Haircut!

I’ve heard people speak about a haricut with everything from disdain to elation.  Many use the words “chore,” or even “dread” to describe shelling out money to have someone shave or chop off some of their hair that just won’t stop growing back.

If you couldn’t already guess, I’m in the category of those who view a haircut as a special day.  It’s an opportunity to change my look or just make my hair less apt to get tangled.  Usually, I walk in for a haircut and walk out just hoping for something just that: less tangle-y, a little more layered, and in general more manageable.

Yesterday, I had a different mission: a whole new identity!

For most people, I don’t suggest that spending a ton of money is your key to happiness (actually, it often can be the opposite).  In the case of my hair, however, well, let’s just say I have more hair on my head than 99.9% of the rest of the world does (and every hair salon I have ever been to comments on this, ad nauseum).  If I want a really nice cut, I had better go to someone who is well trained.

Yesterday morning, I showered, washed & combed my hair thoroughly, as per usual prior to a haircut.  Those of you who have a lot of curly hair know exactly what I’m talking about.  Those of you with straight hair, I’m sorry that sometimes you’re jealous of us curly-haired folks with infinite style options, just as we are jealous of you for the “I can just brush in 2 strokes and go” thing I will never comprehend, but trust me when I tell you that the time we put into our hair is 100% necessary!  Yes, it is vital to tame your hair BEFORE going to the salon.

Once my hour-long pre-haircut ritual was over, I took the last photo of myself with long hair that I will have for a long time.  I’ve spent my life trimming off a few inches at a time, allowing my slow-growing hair to do its wild, crazy thing, and yesterday was the last day of that wild, crazy mane:

I took 2 versions of this shot; one “wild & crazy” as I can get my hair, and another more “normal” look:

Now, when I go to the salon, it always turns into a spectacle.  I have a TON of hair.  When you look at it, you say, “Wow, that girl has a huge mane,” but when you hold it, you realize how big and heavy it actually is.  Every new stylist I visit tells their coworkers to touch my hair.  Every one.  Whoever is sweeping the floor up from all the hair has to make at least 2 or 3 passes, and never fails to comment on the sheer volume of hair on the floor, asking if __insert name here__ can have some (I have plenty to lend out for a lifetime).  Also, even though I schedule an appointment and suggest that the salon gives me a few extra minutes, another client shows up before I’m done.  Every time.  If I need to get my hair styled, especially straightened, usually 2 or 3 other stylists who were on break come over to assist.  Admittedly, I don’t cut my hair as often as I should, and after high school I didn’t visit the same salon more than twice because I was trying to find the right stylist, so maybe they would get used to me eventually if I came in often enough.

Yesterday's experience was on par with my usual experience, except for one thing: me!  I was nervous, excited, doubtful, about to chicken out and yet so determined I could've led soldiers into battle!  I walked into the salon and kept looking in the mirror, sliding my fingers up and down the imaginary ruler, debating “how short is too short?”  I was ranging from 5-9 inches.  That’s a wide range!  I had clearly never done anything like this before!  But, I trust my stylist (such a beautiful relationship to have)!  I explained that my hair was just too heavy and causing me issues.  It’s time for a change!

Stylist:   “Are you sure?”

Me:   “Yes, I’m sure.”

Stylist:   “Shoulder length?  Like… 7 inches?”

Me:   “Yup.  Shoulder length, and as light as you can possibly make it!”

2 minutes later…

Person sweeping up the massive amount of hair already accumulating on the floor

(addressing Stylist):  “Wow, you’re brave!”

Stylist (referring to me):  “She’s the brave one!  I have NO idea how this is going to turn out; it could just spring up like a poof!”

Me:  [slightly nervous] “Wait, how will I get it to be tame at all?!?  I’m in completely uncharted waters!”

Stylist:  “Gel.  Lots and lots of gel!”

Person sweeping (addressing me):  [Laughing] “Wait, did YOU have to convince HER to take that much off?”

Me:  [Also laughing] “Yup!”

She called me brave and took her own before (and later after) pictures for the salon.

[stylist intently finishing up the initial cutting]

Me:  “How do you think we should shape it?  Should I swoop it like this, or maybe do this…?”

Stylist:  “I’m still just cutting all this hair off; I haven’t even thought that far ahead yet.”

Me:  “Okay.  I just got excited!  Take off as much as you possibly can!”

An hour of cutting Ouidad style (amazing for curly hair), and using some thinning shears to make my hair as light as humanly possible,  I had cute, fun, SHORT hair!  After taming it (adding some leave-in conditioner, climate control, diffusing, leaving me under the dryer, more diffusing, and a few quirts of pomade – I was taking notes) my hair was done!

Me:   “Ahhhhh!”

Stylist:  “Do you like it?  Does it feel lighter?”

Me:  “It’s SO LIGHT!  I feel like there is nothing there!  There clearly is but it feels like… NOTHING!”

Stylist:  [Laughter] “I think this is going on our Facebook page as The Transformation of 2015!”

Me:   “Less sexy, more fun!”

After the mini photo shoot, my stylist and I parted ways as she tended to her other client, both of us smiling and cheerful!

Here are my personal “after” shots:

…this is my “normal” shot (but I was still waaaay too excited to look anything close to “normal”).

…& the following is as “wild and crazy” as I could get my new hair!

It truly feels like there is nothing left!  This is pretty much how most people live, I guess, but I feel 10 pounds lighter!  I couldn’t (and still can’t, apparently) stop telling all of my friends how amazingly light and bouncy and DIFFERENT I feel now!

My hair is a huge part of my identity.  Not only because it is huge, but because it is a major part of how I have defined myself, and how others have defined me, since I was a child.  Those childhood images of how you view yourself tend to stick with you, and I just changed them!  To top that off, I’ve been contemplating a whole makeover.  I actually stopped by my optometrist’s office on my way home to try on a new pair of glasses.  Look out world, it's a whole new me!

Apologies if I sound narcissistic in any way (and if my bounciness is too much for you to handle at the moment).  I’m truly not a narcissist, but I do love myself - we all should - and yesterday I had the biggest “me day” that I’ve possibly ever had.  I am pretty certain that I have ADD, to what extent I don't really know or care to know, but it comes out every now and again.  Every time my hair grazes my shoulders (which is pretty much any time I move my head), I get distracted by this brand new feeling!  Do you ever get distracted by your earrings?  Or your scarf?  It's akin to that.  I love it, but I’m still getting used to it!  If you know me in real life, please bear with me as I go through this transition.  And LAUGH.  Laugh at me, and laugh with me!

Message of the Day:  Looking for a new identity or a new look?  Change your hairstyle!

…Or don’t.  It won’t change my reality.  Cheers!