2004-10-23 | 5:22 p.m.

the other day, my friend l-girl and i were lamenting how lame people can be when reacting to a new haircut/hair color on someone they know. why can't they just say, even if it's a white lie, "your hair looks great!" is beyond us.

we reviewed a few of the faux pas reactions to follicle alterations we've encountered or heard tell of:

1. "don't worry, it will grow back."

2. "i like the cut, but not the color."

3. complete silence after awkward eye-to-head contact.

this weekend, i was feeling rowdy and let my stylist put a big fat streak of flashing siren red through my hair.

my forklift-dodging neighbor was the first to see it.

"wow, it's striking. i'll try not to stare," he said, staring.

then the next day in yoga class, a big bear of a woman who has always rubbed me the wrong way pronounced:

"now that's a color."

thank you?

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