Unpacking what the viral trend reveals about you, your hair and how others perceive you.
There’s a lot going on in the world of hair on TikTok these days.
The slicked-back bun is the unofficial hairstyle du jour. Black cherry dye jobs have emerged as the colour of the season. And the rise of coquette beauty is pushing bow-bedecked hair tutorials onto our FYPs. But the latest hair trend to go viral is about much more than mere aesthetics. TikTok’s “hair theory” is about what your hairstyles say about you, and how they lead you to be perceived. So, let’s talk about it.
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Amassing a cool 70 million views, the #hairtheory hashtag generates an infinite stream of videos in which TikTok users seem to shape-shift before our eyes as they wear different hairstyles in each short clip — showcasing how switching up your hair can alter your overall appearance. A simple tucking of hair behind the ears allows for a full view of one’s true face shape, which can be missed by styles that typically cover the ears. Other videos reveal how flattering an out-of-character middle part can be on a serial side-part wearer. Pointing out the fact that your face changes when your hair does is stating the very obvious, but the “theory” aspect of this trend is less about the way these styles make you look, and is instead, all about perception.
Though the concept of hair theory is loosely defined on the app, the general consensus is that its deeper meaning explores how hair has the ability to change the way that others perceive you and even treat you. For example, a messy bun in the workplace may suggest that you’re more laidback, resulting in different treatment compared to someone who has,…
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