The long and short of it: what your hairstyle says about you

After years of GHDs and poker straight tresses, hair is once again becoming a statement of individualism thanks to celebs like Katy Perry and her rainbow-coloured locks.

LIKE many addictions, it starts as a psychological prop, a way of making yourself feel more confident in social situations. At first you only do it on a night out because everyone else does. But then you become dependent. Before you know it, you’re indulging first thing in the morning and then in the loo at work when you think no one’s looking. You do it after the gym and even on holiday. You forget what you were like before the addiction took hold. The idea of living without it sends a shiver of cold terror down your spine.

I talk not of narcotics, alcohol or cigarettes. I talk instead of something that millions of women can relate to on an everyday basis: the simple act of straightening one’s hair.