Breaking up with blonde: How I finally made the change after dying my hair for a decade.

From my teens to my mid-twenties I experimented with my style, hair and makeup, to find out exactly what makes me feel like me. As a result of this, I am now a far more settled and sophisticated woman. I like to think I know what I want, what I stand for and how I feel most of the time.

But lately, I've found myself struggling with the seemingly easy task of parting with the extremely expensive habit of bleaching my hair.

Watch the You Beauty team talk about 'diamond lips' below. Article continues after video.

The words sound silly when I say them out loud (especially because I never wanted to be a blondie before) but here we are and now necessity is forcing me to do the unthinkable.

In high school, I had always been one of those natural girlies, someone who had no interest in buying into the whole blonde hair thing. I was proud of my roots, and because I was happily a light-coloured brunette, I didn't see any point in spending what little money I had on making my hair a shade or two lighter. 

From the list of things I was learning to love about myself, my hair fortunately wasn't one, and too often had I observed girls around me destroy their natural hair seeking to go blonde. 

I noticed there was a common theme happening: despite the damage and the price tag, women would continue to line up to lighten up their strands.

Baby-faced and proudly brunette-ish. Image: supplied.

Sure, I thought blondes looked great, but so did the people with ginger locks, bronzey brunette tones and jet-black strands.

Why I went blonde.

Everything changed when I made the move to a big city for University. 

As one does moving to a new city I made a bunch of new friends, one of which happened to be a fabulous hairdresser, who offered to put some "sunshine" through my hair.

How could I say no to that? It wasn't going to cost me a cent and who the heck wouldn't want some sunshine in through their hair?!

And so began my relationship with salons – in particular my love-hate relationship with blonde. 

What began as a few highlights quickly progressed to a bayalage and onto a scalp bleach. You can probably guess the maintenance was out of control. I'd sit in a chair with bleach on my head for six hours at a time only to have a thick strip of regrowth a few weeks later.

In my Kimmy K scalp bleach era. Image: Supplied.

Why I no longer want to be blonde.

Then my hairdresser friend moved overseas, both a blessing and a curse. It was a blessing for my scalp but a curse for my wallet. My hair was costing me around $500 a visit and although I LOVED the way it looked, it wasn't the best use of my hard-earned dosh.

I had reluctantly entered my recession blonde era – a term that is often used to describe the period of growing out your blonde due to the financial burden of spendy salon visits.

So I did what any woman in the midst of a big life change would do: I told every single friend in my orbit.

I was met with overwhelming support and a single comment that still lives rent-free in my noggin to date.

"You have a boyfriend now, you don't need to be blonde anymore." 

The statement hit me like a tonne of bricks, what the heck? Am I not going to be attractive anymore if I am not blonde?

But the more I thought about it, the more I felt the sentiment rang true. After all, women were fighting for hair appointments only to spend hundreds of dollars to be considered some kind of 'blonde bombshell'.

How bloody good does my mop look, am I right? Image: Supplied.

The part of me that's really not ready to let go.

It has been more than six months since I last had my roots bleached and I am still not quite ready to call myself a brunette again.

I realised that part of the reason we willingly subject our hair and wallets to this kind of torment is because of what it means to be blonde, rather than what it actually looks like.

Stay with me. 

Blonde is more than just a hair colour, it's an identity. 

In 1953 we saw films like Gentlemen Prefer Blondes which heavily influenced beauty standards starring blonde icons like Marilyn Monroe, who was described by Hitchcock as "virgin snow". 

Then came the Barbie dolls, Pamela Anderson, Madonna, Brigitte Bardot, and Paris Hilton, the list is endless. But it's these ladies, to no fault of their own, that have shaped our perceptions and my perception of what it means to be attractive today. 

Just understanding this simple fact has made me ever so conscious of my thoughts and feelings towards my hair. I realised my need to be desired by men had overshadowed my desire to live sincerely as myself, and if that isn't a penny-drop moment, I don't know what is. 

So next up for me: Waving goodbye to blonde and shaking off those stereotypes ASAP.

My hair to date. Image: Supplied.

But, if I'm being honest, I still consider myself a blonde, and will probably relapse and give in to the pressures at least one or two more times before I fully transition. 

Until then I can assure you my hair is growing out gracefully.

Image: Instagram/Supplied

Calling all internet users! Take our survey now and go in the running to win a $100 gift voucher!

TAKE SURVEY ➤