Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow?

For those of you who don't enjoy circular logic and time-guzzling tangents, here's the bottom line: I need a haircut. Goodbye and enjoy your worry-free evening.

For those of you who wish to humor me, or just don't have the good sense to move on, here goes...

I have never had long hair. At its longest, it has maybe grazed my shoulders. So, of course, since the grass really and truly must be greener on the proverbial other side, I want long hair. So I begin to grow it. Soon, the awkward grossness sets in and I immediately panic and cut it all off. Even as I am walking out of the salon, having left an enormous tip and waving and smiling and raving about my cute cut (while secretly vowing to never return), I start to suffer from cutter's remorse. I tell myself that next time, I must be stronger and allow my hair the time it needs to blossom into the luxurious mane it was meant to be. 

And so the cycle begins again. Hair grows. Hair gets ugly and time consuming to style. Hair goes into a clip. Permanently. So, I tell myself, "Why have it long if I am only going to wear it up?" I never have the time or desire to spend blowing it out, straightening it, fluffing it, un-fluffing it, and then ultimately pulling it back into a ponytail. Frustrated, I drive straight to the nearest Hair Cuttery and yell at them to chop it all off. However, this time, there is no need to bother with the big tip or the act. I storm out, insisting that next time, I will let it grow.

So that brings us to today... It takes me 20 minutes to style it (which probably doesn't seem like very long to those of you that have normal to above normal hygiene standards) and I don't love the finished look. It's okay, but not fan-friggin-tastic, and I swear it makes my bald spot look more pronounced. It is at the stage where I would normally cut it, but I am trying to fight the urge. There are a couple of reasons... 

1) I like to wear hats in the winter. Without the cute little strands of hair flipping out from underneath, I look like a boy.

2) There is no #2.

The color is another whole saga, in and of itself. The gray that was cute before 40 is now passe and ugly on this side of 40. The blonde is always too blonde, but the dark makes my grey roots look awful. There have been showdowns, tears, photographic evidence, litigious threats... But I am digressing, as I promised I would. 

So here you are, my wise friends. I have laid the contents of my heart before you... A troubled, lost lamb, wandering the lonely hair-trauma pastures. 

Off to the wonderful, magical event of the season, which is the 6th grade band concert. With long hair, I could wear ear plugs and no one would notice. 


19 comments:

Kristina P. said...

I go through the same cycle. My hair is the longest it's ever been. But. I've realized after looking at pictures over the past year that I do look better with longish hair.

scrappysue said...

hey! thanks for stopping by! 20 minutes is a long time to spend on your hair (if you have kids that need attention), esp if you dont' like the outcome!

there's nothing for it, but to ride out the 'ugly' phase and look forward to that luxurious mane!

i look like a cancer patient in hats. the only downside to my short hair :(

my girls looks GORGEOUS in hats - so jealous!!!

Denise @ Sunflowers, Chocolate and Little Boys said...

I understand....I have been the same way forever. I always hate my hair before, during and after a haircut. And I am guilty of wearing a ponytail everyday for more years than I want to admit. sorry I can't be any help....but I can at least stand next to you and be guilty too.
And are you taking an IPod to the concert? Just in case it isn't the easiest thing to listen too. We all know that you can't handle too much Christmas music right now.

angi_b72 said...

I like your hair in your ptofile picture!

Lindsay said...

I'm on the opposite side of that fence. I've had long hair almost my entire life, and I love short hair. However, I HATE having to take the time to style my hair. I've one time cut it really short, and it was definitely cute, but since I have fine hair it would have to be washed and styled every day, and I'm very low maintenance and got annoyed.

It is true, though. I have long hair and almost always wear it up in a messy bun. :)

kel said...

I grow my hair long and then cut it to my shoulders and do it all over again... again and again.

Young Momma said...

I'm so glad I'm not alone! :) I want a pic of the hair though, let us give our opinion!!! And what bald spot??

Ok. I've had long hair all my life. And I mean long. Like almost to my butt long. I cut it off when my mom died - so I could donate it. I cut it to right below my ears. I sported the look for awhile, but had to grow it out eventually. I've done short then long then mid length, etc. I cannot find a way that my hair doesn't take me half an hour to make it look... half way decent.

You know what is working the best so far? And it's not GREAT, but much better than it has been. I layered it. Started layers at such a point that I can still pony tail it on days that I just don't care about my looks, but lots of layers. Then I dyed it a really nice dark-ish brown (my brown is real ashy) and had super blond (almost white) high lights put in. Not a lot, but just enough. Not chunky either.. Reason I did this, is because, yes, at my tender age of 23 (LOL) I'm already getting grays!

