The hair theory explains why you're treated differently based on your hairstyle

We all know how much a first impression can shape the way people respond to us, and sometimes its the smallest changes that make the biggest difference. The way you wear your hair can shift how you're perceived. Whether you wear it down or in a sleek bun or in a different colour, you might notice a change in how people interact with you.

If you've ever picked up on that subtle shift and wondered why it happens, you're not imagining it. The viral "hair theory" is all about how your hairstyle can influence the way others perceive and engage with you.

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What is the hair theory?

Hair theory suggests that your hairstyle can influence how others perceive your personality, how you look and even your mood. We’ve all experienced a bad hair day that has negatively affected our overall mood versus a good hair day that made us feel more confident in ourselves. Maybe you’ve noticed you feel better when you have your hair in a certain style.

@wearetogetherbeauty hair theory demystified 👩🏼👱🏼‍♀️👩🏼‍🦱 #hairtheory #hairtheorytrend #hairtheoryisreal #hairtheoryexplained #hairtok #creatorsearchinsights ♬ original sound - Together Beauty Hair Care

What factors contribute to the hair theory?

All the things that you can think of doing to your hair can contribute to the hair theory. Whether it’s dyeing, cutting, curling, braiding, and a whole lot more, every factor counts. But what changes about our hair make the biggest difference?

For starters, certain haircuts complement certain face shapes. Beauty creator and hairstylist, @beautyby__chantelle, advised in her TikTok video with 13.1 million views and 479.8 thousand likes which haircut would suit which face shape. In the video she provides examples of haircuts that would suit round, oval, rectangle, diamond, and heart face shapes. Don’t know your face shape? No worries. TikTok has a filter to help you figure it out.

@beautyby__chantelle I’ve gotten this question so many times so hopefully this helps! #hairtok #haircut #haircutideas #hairideas #greenscreen ♬ original sound - Beautyby_chantelle

Dyeing your hair is another key factor that makes a noticable difference in how you look and how you are perceived. Despite common stereotypes against colourful hair, people dye their hair for many different reasons as a form of self expression or simply just experimenting. For example, darker hair might make you seem more serious, whereas lighter hair might make you seem more approachable. Some hair colours have the ability to make us look older or younger and @beautyby__chantelle visually explains which hair colours would go best with different skin tones.

@beautyby__chantelle How to find the perfect haircolor for your undertone! #hairtok #fargohairstylist #haircolor #undertone #besthaircolor #greenscreen ♬ original sound - Beautyby_chantelle

Another example was provided by grey hair specialist, @rosie_baylis in a TikTok video where she put a side by side comparison of what she looks like with two different hair colours.

@rosie_baylis Replying to @This is 50 #haircolour #hairdye #boxdye #mumsoftiktokuk #thirties #forties #fifties #sixties #menopause #tunbridgewells #kent #livedincolor #livedincolorspecialist #ashblonde #warmblonde #honeyblonde #ashbrown #warmbrown #greyhair #greyhairblending #greyblending ♬ Chill Vibes - Tollan Kim

Is the hair theory real?

The proof is in the pudding. Despite recognised psychological phenomenon which changes the way that people behave towards us based on what we wear, the hair theory should be taken with a grain of salt as it’s not a real scientific theory, but merely another TikTok buzz term with personal experiences used to support it.