If there’s been one trend in hair fashion that’s been growing bigger and bigger, it’s having red hair. Thousands of women, and even men too, have been dying their hair colour to a much brighter shade of red and even the red heads have been wearing their natural hair colour proudly. Red is the new black, or so it seems.

But why is it that so many people have been replacing their blonde and brown dyes for the red shades? What is it about red hair that makes it so fashionable right now? There are many reasons and some maybe not as obvious as you might think.

Red Hot Style

The most glaringly obvious reason why so many people are going red is the influence of celebrities. Famous people are taste makers and trend setters and their adoring fans follow in their footsteps to try and achieve just a little bit of their glamorous look for themselves. Attractive and influential actresses and musicians have dyed their hair red or shown off their natural colour, inspiring women to do the same. Rihanna, Hayley Williams, Emma Stone – these are just a few names from a long list of ladies that have shown red hair can be fabulous. These women appear in style magazines and on blogs where their gorgeous red hair is seen by millions and the line of the publications is that red is the hottest colour right now, so you should follow suit.

There may be more subtle and psychological reasons though why red has grown to be such a beloved colour. The colour red in itself signifies many different things. One thing it signifies is heat. The colour red gives the impression of warmth and hotness, and it has this same effect when applied to hair. Red hair makes you look sexy and appealing with the warmth of the colour subtly letting everyone know you’re an attractive person. Red can also signify fire and red hair can let everyone know you have a fiery personality, in both the negative and positive sense. Fiery red can make you appear confident and assured of yourself, giving you a boost of self-esteem.

The Red Attraction

People are naturally drawn to the colour red for all kinds of reasons, and it’s something many of us can’t help because it’s instinctual. Bright red grabs your attention. Red can signify danger or harm as blood is red, so is fire, and anything red in the animal kingdom can be poisonous. The colour red has been used in advertising, for signs and in propaganda. One of the most popular colours on flags and in team sports is red, purely because it makes them stand out. The same can be said for red hair – bright red draws the attention of onlookers more so than plain shades like brown or black.

The increasing sea of red heads might have something to do with the exclusivity of it though. Apart from ginger or reddish brown hair, bright red isn’t a natural colour. This means that those with red hair are special and possess an uncommon look. It’s slightly rebellious to have bright red hair as many people aren’t daring enough to tamper with their natural hair colour. Being different is also a highly valued quality, especially when so many people look the same and are expected to conform.

When you think about it carefully, it’s not surprising red has become such a popular hair colour. Red is highly fashionable, it’s a sign of confidence and of a fiery personality. It’s unique and it makes you stand out from the crowd. Red most certainly is the new black and its highly fashionable style will probably grow even more popular as time goes on. So the next time you decide to reinvent your hairstyle, perhaps you’ll consider the colour red for all the reasons listed above.

Featured images:

•  License: Creative Commons image source
•  License: Creative Commons image source

Chrissie Matthews is a fashion and beauty blogger that long ago dyed her hair a fabulous red.