Gabriella Ferlita
We’re all for getting on that grind, but one woman discovered that by wearing her hair in a particular hairstyle, she made significantly more money in tips at work.
This would be all well and good if the TikToker, who goes by the name @semiattractivementallyok on the site, racked up the extra cash by curling or straightening her hair - but it’s when she ties her locks up into pigtails that she earns the most money.
Another content creator, Bella, caught wind of the trend and wanted to try it out for herself.
Her tip outcome was the same, having earned $50 from ‘one guy’ who asked her age when she served him wearing the pigtails.
Advert
She told her followers: “When I told him I was 21 he said, ‘hmm that’s a shame’ and I think he tipped me $50, maybe $60. One guy.”
She had a further $135 tip from another customer the same night.
And, as both TikTokers and those in the comments suggested, it’s because they suspect the hairstyle makes them appear ‘younger’ and ‘more vulnerable’. Gross.
“It’s because we look more young and vulnerable,” one person said, while another suggested: “not men because attracted to young girls BYE”.
Another noticed the extra, unwanted attention she receives when she wears her hair in this style, writing: “I do it because it’s such an easy hairstyle when i forgot to put up my hair but I'm always getting hit on by older men and now it makes sense.”
“I did this once at work and a man told me they looked like ‘nice handles’ and smirked and I immediately took them out,” someone else explained of the harassing comments they were subjected to.
However, while others are well-aware of the connotations of the sexualisation and fetishisation of young girls that are associated by some people viewing the hairstyle, they will still continue to wear their hair in pigtails as a means of earning more money.
“Works every time, I used to call them my ‘tiptails’,” admitted one onlooker.
After all, it’s important to remember that there is no problem with choosing to wear your hair in ponytails. The issue rather lies in the objectification that others put on women wearing the style.
Erin rightly pointed out in the comments: “What is this comment section? Instead of blaming women for wearing a literal hairstyle, why don’t you blame men for sexualizing it?”
Another said in agreement: “When I was young there was an article saying ‘Nine hairstyles men like you to wear’. One of them was this hairstyle. We have to stop feeding into this advice,” while someone else added: “I literally love this hairstyle. It’s just so sad that it’s perceived this way.”