Natural redheads make up a tiny fraction of the world’s population and an outsized share of its fantasies. Mathematically, it doesn’t add up. Romantically, it makes complete sense.
Today is Love Your Red Hair Day, so let’s give the redhead her due.
What is Love Your Red Hair Day?
Love Your Red Hair Day, celebrated on November 5, honors natural redheads and anyone who has ever wished they were one.
Copper, auburn, ginger, strawberry blonde, and every shade of crimson that came from a box: all are welcome.
Where does the fiery reputation come from?
Artists have been obsessed with red hair for centuries. Renaissance painters gave it to their goddesses. Pre-Raphaelite painters gave it to nearly everyone. Novelists handed it to their boldest heroines, and film gave those heroines the best entrances and the sharpest lines.
The result is an archetype that arrives fully formed: passionate, quick-witted, a little dangerous, and impossible to overlook. Fair or not, it’s a wonderful starting point for a fantasy.
Which redhead myths should we retire?
- “They all have tempers.” Some do. So do plenty of brunettes. Passion has never checked anyone’s hair color first.
- “Freckles are something to cover up.” Freckles are constellations, and anyone who disagrees simply hasn’t been close enough to count them.
- “It’s just a hair color.” It’s an aesthetic, a reputation, and a whole cast of characters. Few hair colors come with that much backstory.
Why do redhead fantasies stay so popular?
Rarity makes anything feel special, but the real appeal is the story attached. The fiery temptress, the mischievous neighbor, the sultry stranger in green velvet at the edge of the party. Red hair walks into a scene and the plot starts writing itself.
How can you celebrate Love Your Red Hair Day?
Call a redhead, or a Flirt who’d enjoy playing one for an evening. Ask about the freckles. Find out whether the reputation holds up under close questioning. It’s research, technically.