Cheugy: the word that haunts millennials like no other. (Well, other than "debt," but we're here to have a good time today.)
According to some TikTok users, being blonde is cheugy, and thus on the way out.
Wait, what? How can that be, and why are people saying it? Let's dive into this tea and get to the root of the problem. (I'm so sorry.)
According to TikTok... it just might be.
The question of blonde's cheugy-ness was raised by TikTok user @girlbosstown, who genuinely wanted to get input from her followers on whether her choice to stay blonde was out of date.
I'm an elder millennial, which means I've seen many a hair trend come and go over the years. And yes, it's totally a thing for certain hair colors to fall out of style from time to time. People like change!
User @thedigifairy ran down an article from i-D magazine about blonde being cheugy and added a lot of her own thoughts to it. She pointed out that the current state of the world is heavily influencing how we wear our hair.
Much like the rise of "ombré" (aka grow out) during the 2008 recession, our current hair trends lean more towards DIY/natural hair. People who cut and dyed their hair during the pandemic not only set the tone, but their attempts to get rid of those looks are also influential.
We're seeing the rise of the "expensive brunette" look. It's a preppier, sleeker look that has some controversy since as @thedigifairy pointed out, it's a beauty double standard. It's expensive for white, female celebrities.
Meaning, is being blonde now not only out of style, but cringe? Something us old fart millennials do because we're totally out of touch with current fashion and style?
Because it's November 2021, and you know what that means: it's fall.
And what happens every fall? Dark hair comes back into style as the winter months set in. Come summer, I guarantee people will be asking if being brunette is cheugy.
As I said, it's fall, and seasonal hair trends are a thing.
However. We're seeing a big natural hair moment in the style world right now. It's on trend to wear your hair how it naturally is, which reflects the diversification of the beauty world with the rise of Gen Z's influence on culture.
Sure, it saves money. But the trend towards natural hair also encourages people with different hair textures — especially Black women — to actually wear their natural hair.
Not forcing everyone into the same "beauty ideal" box is a net positive, but we're still far from finished undoing Western beauty standards. Let's get to work!
h/t Buzzfeed
