what they say about first impressions lasting forever is complete bullshit
kelly | 24 September 2005 - 6:24pm
So Rob and I were at a party last night and I was introduced to this girl whom I'd already met before. Twice actually - July and December 2004. In December it was a brief encounter at another party but in July we had a pretty extensive conversation (seriously, like 2 hours) at a dinner party in which we discovered that we went to the same college and had some things in common there and we talked about her mom's ailing health and other more than skimming-the-surface types of things. So someone "introduced" us at this party last evening, unaware we'd met before. And you know who else was unaware we'd met before? Yeah, her. She was all, "Oh! Nice to meet you!" and I was like...Oooh, awkward. And so I said, quite casually, "You know, I think we've met before, actually. Yeah, at a dinner party last year? Maybe?" WE HAD A TWO HOUR CONVERSATION, REMEMBER?!
And I walked away from our re-introduction a bit bummed because who wants to be unmemorable? And I said to Rob, "I recall pretty much our entire conversation from a year ago, and she didn't even remember me. I don't get it."
"It's not that she didn't remember you," he said. "It's that she didn't recognize you."
"Huh?"
"Well, the last time you saw her was last year. I mean, you're a lot hotter now."
I don't know about that, but he may be onto something. In the spring we went to an engagement party for one of my college friends, A. I think it had been four years since I'd seen her. She answered the door and gave me a completely blank look. She blinked her eyes. And then she screamed and said, "OMG, KELLY?! OMG! I didn't even recognize you! I was like, 'Who is that walking up the sidewalk with SG?'" Yeah, keep in mind that Rob (whom she knew in college) was with me and also that WE HAD RSVPed. I mean, she was expecting me and she still didn't have a clue who I was.
And it doesn't end there. About an hour later two more girls from my college days, B and C, arrived at the engagement party. B was another friend and C was an acquaintance. C was walking by and I said, "Hey! How are you?" And she looked at me like I was being entirely too friendly for someone she'd never met and then she said, polite and reserved, "I'm well. And how are you?" And I realized that she had no clue who I was. And so we talked like strangers for a few minutes and then B walked up. "Hi B!" I squealed. And she stopped dead in her tracks and then her jaw dropped and then she said, "Holy shit! Holy shit, Kelly, I would not have known you if I hadn't heard your voice!" And then C said, "Wait. Kelly?! Oh my gosh! I just had an entire conversation with you and didn't even realize who you were!"
But here's the thing. Nothing about me has changed except for my hair. I haven't gained or lost weight, I haven't gotten a nose job, and I wasn't even boobin' it up. My hair is the only thing. And perhaps my clothes - but who doesn't dress better now than they did in college? And okay, my eyebrows are more shapely now. But the only noticeable change is that I now have highlights and a spunky cut - and come on, it's not that different. If that's all it takes to throw people, there is truly no need for the witness protection program.
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I swore I'd never post a pre-cute haircut with highlights photo on this blog, but there I just went and did it. Cause I'm sure you're wondering. That's what I looked like a year ago, when I first met the girl who didn't remember me at the party. In college, when A, B, and C knew me, I looked just like this except my hair was about 3 inches shorter. Everytime Rob and I look at this photo, it freaks us the frick out. Not that it's bad - but I seriously don't remember ever looking like that. Huh, I guess that means the girl at last night's party is off the hook. (Here is a current photo of me.) |
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Never underestimate the power of a damned good haircut.
You last year? Cute.
You now? Totally hott.
I have to say that the haircut makes a pretty big difference on you! I can see how the dinner party girl didn't recognize you, but the friends not recognizing you is kinda weird. ;)
See, I think you are attractive in both styles. I can see how someone may not recognize you though. I mean Superman just put on a pair of glasses to become Clark Kent. Cute haircut does give you an edge.
You'd really be surprised - I've changed hair colors and had CO-WORKERS not recognize me. I mean, maybe they're just not very observant people. ???
Damn you, William! You stole my witty Clark Kent angle! (shakes fist)
Man oh man... I got nuthin'. Freak.
OK, I have to say that all those people who didn't recognize you, and the other people who commented likewise? Doofuses! All of them! Seriously, how can you mistake that smile? A completely random person could have handed me this old picture on the street corner, and I would have been all, "Hey, where'd you get a picture of Kalki?" Cute then, cute+hott now!
