And here we have the evolution of Legolas' hair! (Making this up for this thread)
First off we have 'nice and well groomed'.
Second, we have the stage where his hair becomes messy but still intact. What would you expect of an elf after killing 35 orcs and running from a Balrog.
Here so we have him coming about and his fish braid has come apart, perhaps when he was fishing.
And here after a long day's work he has worried that his hair had become much messier than what the Balrog caused.
Thus here he smiles with gratitude to his cosmetologist for refreshening his hair for he would not dare to go on another minute in its messy state.