hair woes

[swingchickie]

it's so funny... i have been having some hair issues lately, and within the last 24 hours several people i know have commented that they want to cut their hair shorter as well. is it the winter blahs? or have we all been watching too many TV makeover shows?

anyway... i've been trying to grow my hair long for over a year now, and i'm falling out of love with it. this happens every time i try to grow it, it gets down to my shoulders and i go "eek". my hair is very fine, so as soon as it gets a bit of length to it it gets weighed down and looks kind of flat and lifeless... it has me especially frustrated at work, because all the people around me are so polished and i feel like a shaggy, scraggly dog. i end up putting it in a ponytail a lot... on the one hand, i love that i can wear a ponytail again, but on the other hand, if that's the only way i feel good about it that's not good at all. i'm at a crossroads, not knowing whether i should keep growing until it's loooong, to see if it looks better... or if i should cut my losses (pardon the pun).

so, i'm posting a poll... i'm curious to see how others percieve it. it's hard for me to be objective about my own hair, so let me know what you think. i have a preference, but i won't say what it is until i hear from you guys. which hairstyle is least likely to get me submitted as a candidate for "what not to wear"?



#1 - current 'do, long. (yes, i know my xmas tree is still up. i'm lazy.)


#2 - medium (for me) length.


#3 - super-short (this was taken when i was still in boston... god i loved that apartment!)


[Poll #1336133]

(oh -- i should note that any vote other than "grow it until you can step on it" will have jack devastated. what is it about men and long hair?)

Comments

it's not you, it's the winter

[ms-violet.livejournal.com]

OH, I hate being everybody's first commenter. it makes me look like a lonely dork who has nothing better to do than goof off on the computer all day.
oops.

anyway. I think you should keep growing it until it gets hot and humid. when it gets hot and humid, you will probably change your mind, and hair grows faster in hot, humid weather. plus, your hair will probably go SPROINGOINGOINGOINGOING. Winter weather makes hair go flop. so your feelings of shaggy scraggly too shall pass.

You look cute no matter how your hair is, dammit!

all the people around me are so polished and i feel like a shaggy, scraggly dog.

Kill that thought right now, Missy. I've had a humongous battle with that thought. Here is my analysis:

Hair is the part of our body that changes daily (like skin). It shows our mood, our health, and the conditions around us. Having "Great hair" is not a constant. But, flat, straight hair photographs easily, which is why it's so popular. You see all these celebrities with these blown-out, straightened hairdos covered in shine serum, and they look great on TV or in magazines because it's a 2-dimensional medium. Natural waves and curls, the kind that don't come from hot rollers, don't reflect light easily, and don't photograph easily. and then everyone imitates it because they're sheep and they all want to be Rachel on Friends. so they have these flat, slick blowouts covered in shine serum, and wonder why nobody wants to touch them.

Please celebrate those beautiful red curls! Your co-workers are probably jealous of you. Just get a bunch of clips and keep making them jealous.

[bohemianrapsody.livejournal.com]

I think super short looks really stylish, but I also like long (and yea, they guy thing..?) Have you played around with headbands and such while growing it out?

[swingchickie.livejournal.com]

i've worn a headband a couple of times, but i feel like a 12-year-old. (being 4'11" and all.) same with barrettes. only luck i've had is with those big claw clip things, and ponytail holders.

[opadit.livejournal.com]

I think the medium length is very flattering on you.

My hair is thinner and finer than it looks (curly hair, while coarse, tends not to grow thickly -- and I've been losing it some as I get older). I have to use more holding gel on it in winter than in summer, because the air is so dry. When I don't use enough, my hair gets blown out by the wind and doesn't spring back into curls as readily as it does when it's humid out.

One trick that I try to remember to do is to pat my hair with my wet hands every time I use the bathroom in winter. It helps rejuvenate the curls and re-set the styling gel.

Last point: I tend to agree with the school of thought that says that women past their 20s should generally avoid long hair. This is not to say that we're good only for Golden Girls hairstyles -- it's that we're kinda a little old for the sci-fi con/ren faire sort of look and should focus on having well-groomed hair styles, not super-long hair. (Sorry, Jack.)

