It’s almost 2020! Are you excited? I am, but I get excited about everything so it’s not something to go by.
Anyways, this post really is going to be about my hair. Cause I’m sure everyone cares about that. Well about the blog a bit too but it’s just an excuse. As some of you know, I go through a completely unreasonable amount of effort to keep my hair a silvery white. It’s a great colour that makes me feel oddly powerful but my poor hair needs a bit of a break. Even though my natural colour is not that dark, it’s quite fine and these few years of draining all the pigment from it have not been all that kind to my mane.
So I figured, since I’m starting from a stark white canvass, this is the perfect time to get a good fashion colour on. It will look amazing! I had narrowed my choices down to a dark denim blue or a peachy rose and asked you guys on Twitter for your preference. It was actually a pretty close call but dark blue won out in the end and I was psyched about this fairly drastic change. Because I do work in a corporate environment and am supposed to set the example, I figured I would give HR a heads up. My head of HR thought it was a delightful idea but after running it through the partners I couldn’t convince them that it would be a very professional blue. So that plan went out the window…
I was pretty much ready to give up on the peach as well but I did have rose gold hair at some point and that didn’t bother anyone so I pushed my luck. Turns out blue and green are no goes but red, pink or orange, and any variation thereof, are just fine. There’s an acceptable spectrum it seems…
And so peach it was once more. This isn’t a bad thing. I am on the very pale side of things so lighter colours tend to suit me better anyways. But now I had a bit of rebel in me. The point was to stop bleaching my roots, or at least bleach them less, so the colour would have to be darker on top. I will also use the occasion to let my hair grow out a bit since it will be healthier. I ordered about a dozen different pink and orange temporary colours and started scouring the internet for that perfect shade.
And is things tend to do, it all went downhill from there. I really couldn’t find what I was looking for. I looked at more pink shades, more orange ones, dusky muted peaches that you probably shouldn’t eat. Nothing was quite right. A lot of peach dye jobs where two or three colours trying to simulate those patches on the actual fruit and for the most part, I didn’t like those either. I’m super picky. But I didn’t give up!
In an attempt to…well actually I’m not sure what I was doing. Procrastinating probably. I decided to update my avatar first and back to Picrew I went. (For those of you that don’t remember my last post, Picrew is the website I used to make my avatar when I redecorated my blog.) Yet no matter how much I looked (for about 3 minutes) I just couldn’t find my old template.
An so I started to poke around on a variety of other available models. Picrew is a lot of fun to play with. I wasted a couple of afternoons, I admit. My only real criteria was that a colour at least close to peach was available for hair. This really cut down the options. Then I stumbled onto this cutey.
The customization isn’t quite as varied as my last model but that’s o.k., I ended up using the same avatars over and over again anyways. More importantly, the template had my eye colour, something close to my bangs, my preference for curling my hair, and this super lovely peach ombré which has now become my target hair colour!
Who would have thought that my silly little time killing hobby would actually help me find what I needed all along! I am right back to being super excited about this and let me tell you, in my head it looks amazing. Just a touch darker on top (to cover the roots and all that) but otherwise I think I can pull it off. But wait..
I haven’t actually done the dye yet. It may turn out to be a complete failure and I will then need to go right back to Picrew… I’m taking the plunge tonight and I’ll update the site and all my avatars as soon as it’s done. If you see this little lady with some boring brown hair in a few days, it went wrong… But if she’s there to greet you on the front page, sweet!
Did I just make you read all this nonsense as a hamfisted excuse to use as many of my new avatars as possible in a single post? Yes, that exactly it. and it went a bit out of control by the end there. It is a 100% true story though. You can tell because nothing interesting happens in it…
What can I say, I just couldn’t resist sharing her with you all. I do hope you like this new avatar as much as I do. Maybe next time I’ll try to create a collaborative avatar where we can all pick her features.
You’re certainly serious about your hair! Sounds like a pretty fun journey and I do think it was a good decision checking with HR first even if the blue didn’t pan out at that point. They certainly can be particular about that when you’re working front-side. (Part of why i tried getting into the back as soon as possible) Well that’s a fun way to really break in 2020. It’s such a good idea I should think about doing something like that for 2021 but it’s too late for me to do any big shifts before work starts again tomorrow
I’m not sure what front side is? I assume with clients. I’m a biochemist so I meet researchers often but they tend to be pretty informal and unconventional looking as well
Yeah, front side’s just with clients. I was working customer service for a while so I had to talk to a lot of them, but now that I work more in the I.T. field I only interact with co-workers so it’s way more informal. I tend to prefer being on the back-end like that. It sounds like mostly you’re dealing with other colleagues or at least people in the same line of work so then that doesn’t quite as formal as I would have expected. I really think the era of formality is starting to come to a close with this generation and in a lot of ways it’s for the best. Not that people should have no dress code, but I can’t even imagine having to dress up every day
Well to be fair I work in a law firm. Law is notoriously traditional as a setting
I can see entire days playing at Picrew in my future. Meanwhile, best of luck on the hair coloring! I can’t wait to see it. I really want to at least get back to blonds in the new year. My hubby likes the red gold color and it’s not too hard to accomplish or too hard on my hair so that may be where I end up – with various different colors on the tips and bangs.
Picrew is dangerous! Be warned. Red gold sounds very interesting
This was super helpful because I didn’t know there is a site where I can actually create my own avatar! And there are soooo many expressions there, I love it!
I created mine and I was playing w it for many hours.. it was so much fun ^^!
Your new avatar looks very cute 🙂
I know! Picrew is dangerous!
I need to change up the avatar as well, this is great though Irina!
Here to serve!
No blue hair that twitter poll was so rigged. I ain’t happy I want to see this blue hair !!!
Oh just twist that knife, won’t you!!!
I have to say thats a really nicely drawn avatar and it does especially suit the positive attitude you have and atmosphere this site has as well.
I’m very interested in seeing how the new decade is for anime and for Japanese gaming as well too.
Have a happy new year-K (rogueotakugamer)
Thank you, Happy new year to you too!
Super cute avatar, and since peach and rose gold fall in the pink line of colours, you already got me sold on it! I will only need a new avatar one year from now when Flash goes away and I can no longer use Chibi maker!
I really like the new Megane Rini! Best one!
I like her too. Mildly confused is sort of my resting face anyways
Hey, I like the new avatar. I know how it is working in a traditionally professional setting too, not so easy to just change your look like that.
Oh well, they’ll come around some day….maybe
Very cute! Looking forward to all of the different expressions.
Thank you!
I like your new avatar, great design.
Thank you!
Ah, it’s cute and your avatar journey is fun.
I doubt it was that much fun but I’m glad you came along!
Oh pssh.
You know, I’m going to miss your old avatar, but the new one looks fantastic! Very expressive, which is important given the range of your posts. Also distinctive, which should help it stand out.
Too bad about the amount of influence the partners have — but that’s just the price we pay for working, isn’t it? I couldn’t just show up with blue hair one day and not expect repercussions.
Though the very thought of me with blue hair kind of freaks me out…
Well, as the workforce is renewing itself, these old standards are changing
I love this new avatar. Super cute.
Yay! Thank you
Maybe I should make my own avatar then. Good thing I know a few people who will do it
I will keep an eye out in the coming days!
Fingers crossed
Your new avatar is almost obscenely cute. I approve heartily.
Obscenly cute is exactly what I was going for!
Good! SUCCESS!
It was an honor to go on this avatar journey.
The pleasure was entirely mine!