I was blessed–so I’ve been told–with a head of thick hair. In reality I’m pretty sure thick hair is more of a torture device, complete with intense shampoo consumption and precious minutes sucked away under the heat of a hair dryer.
For years I admired those who could pull off elegantly long hair with bouncing curls and glistening shine. I flirted with lengthy styles on and off, my longest accomplish my senior year of high school, though most of the time I kept it around shoulder length or a tad longer. The weight of the hair and increasing time to style would always keep me day dreaming of light locks and a five minute hair routine.
Last month, I finally caved. In a moment of brilliance (or insanity, as my mother might call it), I printed off a picture of Lena Dunham’s pixie, drove to a salon and handed over the image. Twenty minutes later the remnants of my shoulder length hair was in messy piles around my chair and I was sporting the shortest style to ever grace my head. And I LOVE IT.
Hair often becomes a safety blanket, something we cling to in order to feel beautiful or feminine. I’ve seen so many women chained to their long hair while continuously making comments about how much they wish they could just cut it off and enjoy a pixie. So here’s where I let you in on the dirty little secret: you can. I’m far from a size 2 with perfectly chiseled cheekbones, but I’ve gotten more compliments on this haircut than any other style I’ve had–from friends and strangers alike (trust me, nothing adds a little pep in your step like a random person in a coffee shop telling you how much they love your hair).
If you’ve dreamed of wearing a style like Rhianna’s or Michelle Williams’s or Ginnifer Goodwin’s, talk to your trusted stylist who can deliver a cut that is flattering to your features. Don’t have one? Talk to women you know whose hair you admire to find out where they get it cut. Or consider finding a stylist throughMy Best Friend’s Hair, a great site full of reviews for stylists and salons in your area, which is how I found my new stylist.
Don’t waste time with hair you don’t like. Take a plunge. In the end, it’s just hair. Nothing is permanent and a cut you don’t like will have completely changed in 2 months.
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