Today I went to my hair dresser and finally mustered up the courage to do what I have been longing to do for a long time: get a short hair cut! My hair dresser Jennifer and her mother Yolanda (owner of the salon), will be the first to admit that I have extreme anxiety when it comes to cutting my hair. I am totally my own worst enemy when it comes to this. In the past, every time I came into the salon and mentioned that I wanted to cut my hair, the mother-daughter duo would react by trying to convince me to take the plunge and have the "big chop" done right then and their, or they would just say that they didn't believe I would get it done!
The real source of my anxiety to chopping my hair stems from the fact that both my father and my boyfriend love my long hair and have always voiced their opposition towards me cutting my hair short! Even as I look at them laughing many times as they pester me, I know that deep down inside--for two different reasons), my father and boyfriend probably don't ever want me to cut my hair short. I believe my father associates my long hair to the good ole' days when I was young and I was his "baby". My boyfriend on the other hand has just always been a fan of long hair and use to think that by me cutting my hair shorter, I would some how be erasing a little femininity from myself. Boy was he ever wrong!
I asked my hair dresser some questions while drinking a cold sangria. I told her about some "hair myths" that I have read in magazines, and I asked for her input on it. She also explained the cut she gave me, why it is the "best cut for me", and how to maintain it and properly blow dry it.
The type of cut I asked for was something significantly shorter, but easy to manage. I told Jen that I am working with kids all day in a school as well as taking evening graduate courses, so I stressed the need for a hair cut that would be easy to maintain. I also mentioned to Jen that I am in DIRE need of a CHANGE! I knew it was NOW OR NEVER! Jen cut my hair to my collarbone, which she said is a great length and very versatile to be styled many different ways. By having hair cut at the color bone, it can give some one a sexy, and funky look! She also cut many different layers into my hair. She did so because having layers will actually make it easier for me to style my hair in the morning because of the type of texture that I have. She also showed me how to properly blow out this type of hair cut. She flipped my hair in front my face, and blew separate sections in this direction. By doing so, this is not only adding volume to the hair, and keeps this style modern and fresh, instead of matronly.
These are some examples of celebrity hair styles that have their hair cut at the collarbone (The "Collar-bob" Cut!):
Anna Sophia Robb
Jessica Biel
Some pics of me before the big chop (click on photo to enlarge it):
And after!
The verdict? My father absolutely loves it (and realizes that I will always be his "baby" no matter what age I am), and my boyfriend thinks it is probably the best decision that I have ever made pertaining to my hair. My mother always supported my decision to do this because she rocks a short hair cut herself and understands the versatility and options it can give a woman.