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Considering going for the chop??

SugarKitten

One of the Regulars
Messages
127
Location
New England
I chopped all of my hair off nearly two years ago (time flies!) from waist length to... short, shorter, shorter...

There are a few things I think are total musts -

-go to someone you trust to do it. Early on, a bad cut/a cut you don't love is crushing (now, after doing so many, I know it's not much of a big deal)
-Shorter is such a temptation, I started waist to shoulder, then it became ear lobes, then cheekbones, now... well I have less hair than most of the guys I work with.
-Color is a blast with this little hair, and everything is low risk!
-Styling can be a pain in the butt! I've got thick, wavy hair, and some cuts have been zero-fuss, others have required curling or straightening on an almost daily basis.

Of all your reasons not to do it, the security blanket reason is the number one reason TO do it. I have lovely hair when it's long, but it was the only thing people noticed about me. I have literally had people tell me they had never really noticed my face before I cut my hair.

Before:
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q98/EJM_AEA/IRL/DSC02082.jpg
1st cut:
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q98/EJM_AEA/IRL/test1.jpg
later:
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q98/EJM_AEA/IRL/Iphone001-1.jpg
even later:
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q98/EJM_AEA/IRL/newhair.jpg
later still:
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q98/EJM_AEA/IRL/Iphone123.jpg

there have been a few more, and the current is shorter than all of those, but really, have an idea and a pic, and start talking to experts - no one can give you better info than someone who can touch your hair, feel the texture/thickness... and if you want it? It'll always grow back!
 

baby_butterfly

One of the Regulars
Messages
108
Location
Manchester, Uk
SugarKitten said:
I chopped all of my hair off nearly two years ago (time flies!) from waist length to... short, shorter, shorter...

There are a few things I think are total musts -

-go to someone you trust to do it. Early on, a bad cut/a cut you don't love is crushing (now, after doing so many, I know it's not much of a big deal)
-Shorter is such a temptation, I started waist to shoulder, then it became ear lobes, then cheekbones, now... well I have less hair than most of the guys I work with.
-Color is a blast with this little hair, and everything is low risk!
-Styling can be a pain in the butt! I've got thick, wavy hair, and some cuts have been zero-fuss, others have required curling or straightening on an almost daily basis.

Of all your reasons not to do it, the security blanket reason is the number one reason TO do it. I have lovely hair when it's long, but it was the only thing people noticed about me. I have literally had people tell me they had never really noticed my face before I cut my hair.

Before:
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q98/EJM_AEA/IRL/DSC02082.jpg
1st cut:
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q98/EJM_AEA/IRL/test1.jpg
later:
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q98/EJM_AEA/IRL/Iphone001-1.jpg
even later:
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q98/EJM_AEA/IRL/newhair.jpg
later still:
http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q98/EJM_AEA/IRL/Iphone123.jpg

there have been a few more, and the current is shorter than all of those, but really, have an idea and a pic, and start talking to experts - no one can give you better info than someone who can touch your hair, feel the texture/thickness... and if you want it? It'll always grow back!


SugarKitten, your hair looks great both long and short!! Your totally right about the security blanket thing. People only notice my hair and its only when I pull it back people realise I have blue eyes! I am going to get a quote from my hairdresser today and see what he thinks.
 

TillyMilly

One of the Regulars
Messages
263
Location
UK
I had been growing my hair to get a middy for the last few months and when to the hairdresser with a load of pictures today. The hairdresser knew how to cut a middy but after a long discussion we agreed on these things:

1. I suit my hair short-between jaw and chin length- it open up my face.
2. An unstyled middy can look like a 70's pageboy cut
3. My hair is thin and sparse with no body whatsoever and if left unstyled will just hang limply.
4. I can't have layers or shaping as it never shows up in my thin hair.
5. I can't be bothered to do much styling on a daily basis.
6. Although I am one of the few people she knows who suits black hair I will be dying it closer to dark coco brown (my hair is naturally dark ash brown) to soften the look.
7. I love bobbed hair.
8. I suit a side part best.

So we went for my usual style - a blunt cut side parted bob! My Mum, my sister and my boyfriend all prefer this style on me . My hairdresser did show me how to 'fake' a middy with rollers in the fornt carefully angled in- and I can use hot rollers for a curly look.
 

Black Dahlia

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,493
Location
The Portobello Club
Tishkaminx said:
I had been growing my hair to get a middy for the last few months and when to the hairdresser with a load of pictures today. The hairdresser knew how to cut a middy but after a long discussion we agreed on these things:

1. I suit my hair short-between jaw and chin length- it open up my face.
2. An unstyled middy can look like a 70's pageboy cut
3. My hair is thin and sparse with no body whatsoever and if left unstyled will just hang limply.
4. I can't have layers or shaping as it never shows up in my thin hair.
5. I can't be bothered to do much styling on a daily basis.
6. Although I am one of the few people she knows who suits black hair I will be dying it closer to dark coco brown (my hair is naturally dark ash brown) to soften the look.
7. I love bobbed hair.
8. I suit a side part best.

