To list all the changes I’ve gone through in the last year and a half is more than this space could handle and more than I’m willing to write down at this time. Without going into much detail I can safely say that many of them are of the self-realization sort. With that said, I’ve actually wanted more changes. Rather, I’ve had this list, an intimidating list that I dare not write down nor tell too many people for fear that they’d hold me to it. It’s truly the wimpy way out but it’s important because I know it’s there. It lurks, prods at me, and begs me to acknowledge it while I freely admit to generally trying to ignore it.
This weekend I made, for me, a brave decision. I’m ridiculously proud of it. That’s because I thought I’d never cut my hair and I actually haven’t for nearly 20 years. I get it trimmed and I always preface a hair appointment with, “No, seriously. Just a little. A tiny bit.” While it may seem like an easy decision for some women I admit without restriction that hair is quite a political statement. If I straighten it, am I betraying the natural curl and bend and wave it’s supposed to have? If I let it go curly will I be taken seriously? (Not so long ago a co-worker told me that my straight hair was more “serious” and that it “looked better”. This makes me want to cry or vomit or both.) The politics of hair have left their mark on me. This is due to many reasons:
1. When I was young I had an afro that I really hated (and now I think it was cute, so, ok! Shut up, Mom!) while my sisters had longer, and in my own twisted opinion, better hair.
2. Every Sunday morning my parents would let me pick up the newspaper at the stand while they waited in the car. Every Sunday morning the guy at the stand said, “There ya go, sonny.”
3. I have had latent desires to go back and find that newspaper stand guy and kick him in the shins. Except, I’m taller now. I guess I’d punch him in the throat.
Here’s how it went down: I spent Saturday pampering myself and spending several hours in the salon as a reward for a couple of weeks that have left me listless and shamefully weary. There were magazines that I looked through and one of them had a picture of Beyonce with short hair. For some reason, I felt brave. My stylist had already cut it dry since I came into the salon with it straight and then she added some red tones to it and as she was blowdrying it I asked, “Do you have time to cut my hair shorter? If not, I won’t do it. I’m feeling brave now and right now only.”
She knows me well so she took it off slowly. Two inches. Then, another two. Then one more.
This right here is another change for me. One that I vowed to make come true before my next birthday. Which is this Friday.
No more changes until then. I might just scare the hell out of myself. I know that I will keep making changes. I’ll just make them one or two inches at a time.
{ 34 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi hotness.
Me with short hair = Scary beyond all reason.
You with short hair = As hot as ever.
RAWR.
Cute! So cute! I was just thinking I’ve had the same hairstyl for like 12 years now and maybe I’d get bangs or something.
You look fabulous!
Do people not understand that straight hair doesn’t make you a better person? It is just genetics? That one bugs me so much because what it takes to have my hair not be a Rosanne Rosanadana mess is outrageous.
I keep trying to do something different with my hair, but it just won’t give in to me. It is either a long curly frizzy mess, or short bob curly frizzy mess.
I think it looks very nice. And, as a man, that’s all I’m allowed to say about a woman’s haircut and still retain my man card.
The new hair do looks great, Kelly!
And I think it’s just part of the human (female) condition to want the opposite of whatever hair type you have–I do have stick-straight hair, and as a teenager in the 1980′s, it was very hard to rock the big hair like I wanted to. My hair wouldn’t even hold a perm! Granted, it was the Toni-home perm (because Mom wouldn’t pay for a salon perm), but the curls fell out! How is that possible? It wasn’t until the early 90s–when the “Rachel” unleashed the Power of Layers for me–that I achieved a state of hair peace. Or at least, peace until I want it to be curly…it’s only a matter of time.
And since you’re taking your changes an inch or two at a time, I’m thinking you need new birthday sandals to celebrate the new you and the new season…
Happy Birthday beautiful!
Cutting hair is a spiritual experience.
Oh, baby. You should NOT have shared this where I could see it, because – see? Our birthdays, they are so close that I can challenge you to join me in this whole “Year Without Fear” thing, only I won’t make you cap it off by shaving your head as I will be doing next year for St. Baldrick’s Day. But this? This is me… throwing down the gauntlet.
aummom.com/2009/03/year-without-fear.html
So get to writing that list down, Lovely, because putting it out there will inspire you. (Do you love how I’m acting like I have the ability to tell you what to do? But only because I’m far enough away that you can’t actually smack me upside the head….)
