Getting roots done is ‘not essential’ — but getting hair cut is, if you’re Mayor Lightfoot

Getting your roots done isn’t essential, but getting your hair cut apparently is — at least if you’re the mayor of Chicago.

Mayor Lori Lightfoot Monday defended getting her hair cut over the weekend at a time when beauty parlors are shut down.

The mayor couldn’t help but acknowledge it after photos surfaced on social media showing her after getting her hair cut without wearing a mask.

“I’m in the public every day. And candidly, my hair was not looking the way it did. I thought maybe I’d do it myself, but I knew that would be disaster,” the mayor said.

“But I think what really people want to talk about is, we’re talking about people dying here. We’re talking about significant health disparities. I think that’s what people care most about.”

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Lightfoot was reminded about the light-hearted public service announcement that she made encouraging Chicagoans to stay at home to save lives.

In one of those PSA’s, the mayor tells women in particular that, “Getting your roots done is not essential.”

In light of that admonishment, the mayor was asked whether she was essentially asking Chicagoans to, “Do as I say. Not as I do.”

“Look, we are trying to do the best that we can under difficult circumstances. I am practicing social distancing. The woman who cut my hair had a mask and gloves on. I’m practicing what I’m preaching,” she said.

“I don’t typically take pictures these days. We are trying to do everything we can to emphasize the messages around social distancing, washing your hands, staying at home. But as an elected official and the public face of the city, I need to make sure that I am out there and visible through this crisis. People expect me to be a leader. And that’s what I’m doing.”

Gov. J.B. Pritzker also was asked about the mayor’s haircut during his daily coronavirus briefing.

“I can’t speak to the situation of the mayor’s haircut but I will say I have not had a haircut since before the stay at home rule was put in place,” Pritzker said. “I actually feel like I’m getting a little shaggy. I’m gonna turn into a hippie at some point here. My hair grows pretty fast.”

The mayor grew somewhat impatient when asked again about her mixed message to men and women across the city who don’t like the way they look after weeks without a haircut.

“I’ll answer this again. I’m the public face of this city. I’m on national media. And I’m out in the public eye. I take my personal hygiene very seriously. I felt like I needed to have a haircut. I’m not able to do that myself. So, I got a haircut. Want to talk more about that?” the mayor said.

Pool reporter Craig Wall of Channel 7 replied, “No. I think you answered the question. Thank you.”

Contributing: Tina Sfondeles