So we went for my usual style - a blunt cut side parted bob! My Mum, my sister and my boyfriend all prefer this style on me . My hairdresser did show me how to 'fake' a middy with rollers in the fornt carefully angled in- and I can use hot rollers for a curly look.

You simply can't go wrong with a blunt cut bob! I always return to that cut myself. Though since my hair decided it wants to be naturally curly now...there's no more sleek bob look for me.

Post pics when you can - I'd love to see it! I too use to dye my hair black, and then chocolate brown for years (amongst other colours (red and blonde, etc)). And finally just decided to go with my natural colour, which is a dark brown anyways. I sometimes have the urge to colour though! *lol* It's such an easy way to change up a look.

X
BD
 

buddy5909

One of the Regulars
Messages
105
Location
Kansas City, MO
I'm getting my hair cut and will post before and after pics. I've talked to her about cutting a middy. Will see. I'm getting a lot cut off. My hair is mid back and I plan on a middy/chin length or shorter cut. Fingers crossed. :)
 

TillyMilly

One of the Regulars
Messages
263
Location
UK
It's a little short at the moment (by about 1/4 inch) so I'm feeling a little blue- I know it will grow in no time though.

After about 4 years with a bob i was looking foward to lovely Dita style style hair but i know with my hair it would just hang limply :(
 

baby_butterfly

One of the Regulars
Messages
108
Location
Manchester, Uk
Tishkaminx said:
It's a little short at the moment (by about 1/4 inch) so I'm feeling a little blue- I know it will grow in no time though.

After about 4 years with a bob i was looking foward to lovely Dita style style hair but i know with my hair it would just hang limply :(


Tishkaminx..can I just say how much I love your avatar!!! and the black hair is really stunning on you. I love black hair but I dont think it will suit me.
 

fortworthgal

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,646
Location
Panther City
I'm a bit late into this thread, but I say go for it! I have a very round face and I've gone pixie short and I loved it. I don't believe the rules that one has to have perfect or small features, or a thin face to pull off short hair. So often women cling to long hair that does nothing for them. Oddly, I also noticed I got quite a few more random compliments from men when I had the pixie 'do.

You have striking features and remind me a bit of Michelle Williams, who wears her hair pixie short quite often. I think you'd pull it off very well!

Also, pixies don't have to be straight. Do a google images search for pics of Audrey Tautou. She is a French actress and frequently wears pixie to chin length looks that are curly or wavy and tousled, and it looks great on her.

Personally, I think that in your situation, I might start by going short, but not pixie short. If your hair is a "safety blanket" for you and you've been growing it for 5 years... while it may be darling as a pixie, it might be too much of a shock for you. Maybe try something like this, and then go shorter in a month or so if you still want to:
2wrq71h.jpg
 

Miss sofia

One Too Many
Messages
1,675
Location
East sussex, England
Actually i had to post today on this subject as i went with a picture of a middy to my hairdresser as i just want some versatility and for my hair to hold a set, so i can get some good vintage hair styles going. I was all set for the chop.

Normally i have mid-back length, fine, black hair, with a hideous kink in the middle, and a straight fringe. My hair doesn't hold a set that well and i really struggle most of the time. He does know something about vintage hairstyling as he has done alot of film and tv work. He is also Sicilian so imagine him saying this like he was going to open fire on me and not start cutting my hair, love him!

1. I suit longer hair, as i have a square shaped face. So long face framing layers are good.
2. A fringe suits me best not too short.
3. I have a horrid kink in my hair, a short middy would look terrible if i didn't set it everyday.
4. I have very shiny hair in good condition, so the best set for me to show that off and which i can do easily at home and keep the curls, is a pincurls set halfway down my hair, which he showed me a setting pattern for.

After all that, he cut my hair to just past:) shoulder length, rounded the back to help the set look nice, left some longer layers in the sides to frame my face, which were already there, and mitred my fringe so it was a soft 'u' shape. And i went home with my hair in pincurls too. I am very happy indeed and grateful to have found such a good hairdresser. They are out there!
 

Kiri

One of the Regulars
Messages
253
Location
BC, Canada
It's October now Baby_Butterfly! Is your hairdresser back? ;)
I'm kind of excited, can you tell. I had short hair last year but now I've grown it out, and while I don't want to cut mine again, I love seeing when other people cut their hair or do something new. It's so exciting. :D
 

SugarKitten

One of the Regulars
Messages
127
Location
New England
I'm with Kiri! Let's see the cut!

Lillemor, that's almost exactly my everyday hair for the last month or so (my sides are way shorter, only about an inch now) The only length is on top and that's 4-5" with a deep side part. It's a great cut, I wanted to do away with the length on top next, but I really want to keep it longer!
 

HepKitty

One Too Many
Messages
1,156
Location
Idaho
When I go for the chop, I have 10" hacked off to donate to Locks of Love. But I have fine thin mostly straight hair and I hate wasting my AMs fussing with it so I leave enough to put in a flip past my chin. I love some of the short styles but I'm terrible at doing my own hair, hence, I don't do much other than keeping it clean and brushed. Sometimes I will bother with ponytails, braids, and something of a French twist with a pen, but that's it.
 

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