.  Clothes and appearance count in the FSU.  Even for the men - I saw fine fitting clothes and careful attention to grooming all around on my trips.  For an American man, I'm pretty well dressed, but in many cases the eyes told me I was off the mark.

Therefore, given the high art of and careful culture of appearance in the FSU, one which attracts the attention of the world's men to their court, how could they yet make that dreadful faux psx of that hideous red hair dye.  Now I know not everyone has style and aesthetic sophistication, but I'd think that a girl who thinks going around looking like bozo is the hot-stuff would end being ridiculed into submission. 

To conclude, of course, I do not wish to offend.  I wish I could let go of that element that sizes up proportions, colors and cut - alas, it's systemic.  There are probably many fine girls with hideous hair.

Anyone wonder likewise?

   

[Jooky]

I wonder this same thing every single day. 

[Lily]

Interesting subject indeed, Shosty.

So you believe that red hair is no good. I am curious, why?

Also, could you probably illustrate your point? Red comes in various nuances, like red wood, yellow-red, etc. Some women who have a natural auburn color type of appearance may look good with red hair, especially long ones.

Of note, I find nothing sensitive in the subject. Probably women color their hair red because they believe that this color suits them well, makes them looking less bleak and more noticeable in the croud.

What would you say about this redhead beauty?

[OlgaH]

Famous Redheads

http://beauty.about.com/od/hairstylephotogalleries/ss/shortredhair.htm

[greg2654]

It's not just Russia. This is popular all over Europe.
My favorite is Auburn (brown red)

[Shostakovich]

Mind you I've no trouble with natural red hair.  Auburn, indeed is a favorite.  Dyed is often fine as well.  But there is a certain variation on the theme which seems to be an phenom. especially of Russia.  It's undoubtedly produced by some cheap dye.  When there I saw it all over.  I've been tasked to present an example, which I look for.  If you've seen the film 'Trans-Siberian', there was an excellent example in that monstrous hostess. 

[Lily]

This one?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0800241/

do you mean one of the train attendants, or?

[Shostakovich]

That's the film.

and:

What would you say about this redhead beauty?

Rita - she is really not my speed, I find that do completely oppresses.  Among the old guard of Hollywood, Shosty's picks include Ingrid Bergman and that lady who represents the soul of Innocent America, perhaps the way that Edith Piaf represented the soul of Paris, Donna Reed.

But, the video does bring up another subject, it seems whatever I discuss it always comes back to music; Alanis Morissette - not the best selection from her, check:



That Alanis -- INFJ for sure.

[Shadow]

You miss the good point about that red hair variant.... it can be changed upon your wish.

[Dar]

A big difference between Russia and, lets say America is that for a girl in Russia to look attractive means to stand out (in a good way, of course). Red is a great color to turn a dull look into a radiant one. Not everyone looks good as a blond, sorry guys. Well, some shades of red might be a tasteless choice, but at least she tried....
In the US, on the contrary, natural look is considered to be the best (I am not talking about California here, ok?).
Regarding fashion, I guess its a part of culture not only Russian but also European. Environment plays an important role!

[Shostakovich]

Thank you Dar for unfolding this mystery for me.  I live in a downtown area and work at a University.  At the U it's not so common to see a girl dressed in anything but our Pac-NW uniform: jeans/North Face/athletic wear, etc.  Even downtown, where the ladies are a bit more older and have more money for clothes, it's pretty much the same thing.  Of course it can look good but the Scan/Germanic values still hold sway: don't self-aggrandize with showy dress.  I suppose it is one of the big differences between the US and R/U.  That dreadful red hair dye though, which almost looks a little blue, it sure makes the girls stand out, making me wish I could chop their heads off.

[RussianWind]

I think women simply want to add some colour (bright) in their appearance. I saw really ridiculious colourings in the West. Not many women here would be so brave

[Dar]

Thank you Dar for unfolding this mystery for me.  I live in a downtown area and work at a University.  At the U it's not so common to see a girl dressed in anything but our Pac-NW uniform: jeans/North Face/athletic wear, etc.  Even downtown, where the ladies are a bit more older and have more money for clothes, it's pretty much the same thing. 

yeah, that's why often people wonder whether I am going on a fashion show right after my classes 

[Shostakovich]

I think women simply want to add some colour (bright) in their appearance. I saw really ridiculious colourings in the West. Not many women here would be so brave

Ah Oui, you're referring to the punk/goth/rap/trash dressers, with the pink/green hair and a bone in their nose and little metal rings all about.  I see you are becoming acquainted with the fine points of Western life.  The pink & green is about individuality too.  I suppose they have it in Moscow these days.  I saw a little in SPB in '03 but not much.  It is always interesting to me to see how people engage the circumstances life sets before them.  It's a basic thing among people from 15 up to 22 to seek an identity.  Often the result is to confuse a developed personality with an extraordinary appearance - so to the tattoo parlor they go.  Since the hippie days it has become common to think that a conventional life is an inauthentic life.  That line of reasoning only goes so far, though green hair too has its place in the scheme of things.  It becomes a long subject.  In the US we started taking our cues from Europe but, especially on the West coast life became about creating something new and behaviors were about breaking molds.  Personally it seems that much of this is like the behavior of a spoilt child who wants its way whatever, but the US has been quite creative as well.  From what I know R/U is quite different.  Like the rest of Europe they have their eye fixed much more strongly in the rear view mirror.   R/U seem culturally retrospective and rather wary of the future.  It shows in the ladies fashions.  It is interesting, the experimental attitude of the West is not there, so you don't see extremes as much in R/U but the average is more expressive and better informed by tradition than in the West, which, unless you are in NY or LA, etc., tends towards blandness.   

