In today’s society, physical appearance plays a big role in our every day lives. Our appearance impacts our personal, social, and professional lives, whether we like it or not. While we may want to believe that our looks don’t mean more than what’s on the inside, we all know that a good appearance does, in fact, impact our lives.
But how exactly does our appearance impact our self-esteem? Sense of attractiveness can be strongly connected to self-confidence and a positive mindset about ourselves. Both men and women associate confidence with being in control. While there are many things we can’t easily change about our appearance, hairstyle is one thing that can be easily changed. More than 100 million Americans visit salons each month in order to keep up with their color or cut. Hair can easily be altered through cutting, coloring, and styling. Because well-kept hair gives the appearance of being well managed, it can easily give people a boost of confidence.
While this relationship between hair and self-confidence is common sense, it’s also scientifically proven. A study commissioned by Physique and carried out by researchers at Yale University found that “bad hair days” increase levels of both self-doubt and personal criticism.
“…Both women and men are negatively affected by the phenomenon of bad hair days,” said Dr. Marianne LaFrance, Professor of Psychology and Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies at Yale University. “Even more fascinating is our finding that individuals perceive their capabilities to be significantly lower than others when experiencing bad hair.”
The study even found that participants felt less smart and less capable of performing tasks in which they were normally able to do due to the fact that they were having a bad hair day. When people are anxious about an aspect of their appearance, they tend to be able to only think about others noticing their perceived flaws. Overall, the study found that bad hair days can contribute to increased levels of social anxiety, social insecurity, and self-criticism.
So, if you’re looking for a way to boost your self-esteem, consider changing your hairstyle. After all, if your thoughts and behaviors contribute to 40% of your happiness, it’s important to feel good about yourself in order to be happy.
While appearance shouldn’t be the only thing you care about, a fresh new ‘do can help give you a much-needed boost of confidence. You can even get younger with hair toupee options.
When choosing a new hairstyle, you should consider which cuts or colors will be best suited for your face and skin tone. While some people don’t think about their face shape when choosing a cut, the wrong style can actually lower your confidence if you’re not happy with how it looks. Because of this, it’s always a good idea to talk to your hair stylist about which styles will look best on you.
Changing your hair may not completely change your physical appearance, but it can give you a little boost in your self-esteem. So if you haven’t been feeling the best about yourself lately, consider changing your hair. You’d be surprised at how even a little change can impact your attitude about yourself.