Seriously. MUST. DO. IT.
It looks great!!! I was thinking of getting my hair cut shorter for the summer time. We’ll see if I’m as brave as you are!
Hugs,
~ FC
As gorgeous as ever!
Wow – it looks great! What a fab bold move! And I hear you about the straight / curly thing. I noticed I was taken way more seriously by clients when I had my blown out smooth and sleek as opposed to when I let the natural curls take over. I try to balance it now but whenever there’s a big event or meeting I get it done – just so I feel more confident!
I don’t think it’s a straight versus curly hair thing; I think it’s a different thing. I have straight hair, and when I do happen to style it kind of curly, which isn’t often, I get praised for it. I think people just like to see something different.
I know big hair change is more than just a big hair change. I just have to tell you that you are one of the most beautiful people I have ever known, inside and out. If I wasn’t married, I would totally do you.
xo
Yay! You did it!
You could literally shave your head and still be drop dead gorgeous. No foolin’!
Ooo-la-la, Mocha! You look fabulous! And really serious w/ those glasses on. Congrats on your hair bravery! And I second that comment about the new sandals, & you so deserve a spa pedicure & manicure, too.
I think your hair is gorgeous! I love the new cut!
I think you look wonderful, as always.
Hot Mama!
Y’all are too kind. More importantly, you love me for my neurotic hair woes.
That goes a loooong way in my book.
xoxo
I think it looks very good! And I agree with the poster that said that we always want what we cant have: After years of dying my hair (I’ve gone from long and black to a blonde bob and back to brown in under a year), all I want is for it to be my natural color again. Hah! In a few years, maybe I’ll be that lucky
You look great with this cut! I really like the curl, and this is coming from a guy with the typical guy opinion of “long is better.”
Oh, and you think that YOU have hair neurosis? Try LOSING it!
Happy Birthday!
Aries in the houuuse! Somebody scream!
The hair looks great. Frames your beautiful face…err…beautifully, in fact. I have a similar hair phobia–you should see my mullet-y boy hair pictures from 5th grade. Sick.
Happy Early Birthday, lady.
Me, I like short hair. I think, for a girl though, yours is about right (now or then).
Nice! OK, but wait … we’ve already been confused (by your own daughter) as adults – but now as kids, too?!! I, too, had an afro that I, too, hated thanks to my dear mother while my sister had cute little ponytails. We must compare pics!
Winks & Smiles,
Wifey
Two things:
1) I think the hair turned out really good. I’ve actually had hair for thirty-five years now, so I’m pretty much an authority.
2) “There ya go sonny” will keep me laughing all day.
Beautiful! My hair’s that length now, too, and I’m thinking of keeping this way instead of growing it long again.
Wow, you look stunning in that picture.
and it’s officially Friday – so -
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Avitable says it’s your birthday, so happy birthday!
And I think your hair looks beautiful in this pic, and your face is too, really a very pretty woman.
Have a wonderful birthday.
What, no birthday post, slacker? Or did you forget in your old age?
Happy birthday!
It’s Friday! Rise and Shine.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY !!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi, there – found your blog through Avitable (and earlier Miss Britt) – just wanted to wish you a happy birthday and say that I love reading your blog…I have read a bunch of entries this morning and again a few weeks back when you were linked on Britt’s blog, but I plan to come back and start at the beginning. There’s something about the spirit of this blog that I am taken with…..
I remember making a vow that I would cut my hair really short in my 30s. Then I hacked it all off at 29. And I loved it! My hair finally had some style to it. But I didn’t like having to go get it done every 2 weeks to keep it up, so when my hairdresser asked me if I wanted to grow it out, I said ok. And I wore this ugly in between lengths bob for a few years before I got a little more length. Mind you, my hair at your new length = me with long hair, lol, so it’s all relative. You look great. I can’t imagine what you’d have to do to not look great. Seriously.
Long hair is always moresensuous than short hair. Well, almost! From a guy’s POV, short cuts on gorgeous long women’s hair are disappointing.