[RussianWind]

It's a basic thing among people from 15 up to 22 to seek an identity.    

Agree but I didn't mean teens. I was speaking of women 30-50 y.o.

[Shostakovich]

Most often ladies who got stuck in their hippie/punk/whatever identities and never grew out of it.

[Jumper]

Some will like it,others wont,
it's why we are all individuals?

To me it really depends on the person it is on, how it is done ,as it can be done stylishly ,, or done poorly,
and often you can tell the "why" behind doing so by personality
I can't say i'm a big fan of the look,
but certain women can certainly pull it off very well, by charisma,look and personality.
and in these cases i love it..it looks great!

sinead o'conner could pull  off  going bald..  ??  so a little bright red isn't then end of the world..
since  the choice in hair color is temporary , and may only indicated she  is confident enough in herself , adventurous, and open to trying something NEW, that's not a bad trait to me

and as you've noticed it's not uncommon there..

if it isn't done well, its easy enough to change.

personalities and situations in life often greatly effects a persons views,
and some are more or less close minded  about such things.
I have a couple of tattoo's ,i've also dyed my hair bleach blond before just as a joke to mess with my "ex",
 as she was constantly changing hair colors..
but I truly appreciate classical music and have any number of interests that
appearances wouldn't dictate.

The expression "book by it's cover" comes to mind..

****I hate that books cover.. it's too gaudy or bright!???!!!! ************
 
some will agree and hate it, others may like it..!!

that seems a good enough reason for it to have gained popularity..
just like any number of fads..or fashion..

I find the extreme pointed elf shoes to be far more "odd" then any hair color.. purple included..

[GQBlues]

The fashionable red hair basically earned its trend from the folks who were naturally red-haired which we used to call as redheads. The reddish pigmentation comes from those whose skin were also of very light pigmentation, and oftentimes came with darker spots we call freckles (sic Albinos). Many of them isn't quite 'red' but rather more on the blonde side of it - we refer to as strawberry blondes.

Red hair, especially if complimented with the short Cleopatra-cut hair style, looks very stylish for lighter (whiter) pigmented skin women. The Aristocrat look.  

Of course, the reference of red is not in the literal color definition, but rather in the artificially darker (more on the brown palette) shade of red.

[RussianWind]

Most often ladies who got stuck in their hippie/punk/whatever identities and never grew out of it.

No. You have to be a woman to understand this and other things.

Give up

 

[Shostakovich]

No. You have to be a woman to understand this and other things.

Give up

Come now, we philosophers have moved beyond identification with the instruments that append to the body.  Give me girl-secrets now.

 

[RussianWind]

Come now, we philosophers have moved beyond identification with the instruments that append to the body.  Give me girl-secrets now.

 

How can a philosopher understand that when a woman wants to change her depressive mood, she goes to a hairdresser or manicurist

[Shostakovich]

How can a philosopher understand that when a woman wants to change her depressive mood, she goes to a hairdresser or manicurist

Aha!  Or as we say in the US: retail therapy.

[Shostakovich]

Some will like it,others wont,
it's why we are all individuals?

Yes of course,  obviously the girls with the dreary red-hair dye think they make an improvement on their appearance.  I opened this thread not to discuss if we are all individuals but to find out if anyone viewed R/U red hair in a similar way as I do.

But, with book and cover questions now on the table, how can I hold my response.

As for judging a book by its cover - it is what everyone does each day, every moment.  The cover is usually the only information we have and as we are often called into judgment as we encounter various circumstances, then, yes we must judge the book by its cover.  It's the only option.

 

That's not so bad as with many people the cover is the only thing that matters, it's the most interesting part.  These people count on you judging their book by the cover as the book is full of empty pages. 

 

With others of course the cover, as it should, serves to introduce the book.  In my experience the best books have the most bland covers.  Another long subject, not boding well for selecting ladies to correspond with on the basis of pictures, but only if you like a good book, not just a good cover.

 

But, should you even care about the book?  Most of the stories are the same, differing only in circumstantial details.  Great emphasis is laid upon understanding the R/U women in these pages.  My guess is that if you understand humans, if you understand women and basic differences arising from physical form and psychology you've got 99% of it, the small layer differentiating R from A women is not that significant.  It seems there is a fallacy in thinking that by understanding R/U culture, etc. it will make up for a lack in more basic understanding.  It won't.  Anyway the book is always changing, with new material coming in all the time.  You've really got to pick and choose what books to read, as they require a lot of investment.  And too, as a matter of conviction, all books lead one to the same conclusions - understand those conclusions and you understand all books.  The smart people and the dumb people are a like in this regard, they never read books. 

[Jumper]

Shosty-

I opened this thread not to discuss if we are all individuals but to find out if anyone viewed R/U red hair in a similar way as I do.

and  i answered!!

some will, some wont.
 





my own personal taste:
sometimes my view would be similar to yours !
and othes times it wouldn't.
(as to me it depends on the woman ,her age ,over all style and personality-  the style of presentation)






There certainly are general reasons someone would go with a
"shocking red"
 it could be a lot of raeasons, or as simple as she just felt wacky and wanted to try something unique or fun to her this this month ,
and may never do so again.

i just dont view it as too involved in the readng of her personal book.
its just a hair color,quite temporary..


now what if she was 38, it was a RED mohawk, eyebrow piercings ?
   may certianly have the same underlying reasons?
but its just not viewed the same..
*shrugs*


 

[JR]

Auburn hair kicks me right to the ground, especially if it's natural.

Red is fiesty and is known to stimulate a mans libido, hence all those red Corvettes.

But what I really hate is bleached blond. It just screams "Cheap!" If a woman has dark eyebrows and bleached hair I usually have to look away.