Chopped

I have always had very long hair. This isn't really because I like the way it looks in particular, but because I am too lazy cheap busy to go and get it cut. As a matter of fact, the last time I had a hair cut was July of 2015, when I put all of my hair into a ponytail and cut some of it off. That didn't really work as planned but two weeks later, my hair had this nice, long layered look about it.

Before that? October 2013. When you cut your hair as infrequently as I do, it is pretty easy to remember when, where and how the deed was done.

Fast forward to now: my hair is about butt length and it is approximately 477,715 degrees Fahrenheit here in southern Idaho. Not only do I want to cut my hair, I pretty much want to shave my head.

A few weeks ago, I started playing with this makeover ap, and it allows you to try out different hairstyles. Because I am also too cheap lazy busy to worry about makeup most of the time, I was having a grand time fixing myself up and I stumbled across this hairstyle:




Wowza! I look somewhat AMAZING with super duper short hair! Also, I love the very dark color.

I showed the picture (somewhat bashfully) to my good friend Malina, who had the same reaction that I did. She is also smarter than I am and suggested that we try some of the hairstyles on her SO just to make sure that it wasn't just a trick of the ap to make you look good in everything.

We got a picture of him modeling one of her necklaces (authenticity is of the utmost importance to us) and gave him the most FABULOUS makeover. Ever. The verdict? It wasn't the ap. I really did look good with that style.

I also worked some magic on Kevin:



Have mercy (He was less impressed than I was).

I decided at that point that I wanted to cut my hair. And then the excuses began to flood in. My face is too fat to pull off short hair. My hair is really fine (although there is a TON of it) so it won't look like that. I don't know where to get my hair cut. I don't want to get my hair colored, but that picture is of darker hair. And on and on.

At some point, I got sick of my own excuses. Hair grows. Mine in particular grows very fast. If I hate the hairstyle, then I can grow it out. No big deal.

So, I began doing my homework. I googled pixie cuts. And saw a lot of women who looked like fairy princesses with their tiny faces and darling hairdos. Realistic? Not for me! I finally googled "fat girl pixie cut" and found a plethora of different styles and different faces. And, do you know what? They all looked good. I even found several blogs and articles that basically all said that you should just go for it.

Now to find someone who could/would do it. I found out from Malina that one of our co-workers has a daughter in Beauty School, so I called up and booked an appointment with her. I had decided that I was going to do it, and there is no changing my mind.

Well, I did have to bring support along with me (Malina), and my "Fat girl pixie cut" Google search, but I did it. They asked me a few times if I would like to cut it in stages, but I was adamant that they braid it and lob it all off. That way I can donate my longish braid, and also I can't turn back.

The whole process took over 2 hours because, while my hair has fine individual strands, there is A LOT of it. I mean, really a lot. Also, because I have had longish to aggressively long hair my entire life (minus that time that I was bald because I was a baby), my hair would start to take advantage of its new relationship with gravity and stick straight up, requiring many interventions with a squirt bottle. Calm yourself hair, it will be fine.

After many hours of deliberation, and then actually taking the plunge, this is what I ended up with:



And I am in love with my hair. Learning to style it has been a challenge. I mainly just work with my "forelock" and let the rest dry on its own through the day because I STILL do not own a hair dryer. Still. Also, I am learning to be OK with bangs. Mainly with the fact that they completely cover my eyes if I don't cement them down. I don't know if it is something that I will change at my next appointment, or if I will be warmed up to them by then. Currently I am just giving it a good old college try.

Some days my hair surprises me and is super easy to style and stays put. Then, there are the other days during which, it looks like I rubbed raw bacon on it to keep it in place, and it still won't stay. On those days, I use a bobby pin to hold it together. No sense in fighting a losing battle. My hair has always had a mind of its own, and I have learned that it is best to let it do its thing.

Some things that I LOVE about this hairstyle are:

1. Heavy hair related headaches are a thing of the past. 
2. My riding helmet fits so much better
3. So does my baseball cap
4. And my Cowboy hat
5. And All the hats
6. Look at that picture...somehow my double chin WENT AWAY. Like, it ran away and hid, folks! I am aware that it still exists, but we don't have to remind it to say "cheese" for pictures anymore because my hair is no longer framing my face.
7. My ears aren't quite as Dumbo as I thought they were
8. Damn! Whose fantastically sharp jawline is that? 
9. When I lay down, I don't have to artfully arrange my hair, or worry about a ponytail or bun stabbing me.
10. I pretty much never sit on my hair anymore
11. Neither does my husband
12. The blissful feeling of freedom! 

Some things I don't love:

1. The forelock is a bone of contention, because it is so long
2. Yoga: While my hair isn't generally in the way anymore, I do have to clip back the 'lock.
3. OK, so I have to clip back the 'lock when I do pretty much anything active 
4. My hair is fairly brown, but bleaches out in the sun. They cut off all of my blonde highlights. This isn't necessarily a bad thing though, because I do like it dark. 

Still nervous about changing your hair? DO IT! Just do it. Seriously, you will not only look much better than you think you will, but everyone for the rest of forever will talk about how brave and awesome you are. This may or may not be real, but it makes you feel brave and awesome, and that carries over!

I don't know if I will have pixie short hair forever, but I am no longer afraid to try something new. I am thrilled with my new sense of boldness and I can't wait to see where it carries me. I really do feel like "I cut off a lot of my hair, so I can do anything!"