Anyway that's my input. :) Hope something works soon!!!

Bramblemoon Farm said...

Ahhhh, hair. I had short hair growing up, then grew it pretty dang long til I got tired of it and cut it short. It stayed short for about 14 years, and now I'm growing it out again. It's curly, and I have to use gel, but I don't have to blow dry it. We shall see. Your hair looks cool the way it is, but I can understand hating the 20 minutes.

I am NOT a hat person. I must blog on that. BAHAHAHAHAHA Also color-- I have dark brown hair which is probably almost all grey now. I color it reddish brown. I like it that color... have you tried it?

So, basically I have NO advice for you. I just wanted to talk about hair too.

AnnieRoso said...

When my hair is long, it's in a perpetual ponytail. So I go get a chop (usually no shorter than a bob), sometimes complicating my life by throwing in bangs for good measure and I "do" it until it grows long enough to get into a ponytail again. It's a vicious cycle. In short, I do not have the answer to your problem. If you figure it out, let me know!

tiarastantrums said...

sweet girlfriend - HOLD THE PHONE!!!!!!!! DO NOT CUT!!!!!!! It takes time - like 2 years - seriously - I did what you did - twice after cutting my long hair - and I WAS MISERABLE for those two years until it grew out again!! MISERABLE!!!!!! Do NOT cut!!! just put it up - no one cares - and here's a secret - I NEVER make it through one single day without putting my hair up! And don't even get me started on the grays!! I'm dying about every three weeks over here!

Debz said...

I know the awkward in between stage far too well. I usually cave and cut mine. I have heard that when you are on this side of 40, that shorter hair is the way to go. But then no cute ponytail when I put it up in a cap.
Dilemmas, dilemmas. Ima gonna go make dilemmanade.

Ash said...

I've been trying to get back to you all evening! Darn family.

I used to be a cut-aholic as well. I'm the idiot who cut her shoulder-length locks to an around the ears bob the weekend AFTER I got engaged.

WTH?!

I'm lucky Hubs didn't take the ring back. No up do for me.

My solution - 1) a hairdresser that will not allow me to cut it too short that I cannot fashion some type of pony tail.

2) a hairdresser that would color my hair powder blue if I asked.

She's smart enough to know color can always be fixed. Cut cannot. Unless your Paris and you can afford extensions.

I say go with Young Mama - get layers around your face. Gives you the illusion of short, with still some length.

That's what mine is right now - my lady calls it the "Claire Danes." Five minutes with a round brush and a hairdryer, and I'm gone.

I too like your Avatar cut - love me some wispy bangs.

Joy said...

I just got my chopped last night but I have kept it short for a while now, but I had gone to long inbetween and it was all wacked out, looks much better now

Oh and don't get me started on the gray hair yep that's right I am 30 and have more and more of them everyday. I told hubs it is so sad that now I have to color my hair to hide the gray not the darker roots :(

Anonymous said...

I know how you feel only no matter how annoyed I get with mine I can't cut it, so it's always up. The thing about having longer hair is you have to have the right cut for long hair. And you have to get it trimmed regularly so that the ends don't get gross. Best of luck!

Wendyburd1 said...

AFter having it so long, that it gave me headaches in high school (too think) I never let it grow PAST the shoulders. Actually I like it shorter than that. I like it JUST long enough to put baby pigtails in at the bottom of my head. What? I think they are cute. It is almost there again. otherwise I cut it real short, but with long pieces in front. I often look like a boy when I wear hats when it is this length but hey, screw other people, I like my hair a certain way! If I let it get to the shoulder stage, it starts to look ratty.

Putting the FUN in DysFUNctional said...

I have those same hair issues. I'm growing mine out now....who knows how long it will last.
20 minutes to style sounds like an eternity to me. I'm lazy as hell about my hair. I want to be able to wash it, brush it, and have it look awesome.
Maybe I just need a wig.

jill jill bo bill said...

I am so with you!!! I had long Winonna Judd hair (body and all) and lost weight and cut my hair. BIG mistake. I look better with shoulder-length hair. I wear it up most days, but I CAN wear it down. I suggest long layers so you can curl it or straighten it, but still wear it up if you need to. I just wanted a style, so I just thumbed thru magazine until I found something. I will help you if you want. But I can't come every morning to style it for you this month.

Cajoh said...

I think my wife has the same issues where she may like a haircut just after she gets it&madash; then a week later she hates it.

I have naturally curly hair. So I can't let it grow too much or it will look sloppy.

Straight to Your Hart said...

That's why I lopped all my hair off. Now I am attempting to grow back and HATE the wait!! Either way..I'm sure you will look beautimus!