On a more emotional and aesthetic level, a blonde dye job can communicate a certain level of whimsy. “Going blonde reads as lighter, more open, sometimes more carefree, sometimes more ambitious depending on the context and person,” Knight says. “On a man specifically, it tends to disrupt expectations in a way that reads as bold or experimental, which is probably why it’s become shorthand for a certain kind of reinvention, or, occasionally, a moment of crisis.”
The way to choose a shade of blonde for you depends on matching it to your complexion because, as Knight says, you don’t want the hair color to fight your skin tone lest “the whole thing looks wiggy.”
“Warm skin needs warm blonde, honey, caramel, and golden,” Knight explains. “Cool or neutral skin has more range and can carry ashier, platinum tones.”
Generally, if blonde is your goal, the most forgiving type is golden since it can read more as a natural evolution of your actual color versus a stark contrast from what you’re born with. On the other hand, going platinum can be the hardest to stick the landing, especially if you’re doing it yourself—that requires a professional to create a custom tone to complement the person’s complexion.
Now, dyeing your hair won’t immediately catapult you into the A-listers league, but if you’re looking to begin a new chapter in your life, a new shade could be for you.
“Sometimes reinvention in a moment of transition can be both distracting and empowering,” says Knight.
