The Dark Hair Discrepancy

I've been experiencing something strange since close to the beginning of the school year.   I had had highlighted hair since I was in late high school when I was introduced to the hair stylist my boyfriend's mother used.    Since that time, I think there have only been one or two occasions where my hair hasn't been lightened by highlights—never full color—until recently.

When the pool closed this last summer and school had begun, I decided to darken my hair with a single color, hopefully the color that matched my natural hair.   It took us two tries to get it right, but we were fairly close the first time.   I had plans to have lower-maintence hair, only to find out I had enough grey hair that recoloring every six weeks became the new hair regime.  

Ever since I darkened my hair, people have been commenting on it.   Some comments—most of them—have been complimentary, saying they like the darker hair on me.   Others have been about not recognizing me from behind or initially.    I have to agree with both, I do like the darker color and I have been caught off guard when looking at pictures, because I don't realize it's me in the photos initially.

But here's the conundrum: people continue to tell me how much they like the new color change.   People tell me this who have seen me multiple times since the start of last fall.   People will tell me this that I haven't seen in a month (but catch up with again at the next board meeting) and I've even had people comment on my hair that see me on a regular basis.   These are comments I get about my, "new hair color change" that isn't new or even newly refreshed at the salon.

The color I get put on is a semi-permanent, so it does fade a small amount from the day it's put on until I do a wash or two to get out the excess color, but most hair colors do that.   If I was getting comments during that timeframe I would be suspect, but typically that's not when it happens.

Do I look strikingly better in darker hair and people comment on it because, "wow, I'm sure glad she figured out highlights didn't suit her."  Or is it that the look isn't a natural one with my skin tone and people comment on it because it's strange or different looking?

People are sometimes surprised when I tell them the color is as close to my natural color as we can get (albeit a less "boring" version of my hair color) and can they see all the grey in the half-inch of growth since I last had it done.  

The mystery may persist until I decide to go crazy blonde and short haired or maybe something in the purple and spiky spectrum of hair styles.   I wonder what kinds of comments I'd get then.

The Big Boy Update:  My son needs an audience.   He likes to talk, show off, tell you what to do, complain loudly and make sure you're paying attention to him.   He is also not shy.

The Tiny Girl Chronicles:  My next-door-neighbor was asking my daughter what her dad does for work saying, "what type of work does your dad do?"  She said, "he works in the basement."   Then she followed up with some specific details, "he does strawberry work."

Fitness Update:  Late to the gym!  I thought I hit the snooze but it was the off switch instead.  I made it, but had to have a shortened workout.