The psychology of a new hair style as Davina McCall showcases blonde pixie cut
The Masked Singer judge unveiled a dramatic new look
Davina McCall has debuted a brand new hair do in the latest episode of The Masked Singer, which saw her showcasing what appears to be a blonde, pixie cut.
Stepping onto the stage of the ITV show, the judge, 57, showed off a sleek, blonde do, which was a stark contrast from her usual longer, darker locks.
The new style comes as the TV personality underwent brain surgery towards the end of last year after revealing she had a non-cancerous colloid cyst that was discovered when she was offered a check up for doing a talk about menopause.
Of course McCall's striking new look immediately grabbed viewers' attention, kickstarting a wave of reactions on social media.
"Loving your new hair style and colour Davina!!" one fan wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "DAVINA girl your hair is amazing, love it, love it the colour really suits you," another agreed.
"Absolutely gorgeous Davina, love your hair, girl," yet another viewer wrote.
The My Mum Your Dad presenter has confirmed on Instagram that her new look was in fact a temporary wig, but there's a lot involved emotionally in a change of hair style, with our locks proving to be something we're heavily invested in.
The psychology of a new hair style
The importance of hair was previously demonstrated in a study measuring participants’ emotions after receiving a new haircut with the fresh look found to improve a range of happiness indicators including joyfulness, relaxation levels, and subjective energy levels.
Further evidence of our hair investment was also illustrated by British hairstylist Andrew Collinge, who set out to find out how often women change their hair, and more importantly the reasons they decide to make the change.
In the survey, of 3000 women, he discovered that on average women change their hairstyles up to 104 times in their lifetime and switch the colour at least three times.
Reasons cited for the big snip include 44% who said they did it because they were bored, 61% just wanted to change things up.
A quarter 25% hit up their hairdresser to "re-invent" themselves, and just over a third (38%) thought a new do would make them feel more confident.
But why can changing our hair have such a big impact?
According to psychologist and relationship expert Barbara Santini, it is much deeper than a simple change of style.
"This is about metamorphosis," she explains. "When you change those locks, you're often changing more than just hair—you're casting off an old identity, even if temporarily."
She says we should think of it as "hitting the 'refresh' button on our life browser. Suddenly, we're the artist, and our hair is the canvas".
The end result? A revitalising wave of confidence, freedom, and sometimes, unexpected courage to face pending life changes.
Santini cites something known as "enclothed cognition", which is the psychological theory that clothes can significantly influence a person's mental state and performance, and says there is a similar effect witnessed when you switch up your locks.
"Hair is the crown you never take off," she explains. "As the new year approaches and we prepare for a fresh new chapter, a hairstyle overhaul serves as a form of mental gearing up.
"It's not just about physical appearance; it's about signalling to your brain that a new season of productivity, social interaction, and perhaps even romance is upon us. You're not just styling your hair; you're styling your mindset for what lies ahead."
Of course, like McCall changing your look after illness can also have its benefits.
"Hair is often seen as a crown, a symbol of health, vitality, and femininity," Santini explains. "When illness robs us of that, it can feel like a loss of identity. A new hairstyle, whether it's a wig or a fresh cut, is a
powerful way to reclaim that lost crown. It's a statement of resilience, a declaration: 'I am still here, and I am strong'."
The act of choosing a new hairstyle can also be deeply therapeutic. "It's a form of self-care, a way of saying, 'I deserve to feel good about myself'," Santini explains. "It's about more than just appearance; it's about reclaiming a sense of agency and control over one's life."
Yet, this isn't a one-size-fits-all formula.
"For some, a botched haircut can bring on feelings of regret or identity loss," says Santini. "This duality is what I call the 'hair paradox', a phenomenon where the very object designed to empower us can also, in less successful ventures, deflate our emotional sails."
And it isn't just cutting your hair, that can have an impact on our emotions, growing it longer could also have a knock-on effect on confidence.
Earlier this year journalist Harriet Walker appeared on Lorraine discussing long hair and how it is often frowned upon for women in their mid-life or beyond to grow their hair long.
She argues there is no "age-limit" on long hair and explains that her longer length has become something of a "security blanket".
Santini agrees that when it comes to the bias in hairstyles for older women it is time to let go of age-old stigmas.
"Society, in its elusive wisdom, often relegates older women to a corner where long, flowing hair is suddenly deemed 'inappropriate' or 'trying too hard'," she says.
"But this is more than just aesthetic ageism; it's an assault on personal liberty and emotional wellbeing."
So if, like Davina McCall, you're contemplating whether to keep or cut your hair, or potentially switch up your look with a wig, consider this: Your hair is an archive of your life experiences, a testament to your unique journey.
"To cut or not to cut, to change or not to change, is your decision, and it should be one, that amplifies, not silences, your sense of self," Santini concludes.
Read more about hair:
Signs and symptoms of the hidden hair loss condition FFA (Yahoo Life UK, 7-min read)
What to know about alopecia as Love Island’s Kaz reveals new pixie cut (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)
Woman embraces her grey hair in her twenties after getting first silver streaks at 15 (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)
