I need opinions. Specifically, I need anyone and everyone who reads this blog to weigh in on a very important matter. Don’t let me down, folks, I expect to see more comments on this post than any other. Yes, Lurky McLurkerson, even you over there. I NEED HELP.
I have got to decide what to do about my hair.
I’ve never been much on having a style that requires a lot of maintenance. As I have discussed countless times before, I am pretty lazy and also don’t have a lot of patience for hassling with an involved style. And I am chronically running late for work, so that poses an additional problem.
So that you all can make an informed decision, here are the facts:
- My hair is extremely thick. EXTREMELY. Inevitably the very first thing a new stylist says to me is along the lines of WOW! You sure do have a lot of hair!
- My hair has a lot of natural body. It is very wavy (almost curly) in the back, but sadly not so much around my face where it is pretty much stick-straight.
- Unfortunately, it is so heavy that the roots always appear to be quite flat. I can’t do a cute ponytail at all, it just ends up looking like I’ve slicked it back.
- In humidity it frizzes. A lot.
- The area around my face is not nearly as thick as the rest – when I have my hair thinned out I tell the stylist to only do the back. I have learned that thinning the hair around my face makes it do a…thing. A very unattractive flippy thing.
- I would like bangs, but I have a cowlick which made my last bangs experience quite unfortunate.
- My natural part is straight down the middle. I have tried to change that with little luck.
- I prefer to wash my hair at night, because due to the aforementioned thickness it takes quite a long time to blowdry. I simply don’t have time for that in the mornings.
- I actually once had a stylist tell me to never use a round brush in my hair without a professional there to supervise. I had already come to that conclusion as the resulting tangles were quite impressive.
So. I really don’t know what I want to do, other than get rid of some length, so any suggestions will be welcomed. Now, pictures (in no particular order) that should give you an idea of what we’re dealing with:
Nonsoccermom Presents: The Hair on Parade
Here it is circa December 2006. No style, all one length, very blah. It also appears that in addition to a haircut, I may want to consider lipstick. Yikes.
The Hair goes to Paris, March 2004. Mother of God. I hope someone warned the locals.
This picture was taken in April 2007 (in San Antonio, just to further the impression that I am never photographed at home), and unfortunately is what my hair looks like a great deal of the time since I don’t enjoy having it in my face. So sad, although it doesn’t really appear to bother AE that his mom’s hair is ugly.
Pregnancy hair in Austin, last summer.
Here is The Hair when allowed to air dry. Notice the frizz, the wave, the hideousness. Also notice the very teeny AE.
In case you thought I was joking about the Unfortunate Bangs Incident of 2003, here is proof. Don’t look directly at them! AVERT YOUR EYES!!
And here is the hair today. Well, not TODAY, but last week. Whatever. At any rate, I obviously don’t wear it like this to work or anything but it has gotten so long and heavy braids are a good way to keep it reined in. (And in case you are curious, the look on my face means Put the camera away before I make you eat it.)
I really can’t believe I just put all these pictures out there for all to see, but maybe it will underscore my desperation. The Hair has gotten out of control. I really need a change!
Suggestions? GO.
May I suggest the red hair from the early college days??? Maybe layers to thin it out some? I’m not the best person to seek advice from. My hair is all one length and gets cut every 6 months or so. Maybe I’ll take some of the advice that you get!
This IS a dilemma. Not because your hair is hideous – quite the contrary – if only there were a way to transplant the body, wave and thickness of your hair onto my head, and in return I’d give you…well…I don’t know what I’d give you. But it would at least solve some of your problems, no?
Have you ever gone REEEEALY short? You could chop it all off and donate to locks of love. That way, even if you hate the short cut you can be like , “well it was for a good cause”
As a person with super thin hair that’s all one lenth and generally up in a bun or pony tail unless it’s a special event who only cuts her hair once every few years when it gets long enough to donate and never ever uses a blowdryer, in fact I don’t think I own one…I’m not sure I’m going to be of much help here.
That said, I think the shoulder length thing works well for you. Still no bangs though. Like picture #1 or slightly shorter (an inch or so), still long enough to pull back if necessary. Also if you find out how to make it not flat on top, I need that advice too.
Go Britney and shave it all off. My entire haircare regimen consists of running a bar of soap over my head when I shower and rinsing it off. I don’t even have to dry it.
I probably wouldn’t leave you if you did it. But I’d tell everyone that you went crazy.
People, these comments are not really helping me much.