It's definitely the ho-do, I mean hair-do, that's throwing them. ;)
I'm with Ern. C'mon, the voice, the smile, the tight little package Rob. (you can choose to either include that last comma or not)
People change their hair all the time. To me, it's still you. But it's great blog fodder, nonetheless. And yes, I dress worse now than in college. I didn't have to deal with projectile spit-up back then.
It's got to be the oh-so "cute haircut with highlights"!!!!!
From your before and after pics, you do look totally cute. But damn, you look good BOTH ways. Highlights didn't make you hotter, just maybe gave you more of a not-the-girl-next-door thing. Either way, hot.
But yeah, that's so strange when people you've met don't remember you. I was at a party last night and one of my COWORKERS asked me my name (bearing in mind there are only like 5 girls who work at my company). AND i've also had extensive lunchtime conversations with this individual about his parents who are into the arts (and as am a bit artsy fartsy myself I found this fascinating).
Even his wife, who i met two weeks ago at a dodgeball tournament (yes, i know, nerdy.) She made a comment to me at the party "I've never met you before but..."
What the eff - 5 girls! There's only 5 girls! Am I that effing boring?
Aww, thanks mrtl.
Bente, I think it is ALL weird! But yes, I will admit that I look different. A little.
Thanks william. And good point about Clark Kent - I hadn't thought of that.
Okay jessica_deva, that's just fucked up. Your own co-workers? But hey, you should totally go work on Alias after Jennifer Garner has her baby.
cat, you're just gonna have to start getting here sooner, mmmkay?
THANK YOU Ern! I mean, really. Doofuses indeed!
Okay Guess Who, I read this comment in my email before I saw it here, and so I didn't see the name attached to it. And I was like, Oh, that had better be you-know-who or else I am going to be seriously offended. Of course, it was. Biznitch.
Yeah, people do change their hair all the time, ieatcrayonz. I mean, look at Kathie Lee Gifford. Or Charlize Theron. It's just hair, people! (Why can't they see past the hair?) Oh, and I am definitely not including the last comma. ;)
Or perhaps it's the post-Shampooing glow, momo. ;)
Hi Hänni! And hon, that co-worker thing ain't right. Only 5 girls? Um, who did these people think you were? Seriously, people. And no, you are not that boring. They are just that stupid.
Umm .. I've done that. It's disconcerting when people change their hairstyles - which is why I decided to go bald.
Then I went and lost 70 pounds in the past year, and I LOVE going up and starting a conversation with someone and seeing that look in their eyes, that "Mayday, mayday, he knows me but I don't know him, access all memory banks, system overload, go to impulse power, mayday, mayday" look.
And looking at the "before" picture, I can see why she had a memory glitch. Really, how many of Julia Roberts' friends would recognize her after Richard Gere took her down to Rodeo Drive ...?
Well, you're adorable with or without the cute haircut with highlights, but I'll admit the cute haircut with highlights is very flattering and frames your face in a way that....I don't know, accentuates the shape differently than in the older photo, maybe. And...have you maybe changed your makeup since then? Or is it just the cute haircut with highlights that makes it look different?
Maybe if we could see before and after photos of the cute haircut with highlights AND John Stamos? 'Cause, you know, John Stamos loves him a cute haircut with highlights. Or so I've heard.
I just checked out the SPD haircut and GAWD what a cutie you are! I mean, yeah, you were cute before with the long hair and no highlights, but HOLEY MOLEY, with the cute cut and highlights, you're adorable!
Okay, I know I have been a bit indifferent to your haircut in the past. But now with the comparison, your haircut is totally cute with great highlights! I don't know if I would have recognized you either, or offered to be your boy toy. LOL Just kidding, you are always hot :P
I think men are more easily confused by a change in hairstyles, Nilbo. All it takes is a ponytail to completely confuse Rob. ("Who is that girl?" "Hon, that's your sister - with her hair pulled back.")
Thanks LB. And yes, in fact, John Stamos is completely obsessed with good hair. Well okay, so that's Uncle Jesse. But they're practically the same person.
Aww, thanks CK!
Wait, what?! Indifferent? John Boy, did you just say you've been indifferent to the cute haircut with highlights? Um, WHOA. Ain't nobody INDIFFERENT to the cute haircut with highlights. Infatuated, yes. Enamored, certainly. But indifferent? Hell no.