There’s nothing more frightening than a woman scorned and a box of bleach.
Now that may be a Maisie Peters lyric, but the desire to change our hair colour or go from long locks to a bob after something traumatic is somewhat of a universal experience for women.
It’s an opportunity for transformation and a fresh start, most recently rumoured to be adopted by Princess Kate herself, who debuted a blonde colour at Crathie Kirk Sunday service in Balmoral.
After being diagnosed with cancer back in 2024 and now making a big move to Forest Lodge for their ‘forever home’, the princess has been through a stressful period of change. While it’s unknown whether she’s coloured her hair or it’s lightened in the sun, Kate certainly has a new look.
Why do we get new dos when we’ve been through the ringer? ‘A visible change can remind us we’re beginning again,’ psychotherapist Eloise Skinner tells Metro.
A new look can also symbolise a moment of empowerment. Emma Watson famously chopped her long locks at the end of Harry Potter, and after calling off her engagement to Liam Hemsworth, Miley Cyrus exchanged her long hair for a bleach blonde pixie cut as she sat on top of a wrecking ball.
But this identity shift isn’t just reserved for celebs, Kate Flounders, 44, went from plum to blonde after divorcing her husband of 12 years back in May 2023.
‘I need to shake off what had happened and how emotional it was – I got a new sense of freedom,’ Kate tells Metro. ‘I almost stepped out of who I was, and going blonde was the chrysalis moment.
‘Your hair is the easiest thing we can change and control to give us some sense of autonomy.
‘It gives other people something to focus on, rather than what’s been going on, and lets us subconsciously work through the other stuff we’ve been through, so we can be whole again.’
The transformation from dark to bright blonde gave Kate the confidence to do things she wouldn’t have done when she was married, like meeting new groups of people, joining some clubs for her hobbies.
‘It gave me that extra boost I needed at a point when I wasn’t necessarily feeling confident,’ she explains.
Psychotherapist Eloise agrees, saying new hairstyles and colours can remind us we’d like to act or think in a different way.
‘They can be a regular and noticeable reminder of our new intentions,’ she says. ‘New hairstyles, where we feel they represent us well and we’re happy with the results, can certainly elevate someone’s mood.
‘It might make us feel more confident, more self-assured, and more willing to be perceived by others which can help in a huge variety of ways – from career, to relationships, to building connections.’
And Kate isn’t the only one making this change. Catherine Warrilow, 46, dyed her hair bright red when she lost her job back in 2023.
‘I needed a change to feel grounded and confident, like I could step out with real purpose and it spurred me on to set up my freelance business,’ she tells Metro.
Catherine’s no stranger to a box of dye, first changing her colour back in her late teens.
‘I’m a natural auburn redhead and my mum told me I couldn’t dye it blonde because it would go green,’ the Hartlepool resident explains. ‘When I realised I could, I went blonde in rebellion.
‘Then I went from white blonde in my early twenties to almost black because I wanted to look like Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction.’
Catherine has always been one who has enjoyed experimenting and reinventing their image, because it helps give her a ‘renewed energy and confidence’.
‘It might seem shallow but experimenting with the way you look is positive – it’s not about being unhappy in yourself,’ she adds. ‘It’s about tackling a new challenge in my life and wanting to feel bold.
‘A cosmetic change is a great kick start to a bigger mindset change. My hair says you’re ready for anything when I look in the mirror in the morning – I know I’m capable of making decisions that suit me.’
Ultimately, Eloise says that a new hairdo reminds us we’re capable of change and allows us a practical way to shift our lives.
‘It might even lead us to a whole new bunch of lifestyle changes as a result,’ she says. ‘It’s an exciting accompaniment to a new phase of life.’
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