I can’t go really short (per Allison’s suggestion) because it is so thick. Too poofy. I did it once before, and it earned me the nickname Davy Crockett. DO NOT ASK.
Well, for one thing, I think your hair looks adorable in the braids. And I think it is very pretty in the other pictures too.
I was going to suggest bangs, but then you mentioned the unfortunate incident. Although I don’t really see bangs in that picture. They aren’t doing what bangs are supposed to do, which is be on your forehead. Is that the unfortunate part?
Your situation with having wavy in the back but straight in the front is exactly what mine is like. Very annoying!
I guess I would suggest adding some layers and trying to experiment with a some long side swept bangs.
I’ve noticed headbands a lot lately. That could solve your dilemma with not wanting to fuss with it too much in the morning, but still allow you to be able to do something really cute with it when you have the time.
Good luck and make sure you show pictures of what you decide to do.
Being your sister, I have been a first hand witness to many different hairstyles. I think bangs could look good on you if cut right and styled right. Google: Kristen Bell bangs, Reese Witherspoon bangs, Kirsten Dunst bangs, or Ashley Olsen bangs for examples of cute bangs.
If you decide you do not want to put up with the added hassle of bangs, which I think may be the case by looking at picture #6, you may want to simply try to start parting your hair on the side instead of straight down the middle. You would be surprised how much of a difference that would probably make. Then you could just get a trim with layers around the face and maybe highlights? I know you are resistant to spending money/upkeep on highlights but it would give your hair a whole new look.
Or maybe you could embrace the partial wavy-ness & get a chemical wave put in your hair so that it always has that “just rolled out of bed and look how fabulous I am” wave to it. I don’t know how well those things work though & no idea on cost or if your thick mane would be resistant.
I really wouldn’t take too much length off of it if I were you- I feel your hair has always looked best longer. And may I suggest a hairdresser NOT in your home town (no offense to it, but I think you can find much better hairdressers, say in a bigger city, that would know exactly how to make you look that much more fabulous).
If none of this appeals to you, then I suggest you go with your husband’s “shave it all off” plan.
I wish I could offer some advice, but I’m really no good at hairstyles (see my own hair as Exhibit A). I have different issues with my hair but the same general confusion each time i want to get my hair cut. I’d say find a hair dresser who you trust to give you good advice and tell them your issues, they should be able to help you to come up with something work able for both your hair’s characteristics and your lifestyle. I finally found a new one, and love her!
OK, I have several things to say. Here they are…in no particular order:
-You have GREAT hair. Embrace it.
-Embrace the waves. I have (as you know) stick-straight hair, that even with heated hair implements, does not hold a curl. The style these days is messy, beachy waves. Just touch it up with a curling iron in the mornings and get over what you THINK your hair is supposed to do and let it do what it naturally does. It will look better than forcing it into some crazy-ass not-you style.
-Bangs + You = Not-So-Much.
-PLEASE do not color it. I was present for the pink-tinged hair debacle of…what…1998?
-If you want to cut off some length, go for it. I like it just past your shoulders. The Paris picture? No. Just…no. (Or “Non” if you’re sticking with the french thing. )
-It looks precious in braids! Experiment with other things like pinning the sides back. I use a bobby pin to pin my side-swept bangs back when I start to look greasy or just get tired of the constant tucking.
-I have finally decided that there is no point in trying to make myself look hip or trendy. I am who I am and I am neither. I am conservative with my appearance and I’ve learned that I am more confident when I accept it than trying to look a certain way.
The point here is be yourself. Your hair is YOURS and it’s the only hair you’re going to get. Cut some length off and thin it out.
I do not recommend lots of layers in the front as they frustratingly fall out of ponytails. Oh yeah. Don’t cut it so short that you can’t pull it back. I just made that mistake with a stacked bob and it drove me crazy. I couldn’t have made an eyeshadow brush out of what I could pull back.
Also, you CAN retrain your part. In fact, I have created a rather annoying cowlick in my hair from always parting it on the right in recent years. I used to switch to keep my volume. Also, try root lifter. I am using John Frieda Volume mousse right now. It’s pretty good. Or the TIGI Catwalk Root Boost, but sparingly.
OK, enough. Do whatever the heck you want. It’s your head. (but i might agree with Jen about side swept bangs.)
for the love of Jeebus…don’t cut it off…I call your attention to the discussion we had about my sophomore english teacher and the remarkable resemblance in quaff to an individual. I say go Pippi…but what do I know, mine’s apparently falling out. But remember, if you go too short, the terrorists win….