Undercover Blonde - A Critique

According to Neimen Reports, (2005,p59), a blog can be described as a hybrid form of online communications with users 'wanting to share information and opinions, commentary and news'. And in essence, that is what a blog or "web log" is - a frequently updated online journal for anyone interested in the topic, to read. In this critique, I shall look at the blog, "Undercover Blonde" and provide an in-depth analysis discussing why this particular blog is so successful and what are its strengths and weaknesses.

Appearances seem to be everything in society today. We are fascinated by celebrities usually not because of their successes and achievements but due to their antics and superficial appearances. This leads me on to the old saying,

"Do Blonde's really have more fun?"

Well, finally one female has taken it upon herself to find out the truth. Known only as Kitty, 27, from Massachusetts, this blogger has really put new meaning to "suffering for ones art" using the ever-increasing popularity of blogging to document her experiment for people to read world wide.

"A year and a half ago, I dreamed up a hairbrained scheme. I decided to go blond, to see how the other half lives. Is life DIFFERENT as a blond? I bet it would be, and went UNDERCOVER to find out. But the experiment can't end there. I need also to lived as a brunette, to compare my notes. So on December 29th, 2006 I dyed my hair dark brown. And now we shall see how the darker half lives..."

Her blog posts are detailed and insightful and once you start reading one, you soon have read them all. She describes her daily exploits in great detail, all the while relating it back to her experiment regarding hair colour.

I have a great deal of respect for this women who has continued with her lifestyle and not faltered or changed and yet she has still managed to document this experiment into something that greatly intrigues a large majority of the population. Even more so for posting it on a blog site that can be accessed for all to see and with almost 11 000 site visitors, that is a fair few. Yet, it is because of this women's commitment to her experiment, that her blog has become so successful. The blog is voted by Blog Top Sites in the academic blog category at 87th place out of 310 positions.

In conclusion, this blog is, in my opinion, a pristine example that follows the definition of what a blog should be. It is often updated with new posts and documents the daily life of the user and her project. The subject matter of the experiment is something that a lot of people are interested by. I, myself, have often wondered what it would be like to live life with a different hair colour. Would it change who I or how I act? Am I that superficial!? Who knows, but after reading this blog, it certainly made me think about some of those questions. I throughly recommend any one to log on and give it a read. You'll be surprised at how hooked you become.