[swingchickie.livejournal.com]

that's exactly what my hair does -- it might look fluffy and bouncy before i head out the door, but by the time i get to work it's been wind-whipped and is already losing its curl. then i spend the rest of the day trying to get it to bounce back -- doing the wet hands thing, back-combing it, you name it. and on the days i think it looks good, i might see a photo of myself later and go "eew".

[opadit.livejournal.com]

OK, now forgive me for suggesting this, but . . . have you considered wearing a babushka-type scarf over your 'do when you're outside? It would help with the blow-out risk -- while it will flatten the curls, it will flatten them in curls, which you can then poof up with your fingers once you're out of the wind.

I have not been able to bring myself to do this, though.

Also: you don't wash your hair every day, do you? I wash mine only once a week but condition it every day. That helps keep the curl in, especially later in the week.

[ms-violet.livejournal.com]

yeah, what about those plastic rain bonnets?

(ducks and runs)

Seriously: My mommy knitted me one of these (http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter06/PATTcalorimetry.html) and I love it, except it's a little big. I added pins to the closure and now it's perfect. It covers my ears and keep me pretty warm without giving me hat-head that I can't squnch out.

I'll try knitting a prototype. If you like it and get me the yarn, I'll make you one.

This one has even better head coverage. (http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring03/PATTcoif.html) and it goes well with a black dress and white apron. I am TOTALLY making that one so EVERYONE will be jealous of me.

[swingchickie.livejournal.com]

unfortunately, i have to wash it every morning, because my hair straightens/flattens in places as i sleep. washing it is the only thing that brings the curl back. and i can only use a teeny dab of conditioner, because too much weighs my hair down. it's crazy how high-maintenance that sounds now that i'm typing it!

[weezerthe1.livejournal.com]

seriously
i was thinking the same thing this morning as i drove in
decided that anytime i THINK i need my hair cut its probably a rash and unwise decision. think about it for a few weeks (or months) and if you are still convinced that you need it then do it.
you could effectively continue putting it off using this argument until it was down-to-the-floor-step-on-able

if you need a trim then get a trim but not a new style
i prefer either the medium length or longer pic of you...

[shanabanana.livejournal.com]

I think short and medium look great. Hair is what it is, and you can only do so much coaxing...if the length doesn't work, it just doesn't work.

You always look great

[katehaney.livejournal.com]

I do understand the frustrations of dealing with "between" hair. Mine is very, very long now (and I'm way too old for it according to some people, but should only wear it long at my age according to others... fuck 'em all 'cause I like it, my husband likes it, and Teddy likes it) and badly needs cutting. I love the flexibility of long hair.

The head-scarf thingy (sort of a tight cowl, I suppose?) is a great idea. Works for shorter hair too, allowing you to stay warm while not flattening your hair.

Have you tried a snood? I quite often wear one when I'm in the office 'cause it looks more professional (more contained, anyway) than a ponytail. Or how about french-braiding it? That's my other fallback.

Re: You always look great

[swingdoc.livejournal.com]

you are gorgeous. sorry jack, but i think the short hair is just rock-star flattering on you. i'm in the same boat, and i totally understand. i read too many people magazines, and i see all these long gorgeous locks and i wanty!!

shana said it well. it is what it is, and there are some things you just can't change. good luck with the decision!

[boutell.livejournal.com]

I am one of those long-hair-is-hot guys... except when the short hair is on the right head. You have the right head. I didn't know that until I saw your Boston pic.

You, ma'am, can rock the short hair.

[pennycuts.livejournal.com]

I know you commented on my post saying you wanted to chop your hair (same day i posted but i just NOW found this post)

and my suggestion would have definately been mid length.. .. it's much too late but you made the perfect decision!!

I've always seen pics of you with curly hair.. have you ever taken a flat iron to it?? i'd be curious to see just for fun:)

[swingchickie.livejournal.com]

i look awful with straight hair... my hair is so fine that it ends up looking like i have 3 hairs on my head. :)

[pennycuts.livejournal.com]

it looks awesome curly, I was just curious:)

Your color rocks too.. people pay big bucks to have hair that nice!