We've all been in a salon chair, ridden with nerves about getting a fresh new 'do. No matter if we were cutting off an inch or foot, someone almost always attempted to ease our minds with one well-intentioned reminder: "It's just hair." But that's definitely not true. Even if our transformations weren't nearly as drastic as those you'd see on America's Next Top Model, there's still a lot of power behind a big haircut or colour change. And Selena Gomez might be the best example of that.
Whether it's a bob, bleached blond hair, or a curtain fringe, the singer has done it all. In fact, Gomez has tried every last one of those looks in a matter of four months — the latter of which she revealed less than a week after reportedly completing treatment for anxiety and depression. Which has left us wondering: Is there a deeper meaning behind all of her epic hair changes?
Not every haircut is as cut-and-dry as a "breakup" haircut, but we can learn something from the meaning behind getting one. As Dr. Sanam Hafeez, clinical neuropsychologist and professor at Columbia University, told Refinery29, "Changing your hair can be a big statement. It may mean you announcing something without announcing it or signify a metamorphosis. It's an instant statement that may actually make you feel like a new person." In other words: A haircut can be a harbinger to something else that you aren't even aware of yet. And if parts of your life feel somewhat out of your control, changing your hair is an easy way to get that power back.
Now, does that mean Gomez's new wispy layers indicate anything more than a fringe trim? Maybe not. But is there something to be said about a haircut being a form of self-care? Absolutely. Gomez is doing what she needs to do in order to focus on her well-being, and whether that's hanging with her four-year-old sister, going to church, or switching up her hair — that sounds like a positive thing to us.