Sarah opens her eyes, looks at the mirror and straight away she’s astonished by what she sees. This had to be a joke, right? Surely this wasn’t possible. While Sarah stood soaked in disbelief, Theodore, the hairstylist who just gave Sarah her makeover, watches her across the room in equal astonishment.
Theodore had been styling hair for 15 years and had worked his magic on major celebrities such as Mariah Carey and Jennifer Anniston, but he had never seen a transformation like this before. Sarah looked completely different. But then suddenly, panic hits Sarah like a ton of bricks. She feels sick to her stomach. What was everybody else going to think about her new look?
It was safe to say that Sarah had lived a pretty sheltered life. Growing up in a small town, and within the Amish community, this 21-year-old had never experienced life as a regular young woman.
You see, Sarah was Amish which meant there were hundreds of strict rules and regulations she had to live by. But then one day, she decided to break these rules. She was done, and she needed a change. But she didn’t think of the consequences.
The Amish community is a religious group that originally originated in Switzerland. Although this community follows the traditional Christian faith, the roots of their belief system have been traced back to the 16th century.
The word ‘Amish’ was first coined back in 1710 as a term for shame. And because of this, the Amish community became outsiders and outcasts from the everyday world. But within their community, lies strict rules that everybody must adhere to. Until one day, Sarah broke their rules, and nothing was ever the same again.
People in the Amish community often live their lives in accordance with Ordung, meaning order. Their rules are strict and some say harsh, for example, this community bans any kind of non-conventional clothing and personal grooming.
Meaning, make-up, and hair care are completely unheard of within the Amish community. In fact, women who wear makeup and style their hair, are seen as more interested in themselves than God. But one member of the Amish community was about to break free.
Being raised as Amish, Sarah never got to experience the everyday life of a regular teenager, meaning she had neglected her hair all her life. She had never cut, colored, or styled it.
For most 22-year-old girls, hair care is an important routine, but not for Sarah. However, an outsider of the Amish community would soon arrive, and turn everybody’s world upside down.
In 2014 just as Sarah turned 21, Glamour magazine sent out Theodore Leaf, a highly renowned hairy stylist, to give Sarah a makeover.
Theodore had worked with huge celebrities such as Mariah Carey and Jennifer Anniston, so he was excited about this next project: a makeover on Amish girl. Sounds easy right? Well, when Theodore arrived at Sarah’s Amish home, he was lost for words at what he saw.
Theodore had never seen anything like this before. It was a fashion nightmare! He opened the door to Sarah’s home, and his mouth dropped when he saw the 21-year old’s outfit. She was wearing a long brown dress with a high neckline, and a skirt that fell way past her knees.
If modesty was an outfit, this for sure would be it! Theodore watched Sarah tidy up her house and saw her brown hair tucked up under her traditional Amish cap. But Theodore couldn’t help but think why now? Why did this Amish girl wait 21 years for a makeover?
You see Sarah admitted she wanted to explore other options. She felt now was the time to let loose and do whatever felt right for her. After all, it was her life and she was in charge of her destiny.
“Change is good, right?” Sarah kept asking herself, hundreds of times while she waited for her makeover. She had to stay positive, she couldn’t think of what others would say. Little did she know she should have.
Theodore had been a hairy stylist for 15 years now and he had never met anybody like Sarah. He could tell she was nervous, he watched as she tapped her feet and bit her lip, soaked in anxiety and conflict.
He didn’t want to ask her what others would think, instead, he picked up a pair of scissors and began to work his magic. But nobody was expecting what would happen next.
As Theodore went to work on Sarah’s hair, he felt like she had to either go big or go home. After all its good to experiment, right? He suggests that she should go blonde.
As soon as Theodore suggested a change of hair color, Sarah felt sick to her stomach. But she had to do this. She had to take risks. She quietly replied, “sure,” and smiled at Theodore. But keeping her new hairstyle would prove difficult for Sarah.
While Theodore colored Sarah’s hair she explained that there was no electricity at home, which means she wouldn’t be able to blow dry her new luscious locks.
However, Theodore recommended Sarah to set her hair in braids to add some texture and to also use conditioning products to give her hair some boost and volume. Finally, it was time for the big reveal.
Theodore finishes snipping and cutting away at Sarah’s hair and steps back to take a peek at the finished look, and he’s utterly lost for words. He had been cutting and styling hair for 15 years now and he had never been a transformation like this before!
She looked completely different. Sarah could see the look of shock on Theodore’s face and she started to panic. Had she made a bad decision? It was too late now. She had to take a look for herself.
Sarah gets up and slowly walks across to the mirror on the other side of the room. Regret, anxiety, and fear creep up her spine as she realizes she’s seconds away from looking at her the ‘new her.’
Will she regret it? Had she made a stupid mistake? Will everybody hate her for this? It was too late to ask questions now. It was time for the big reveal. And big it was!
Sarah opens her eyes, looks at the mirror and is astonished by what she sees. The dull and lifeless brown hair of a conservative Amish 21-year-old? Gone. Instead, bright and cheerful highlights with a fun bounce are in its place.
She’s lost for words but is over the moon with her new hairdo. She loved everything: the color, the style, and the shape. But how would everybody else feel about her new look?
Many of Sarah’s friends loved her new makeover. Laura, Sarah’s best friend, described her new look as being very “Sarah” – carefree and happy.
Sarah was pleased that everybody else loved her makeover as much as she did. And she thoroughly thanked Theodore for everything he did. For the first time, Sarah finally felt happy. It just goes to show how much a makeover can change your life!
