Can a hairstyle affect your income? A server at a high-end French restaurant recently ran an experiment to see if the way she does her hair impacts how much money she makes.
Over the course of seven days, creator Walker (@tomatoluvvrr) tried various hairstyles on her long, red hair for her shifts at the restaurant.
“Seeing which hairstyle makes me the most tips at an upscale French restaurant,” the onscreen text on her TikTok reads.
Her tips ranged widely throughout those seven days. The least she made was $305 on the day her hair was straightened and half up with a large black bow. The most Walker made, $509, was on the day she put her red locks into a simple, elegant ponytail.
Here is a breakdown of her hairstyle and the tips she made each day:
- Hair in two Dutch braids and stylish, messy buns: $378
- Hair pulled up in a clip: $415
- Hair loosely curled and half up: $408
- Hair in pigtails with braids in the ponytails: $356
- Hair in a simple, stylish ponytail: $509
- Hair in double braids: $402
- Hair straightened and half up with a large black bow: $305
It is arguable that Walker’s tips weren’t due to her hairstyle so much as luck or simply how busy the restaurant was. But it is undeniable that appearance has an impact on earnings.
The economics of beauty
While beauty is in the eye of the beholder, some features and attributes are considered attractive, such as facial symmetry. Being attractive doesn’t just make it easier to find a romantic partner, it literally makes you more money.
Multiple studies have shown that people who are seen as good-looking earn more than their less-attractive counterparts.
One found that attractive people were over 50% more likely to hold more “prestigious” jobs 15 years after graduating with a Masters in Business (MBA). The same study found that over that 15-year timeframe, better looking MBAs received raises that were 2.4 % higher. This “equat[ed] to an annual salary increase of $2,508 on average, rising to $5,528 for the top 10% most attractive individuals.”
Another determined that, even after controlling for things like IQ, family background, confidence, and personality, the “attractiveness premium” still meant that better looking people earn more money. “Our findings are consistent with attractiveness being an enduring, positive labor market characteristic,” the authors concluded.
Your appearance’s impact on your earnings isn’t just about your physical form. The way you dress also affects your income. People who dress professionally are widely viewed as more confident, intelligent, and reliable.
It logically follows that your hairstyle may similar affect your income, as Walker’s experiment suggests.
The best hairstyle for the job
Walker’s hair experiment resonated with her audience. As of this writing, her TikTok has amassed 4.1 million views and hundreds of comments.
Interestingly, many commenters’ opinion of which is the best hairstyle don’t align with the results.
“$408 is the one,” opined Maudie, referring to her hair loosely curled and half up. “$408 so gorgeous,” agreed another.
While Walker did make more than some other days at the restaurant during this experiment, she made more in both the ponytail and the day she wore it in a clip. And she made a similar amount, $408, with it in double braids.
Some suggested she try to control for fluctuations in business to determine which hairstyle is truly best.
“Listen you would need to do these hairstyles on a similar night. Like all on a busy Friday night for us to truly know,” one suggested.
Many people just focused on her hair itself.
“The color of your hair is perfffff,” a user called ihave33houseplants gushed.
Another simply said, “Step one—Have ethereal princess hair.”
Walker didn’t respond to a direct message sent via TikTok.
@tomatoluvvrr guys what is y’all’s go to hairstyle for serving! i need more ideas #server #serverhairstyles #houston ♬ son original – ??
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