Um, I don’t know. I went to an Ouidad salon for a curly haircut about 1 1/2 months ago and I was pretty meh about it overall. My hair was close to my waist and I had her take off about 4 inches and cut in some layers. I wasn’t ready to cut it all off. I think it’s just ok. The thing is, every time that I cut all of my hair off, I HATE it. I think it’s partly because curly hair (IMO) is much harder to control when it’s shorter. I just don’t have the patience to deal with it on a regular basis. I will say that my hair seems healthier having taken off a few inches, but otherwise it’s just status quo and I’m ready for those other four inches to grow back now.
I guess that’s the good news. No matter how you feel about it, it will grow back again!
Hey Spiff, you clearly can’t fathom how much even intelligent women obsess about their hair. You must be a man. No insult intended, just a hint, next time you hear your friend obsessing about her hair, you might just want to leave the room! It may sound crazy but it’s not worth arguing over.
I’ve been considering going triple-zero for ages… that would make your new cut look long, 'Mika!
You’ll be fine. Your hair will be fine. It will take less time to dry. You may discover you like it best at a shorter length than you have it now. Your man may discover he likes it at a shorter length than you have it now. Choose your own adventure hair!
Another curly-haired woman who went from waist length hair to shoulder length a year and a half a go. I love it!
If your stylist knows what s/he’s doing, keep him/her. I lucked out by having my cosmetologist niece do it the first time and a recommendation from her for a stylist in my town thereafter. It makes a world of difference.
I second the book recommendation that trapezoidal jellyfish made.
I chopped all my hair off fairly recently–went from shoulder-length to pixie cut. This is what it looked like before, and this is what it looks like now. (And this is the profile, a picture I happen to like better than the front shot.) I also happen to have curly hair, and this style works fairly well. (Though you and I differ in that my hair is very thick, so when it grows back it’s all weird and poofy. You might not have that problem.)
Do be aware that when you go that short, you WILL be seeing more of your face. So if you’re self-conscious about your face, it might be a bit more exposure than you want. It took me a little while to get used to it. (On the other hand, it did help my complexion a bit. Less hair around the face = less breakouts. Whoda thunk?)
A super short cut like that also needs to be maintained fairly regularly. I have to get my hair cut every five weeks now, instead of every five or six months like I used to. (And I have to get the back of my neck trimmed! That was weird the first time I got it cut.) So be sure you’re willing to make that kind of commitment.
BUT…I must say, it feels GREAT to not have all that hair dangling down my back. It feels light and amazing in warm weather, and takes maybe five minutes to dry. Also, it’s opened up some fashion choices for me…I don’t hate loose, flowy blouses as much as I used to, because the short hair actually balances me out, and as a result the blouse doesn’t make me look so top-heavy. I can also wear long dangly earrings without them getting caught in my hair.
So, I say GO FOR IT. You’ll look great and you’ll feel a million pounds lighter. Also, it grows back if you hate it.
Go! You don’t have to get it all chopped off if you don’t want. But ask the stylist for advice on future hairstyles, and/or ask to have it evened up. Heck, ask about what products the stylist would recommend. Cut your hair to your chin or your shoulders if that suits your mood. But don’t skip out on the stylist’s advice and time even if you choose not to get a dramatic haircut.
Go and get a summer haircut. It WILL grow back, I promise. And if you decide that you hate hate hate it, then get a hat and proclaim that you are avoiding sun damage on your face this summer. Even if you decide to grow it out again, getting it cut will give you a chance to condition it properly, and make sure that all the split ends are cut off.
I’ll bet that you enjoy it, though. And if you shed hair constantly, as I do, then you might be amazed at how much less hair there is around the house.
Anaamika, my hair is super curly (although thick) and I’m also of Indian descent. I HATED having it short when I was younger, but recently I got it cut to bob length and I am never. going. back. I feel like it has so much more, “personality,” if that make sense? However, I do straighten it daily with a flat iron, which really only takes about five minutes. Anyways, I love my hair now, and I would highly recommend trying shorter hair. It’s very freeing.
I think as well, a lot of it for me had to do with my desire to “set myself apart” from the American-born Desi community. I feel like it really encourages conformity, and one of the areas in which girls conform is having long, thick, black, henna’d hair. Or maybe that’s just me.
Anyways, go for it! It will grow back . . . probably in like a month, too.
Wow! Maiira, totally cute cut. Looks great on you.
Hope it works out '**Mika **- I know it will. I have shoulder length hair now, but I’ve done the short thing and loved it. I’ve been trying to grow it out for about a year or so, but it’s really starting to bug me - I just called to move my scheduled hair cut up a week. Maybe I’ll have to go short again…
I’ve had a pixie cut for ages, very much like Maiira’s. Absolutely love it. I have fairly coarse, wiry hair with a pronounced wave, and find that it styles in a snap when it’s short. My ideal top length is probably about 3 or 4 inches, with the sides and back shorter. I’ve started using leave-in conditioner on it and have found that gives me a nice, sleek look. I also get mine cut every 5-6 weeks. If you hate the way it turns out, a short cut means you really won’t have to wait too long before it changes look. Also, don’t be afraid to rock a cute headband, even though you don’t need one to keep hair out of your face.
I must note that I was called “sir” a few times back when I lived in the Midwest. :dubious: Uh, not exactly!
I shed a lot too, but unfortunately I haven’t noticed a difference in the amount of hair I see around the house. It’s just that the stray hairs are a lot shorter.
One thing that also hasn’t happened is the need to use less of a certain product. I still need to use a lot of shampoo (though certainly less than I used to), and when I got my hair dyed last month, the stylist still had to use a lot of dye (about 4 ounces). My hair’s very thick and very thirsty, so to speak, and that’s just the way it’s gonna be, regardless of length.
And Snickers, thanks! It’s certainly made me aware of just how angular my face is (which is a good thing, I like pointy faces). It’s been a great summer 'do–I don’t know if I’ll ever go back to the length I had.
Annamika, wondering how it went?
Keep in mind that for curly hair (at least in my experience) it can take a few days for the hair to ‘find itself’. We all know curly hair has a will of it’s own.
I have wavy hair, and I find that when they use a razor on it (like cutting in texture, etc.), it really makes my waves go all sticky-outy instead of curving normally, and I don’t like the way it looks. Does anyone else find that, or is it just my hair’s particular peculiarity?
Well, I’m back from getting my hair chopped. I don’t know if I like it yet - she cut the length off, but sort of left it almost the same length across the top and sides. And she started going at my hair with the razor before I realized what she was doing. I think I’m going to have to take my own scissors and shorten up the top properly. I can’t complain too loudly, though, because I always go to a cheap place, and it’s a crap shoot.
Hair will go back, of course, and while I’m not a chick, I have many female friends that assure me that it is one of their best ways for initiating a change in the way that they perceive their lives.
Which brings me to my concern as a guy: when she gets a major haircut, it generally signals some kind of change or dissatisfaction. Indeed, every single time I’ve been in a relationship with a woman who has suddenly and without warning changed her hairstyle, it has been a signpost for the end of the relationship. WTF?
Some guys like it. At least Mr. S did, and does. When we met, I had a super-short 'do. He liked it because he could play with it and muss it up and I didn’t care because it was supposed to be mussed.
I grew it longer for about 15 years and got it chopped off again only a few weeks ago. He loves it and so do I.
Come on out, Anaamika, it can’t be that bad! I’ll admit that even I took some time to adjust to my “new-old” cut. (True, it took about 5 minutes, but that was only adjusting to the effect of having stepped out of a time machine back in 1986.)
Appointment is today and I am still not 100% sure about going. Eek!
