I remember when Rihanna hopped out the box (a figurative box of course) with hair the color of a ripe tomato. It was introduced to us on her sometime near the end of last year, around the release of her Loud album. When I first saw it, I didn’t know whether I wanted to laugh out loud or snap on her hairstylist because yes, it was indeed loud. But now that she’s toned it down for a clean light brown, I miss the red. As crazy as it was at times, when she had it pressed or curled in bold ringlets, it was actually pretty fly. Plus, it made her stand out. And how many chicks from the hood do you know that went for firetruck red hair because of her look? Exactly.
If you’re looking to change up your color and you’re thinking about doing red, know that Ri-Ri is not the first celeb to do the bold, Sideshow-Bob meets Ronald McDonald color–nor will she be the last. And because I love talking about hair color, I’ve compiled a list of fab chicks who’ve tried their hand at tomato-paste red hair before and after her and worked it (or shouldn’t have tried to). Hope this inspires you to try something new with your do!
Janet Jackson
People conveniently forget that Janet was one of the first black celebrities to go bright red. And yes, she looked fab with the tomato red ‘do. Janet switched it up from her dark locks around the release of her album The Velvet Rope. You remember–the “I Get So Lonely,” “Got Til It’s Gone” days. In her quest for a Bohemian-chic, she sported a nose ring (and other rings I won’t name) and she rocked red ringlets and ponytail galore like no other. Would we call this red hair a win or a loss? She definitely gets a W.
Fantasia
Not really sure what inspired this Kool-Aid cherry hair variation for Fanny, but then again, she’s always changed it up and done some “unique” things with her hair. Depending on the style she was rocking her hair in, the red hair could look cute from time to time, but all around, the look was a little over the top. Nice try Fannie.
Kelis
Ms. Bossy has always been a color aficionado when it comes to her hair. We’ve seen it blue. We’ve seen it grey, as well as pitch black, pink and blonde. The short cut queen (at least in my book) made her red hair pop thanks to an uber-cropped curly ‘do that elongated her neck. When she had a brassy red bowl-cut, it wasn’t as fabulous, but it’s still safe to say that she got away with it. Red is definitely hard to pull off, but if anyone can do it, Kelis can. She gets a win for her take on red.
Tiny
I don’t know what it is…but there’s just something about bright red on Tameka “Tiny” Cottle that just doesn’t work for me. Maybe because her hair is always so over-dramatically long with the color. But I can see shoulder length red looking awesome on her though–anything to make the color look more natural helps. This shade of red was Tiny’s staple for a while, and I guess people got used to it. But I personally prefer her with a blonde do. It complements her much better than this mega bright red. I’m torn, but I guess she can get a pass…
Trina
I could actually see red working on Trina, aka the self-proclaimed “Baddest B****h.” However, the wig she’s working the color on is my problem. This lace-front is so shiny, and awkwardly cut in different photos that sometimes it looks like a Barbie doll’s head. Red is definitely a good look on her (and I like the fact that she colored her brows to match), but a different wig would work wonders. I’m not going to call it a loss or a win, I’ll just call it a dress because she’s fab either way.
Keyshia Cole
Keyshia made her debut in the music world with stop sign red hair back before it became fashionable again. And while I was never a fan of some of the styles she wore said red head in, the color definitely complemented her well. I’m more of a fan of Keyshia with her hair in a shade of black, but I don’t mind when she switches back to her red roots.
Charli Baltimore
I know you didn’t forget about Charli Baltimore! Been a minute since we saw her signature shocking red hair (remember when she tried to make a comeback with Murder Inc.?), but could you imagine her without it? You probably could…but for right now, don’t. And what’s cool is that Charli never just stuck to dramatic long red locks. She’s made the color pop with a chopped bob, feathered look, streaked–you name it. And the eyebrows stay red! Now that’s commitment. For the win!
Eve
Whose that girl? Okay, I know you’re sick of that. But I know you remember when she made herself stand out with her pixie cuts and her rhymes. The cut showed up in many shades, but bright red was the most eclectic color she shot for. Like with Rihanna, when I initially saw her go red, it looked a lil cray-cray (aka, crazy), but now that I look back on it? Fresh…
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