Red Hot Fashion

Those blessed with red hair have historically had it pretty rough – being called anything from "Carrot-top," "Ginger-nut," "Rusty," "Strawberry Shortcake," with possibly the worst being "Ranga" [short for Orang-utan.] In movies, red-haired women have often been cast in comic, klutzy roles, with quirky icons like Lucille Ball and Bette Midler giving a bad rap for those with natural rustic locks. Redheads are also mythically renowned for being moody and tempestuous, often typecast as the adulteress, seductress, or psychopath.
Red hair is often associated with Scottish and Irish ancestry, with a historical link to the 'Brython' Tribe who invaded the region during the Roman Conquest of Britain. Despite this association, the largest number of red-heads per population actually resides in the United States.     

Many natural redheads have gone to vast lengths to hide their natural carroty shades – remember Nicole in BMX Bandits? Where has that rosy afro gone? And Lindsay Lohan really seemed to lose her sanity with the bleaching of her lovely auburn locks.  In a society that glorifies oompa-loompa tans and bleached blonde locks, those with fair, freckly skin and red hair are rarely sought out as the ‘ideal’ beauties. Until now, that is!

Ethereal copper-haired supermodels Karen Elson [Mrs Jack White] and Lily Cole have led the recent renaissance of red on the catwalks. The evolution of rich boho-infused styles in fashion - inspired by the warm tones of Pre-Raphaelite painters like Dante Gabriel Rosetti and Waterhouse - has called for a natural nymph-like beauty unique to those with red locks and strawberries and cream complexions. With a slash of red lipstick, a glittery circle of blush and that typical mysterious complexity, redheads are the must-have for any high-fashion event.

A-listers Jennifer Lopez and Drew Barrymore have painted red carpets a little redder lately by showing off their new rusty do's. Geri Halliwell has returned to her roots to celebrate a newer 'natural' persona, while Kate Walsh, Tyra Banks and Julianne Moore continue to add their unique copper-toned glamour to A-list soirees. Rock Star Shirley Manson epitomises rock-chick chic, while Tori Amos embodies the idea of the 'enigmatic' red-head with her own eccentric style. Television redheads Cynthia Nixon and Marcia Cross have also shown that beauty can come without hours in a solarium. Anyway, with global warming frying us to smithereens, isn’t it about time we celebrated English-rose pale?!

Of course, not everyone can pull off every shade of red. Remember that neighbour who brought a cheap home-dye job and ended up looking like a rotting beetroot? Those with pinky freckly skin [like mine] have to be careful they don’t end up looking like scarecrows. A good hair colour specialist will match your skin tone with an ideal red or ginger hue – make sure you do your research before you take the plunge.

While we are on the subject of hot red-heads, take some time to think about those poor lads burdened with copper hued-hair. Who can forget those blush-to-their-toes boys at school who were picked on endlessly for their genetic fate? Though not all of them were freckly band-geeks - I went to school with a jaw-dropping redhead who would certainly give Brad Pitt a major challenge in the ridiculously good-looking stakes – I'm pretty sure he models for Levis now… Red-headed men in Hollywood are few and far between, with B-listers like Eric Stoltz, Stephen Dorff and that rubber-faced red-headed kid from Harry Potter an exception to a sadly blonde and brunette rule.

Want to be as dangerous as the redhead on that matches packet? Go for strawberry, burgundy or other red/orange hues this summer. If you think that is just too drastic for you, Ask Bronny for advice on how to make the best fashion statements of the season. Gingers unite for fashion!!