Exotic/Alternative Hairstyles

[Pauan]

I was wondering... Dyed hair in non natural colours (green, blue, white, pink, etc), dreadlocks, mohawks. How would they be perceived in chinese big cities, like Beijing?

 

I know foreigners already catch the attention for being different, so would a different hairstyle be acceptable (as we are already different) or will it suffer prejudice?

 

I am specially concerned when it comes to deal with officers, embassy, university staff, these kind of people. Will things not work for me just because a different hair colour? Does it make any easier the fact that I will be an art/film college?

 

[ChTTay]

Quite a few women in Beijing dye their hair red or rather have a reddish tint to their hair. You see a few with green, blue or blonde. It's not often you see Chinese men with died hair and, if you do, they are usually hairdressers.

If you have a bright green mohawk you will probably get people staring... But i'm pretty sure people would stare at you in my home city too. As for prejudice, hard to say... If i was a teacher here with that hair, parents wouldn't like it at all. I am pretty sure your University admin staff won't care too much about it. It's not like you'll be dealing with them that often anyway. As for embassy staff, do you mean Chinese embassies? Why would you encounter them? Chinese visas are processed by third party companies in many countries . Actually, if you were in a suit or shirt and tie but you had a green mow hawk, you'd still look a lot smarter than a lot of people I see at the Hong Kong Visa office applying for visa. Many are in shorts, vests and sandals, unshaven etc

I guess a lot of it depends on the person. In smaller cities you would probably get even more attention than usual.

[abcdefg]

I am specially concerned when it comes to deal with officers, embassy, university staff, these kind of people. Will things not work for me just because a different hair colour?

 

Officials and bureaucrats don't like weird hair styles, anyplace on earth. They are conservative and stodgy people. China is no exception. You will encounter prejudice.

[roddy]

You'll probably also get a lot of attention from people telling you how great your hair is. 

[Ruben von Zwack]

I think it depends on how big your hair is. Frapuncino had blue hair, and dyed it back to natural when he went to China last year, because he had similar concerns. But in hindsight he said it was not necessary. But then he has a normal hairstyle.
Now, for these guys on the other hand...

[Lu]

I hardly ever saw white people with weird hairstyles in Beijing. Dreadlocks I only saw on Asians. Not saying nobody had them, but it didn't seem prevalent. My guess would be you'll get more stares than from just being a foreigner, but otherwise it shouldn't be an issue if you're a student at an art college. As long as your paperwork and tuition payment and such are in order, I can't imagine the visa office or the university administration would care, although I would probably dress down if I went to visit them. If you're trying to get a job somewhere I would not recommend weird hair (although someone I know once found a job in Xi'an while having a head full of rather crappy dreadlocks).

[MoTzu]

As long as you don't mind being stared at you won't be affected by it at all.

I have a shaved head and visible tattoos with skulls etc in them. I get stared at by EVERYONE here but back home I blend in.

I imagine you would already have a thick skin if you're walking around with a coloured mohawk and used to people staring.

I talk to police etc daily and you will find while they stare (more like glare) at you,if you approach anyone here regardless of whether they're in a uniform or not with a welcoming smile and a polite ni hao their glare will turn into a smile and they will be friendly/helpful.

[Pauan]

Thanks for your thoughts. I was just afraid it could attract some kind of trouble. I don't mind being stared, as I will probably be already for being a foreigner.

Anyway, thanks.