The Hair Part Theory

Today on MSN, there is an article that discusses the perception of various aspects of hair in the workplace - style, color, part, etc. The article on MSN only has excerpts of another complete article on elle.com. Well, this whole idea fascinated me so I went to elle.com and read the article.

What I found most fascinating was the Hair Part Theory done in 1999 by a brother and sister by the names of John and Catherine Walter. They theorize that a left-sided part "draws unconscious attention to activities controlled by the left hemisphere of the brain—i.e., logic, problem-solving, linear thinking, etc.—and that politicians with left parts historically fare better. In a 2001 New Yorker article, the Walters even supposed that Al Gore’s right part was the reason for his losing to the left-parted George W. Bush, pointing out that only three elected American presidents had a right-side part."

They further theorize that with a right-sided part, "unconscious attention is drawn to activities controlled by the right hemisphere of the brain—i.e., visual, artistic, and musical skills, nonlinear thinking, etc. “The best writers, eggheads, and artists tend to part their hair on the right,” noted Washington Post writer Henry Mitchell in 1979, who hypothesized that Jimmy Carter—a president plagued by unpopularity—switched from a right to left part midterm in hopes of separating himself from this elite and regaining a “populist image.”" (Elle.com, 2010)

The Elle.com article also says that a center part is considered to be more edgy and bold.

I currently have supershort hair (think crew-cut)


(no, this is not me)
in a deep burgundy shade (#36 from Loreal Feria - chocolate cherry) and it will only "part" on the left-side. Does that mean that I'm going to be the first female President of the United States?!