Brunette beauty
FASHION’s Jordan Porter goes to the dark side and lives to tell the tale.
By Amy Burstyn
Photography: Porter by Gabor Jurina. Hair and makeup by Michelle Rosen at Judy Inc.
This season it is all about going back to your roots, as more and more fair-haired beauties are making the change to the darker side of ’dos. FASHION’s assistant fashion editor, Jordan Porter, recently dared to make the change from blonde to brunette, to let us in on why she decided to dye, how people reacted to the change, and how it changed the way she looked in the mirror.
What is your natural hair colour?
“I will say it till the day I die–I was born a beautiful blonde…but somewhere along the way it turned a mousey, ugly, dirty blonde–not pretty.”
How long have you been dying your hair blonde?
“I’ve been highlighting that mess since I was 15.”
Why did you decide to change your hair colour to brunette?
“A need for a change partnered with a moment of freakishly intense strength!”
How did you feel when you first saw your new ’do in the mirror?
“A wig...I’ve got a big brown wig on! I couldn’t and didn’t believe that it was real–I definitely did not look like the person that has been staring back at me from the mirror for the past 25 years.”
Do you feel that people react differently to you as a blonde vs. as a brunette?
“I used to get teased (playfully) all the time as a blonde...I rarely do as a brunette. I think people take me more seriously too–as clichéd as that sounds.”
How did your boyfriend react to the change? Did he prefer one look to the other?
“He couldn’t look at me for the first couple days without freaking out–he felt like he was looking at and talking to a whole different person. He likes it now...although I think I will always be a blonde to him.”
What about your co-workers?
“Funnily enough, some people didn’t even notice–I think because it was a natural change on me–the colour still suited my skin colouring. Others loved it more than the blonde and some just can’t get used to me as a brunette–so I guess a mixed bag of opinions...but if you’re going to make a drastic change like that it has to be for yourself–and you can’t care too much what others think.”
What is the best thing about being a brunette?
“I don’t have roots!”
What do you miss about being a blonde?
“As funny as it sounds, my personality changed when I became a brunette–I’m much more subdued–and sometimes I miss that upbeat outlook on life that strangely came with blonde locks.”
Are you planning on sticking with the brown colour for a while?
“It’s been three months...and I will probably stick with it until the snow melts and spring is in the air...but my blonde return is not far off.”
Did you change any of the hair products you normally use after going dark?
“Definitely. I used blonde products before and switched to products for brown, colour-treated hair.”
What advice would you give to someone looking to make the switch from blonde to brunette?
“Discuss with your colourist–but that’s all. Others opinions will only confuse you–and if it’s something you really want to do–go for it! In the end, it’s only hair!”
Are there any salons you would recommend?
“Oskar at Salon Daniel in Yorkville [79 Yorkville Avenue, 416-975-1935] is my colour guru. I don’t trust my locks to anyone else!”
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Yvonne writes:
Hi Jordan,
I did the same thing about 3 months ago, the snow has melted and I am chomping at the bit to go back to blonde.
—posted June 2, 2008 at 11:49 a.m.
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