The Big Chop – Cutting My Hair Off

“You’re sure? Absolutely sure? Because once I start, there’s no going back!”

The hair stylist brushed my long pink hair out, one eyebrow raised. I’d just come in, asking to have most of it cut off.

“You haven’t been through a breakup or anything, have you? Because if you have… just don’t. You know how many girls I’ve had cry in my chair after I’ve cut their hair short because of a breakup? I have one rule: no crying in my chair!”

I just laughed. Nope, no breakups. No, I hadn’t accidentally bleached my hair to straw. Yes, I’d thought about it. It was quite simple. I wanted short hair, and I wasn’t going to listen to the naysayers.

It wasn’t a spur of the moment decision. I’ve been debating this haircut for months. Every time I mentioned it to my friends, they’d get worried and tell me to think about it a while longer. My guy friends would wince and say they liked my long hair. But hey, they aren’t the ones dealing with the split ends, the shampoo costs, the endless kinky braid hair, or the terrible bedhead. I debated the pros and cons, looked at photos of short haircuts, and fell more in love with the idea. A few of my girlfriends with long hair hopped on my rebellion train and cheered me on. I love those girls. The best friends are the ones that inspire you to do crazy, awesome, beautiful things. 

The Before photo: My hair was getting quite long. The last two inches were split-end central. My roots looked funky. My hair-partner-in-crime is on vacation, so I haven’t been able to take care of them.

The After photo: Glorious wavy short hair! I felt amazing!

I’ve had my hair short for just a few days now, and I wish I’d cut it sooner. The bedhead struggle is still real, but it doesn’t take 30 minutes to solve. I don’t have to deal with braid hair or tangles. Showers are unbelievably quick and my hair dries faster. Maintaining the pink is about a thousand times easier, and my roots don’t look ridiculous as they grow in. Also, I didn’t realize I had 24/7 neck pain until it disappeared due to the short cut. In other news, short hair rocks. If you’ve been thinking about it for a while, don’t let the naysayers or commitment scare you off. Go for it! Hair grows back. :)