my style : short hair

Hair.  A topic I love.  I believe in my heart that we all (even guys) have a 'hair story.'

Hair can be intimately tied to our emotions.  Even when it is other people's hair.  Example: When I was six and chopped into my hair so I could have bangs like my sister.  (I mean, come on, it was the 1980's...why didn't I have bangs????)  Well, my mom felt much differently and had quite the negative reaction to my self-induced haircut.  I got a heckuva spanking and lots of yelling/lecturing about that one.

BUT...I got my rad permed bangs!

Then my mother got her revenge by putting me in this dress and bow...

well played, mom, well played.

A year later I chopped my hair again.  It was literally down to my butt and I probably cut it to mid-back.  But, again, my mom seemed to be emotionally tied to my hair, and, again, I got punished for cutting my own hair, and there were many tears shed...by my mom.

Here is what I deduce from this : I really wanted to experiment with my hair!  Even at a young age.

Starting in high school my mom eventually "let go" and allowed me to do all kinds of weird things to my hair.  We didn't have money for lots of salon visits so she bought me products like "Sun-In" and whatever box of hair color I wanted.  And I chopped my own bangs on the regular...usually with very un-even and ridiculous results.

Needless to say I had horrible hair in high school.

junior year - "blonde-in-a-box."  not a good look.

In college, when I was independent and working all the time, I started going to the salon for my haircuts.  Wow! What a different that made!  Now I could experiment and have it look decent!  I mostly had long hair, but every once in a while would chop it all off.

Usually major hair changes in college followed some kind of break up with a guy.  I remember one particularly emotionally-jarring break-up. I broke up with him, but right after I did he said he actually wanted to end it anyway, and ripped me a new one about every flaw I had.  So, I did what any woman whose pride has been wounded would do: I went out and got all-over blonde highlights.  Now I don't look good as a blonde, really, but there was something cathartic about drastically changing my look.

"A woman who changes her hair is about to change her life." 

Or she's just bored.

My attitude has always been : It's just hair.  It will grow back.  (Which is easy for me to spout because my hair grows ridiculously fast.)

Not much has changed since college.  I still like to change it up.  Long, short.  Bangs, no bangs. Dark brown, natural, ombre.

Recently I really got the itch to chop it again.  I briefly considered a pixie, like I shared in this post a couple years ago.  But ultimately decided on a piecey, chin-length bob instead, with no bangs.

before and after...

I honestly feel more comfortable in short hair.  I feel like it fits my personality better -- and I simply feel more vibrant as a human being.  I know women who would say the opposite - that their long hair makes them feel more feminine and happy (and perhaps their significant other likes it better, too) and would never consider going short.

We all have the hair length + style we feel best in.  Or if you haven't figured it out yet - experiment!

And mamas...if you have a daughter who decides to give herself a haircut, with heartbreaking (to you) results...perhaps she is just trying to find her own personal style.