A month or two go by, life keeps moving on and your hair grows out. It's inevitable. You've had to do it since you were a toddler. It's just as scary now as it was then. As a two or three year old the fear comes from the cape that is secured around your neck and hangs around your shoulders, the scissors that glisten in the overhead lights, the stranger that touches your head and gives you a tremendous, toothy smile, the growing distance between you and your mom or dad. Now the fear comes from the possibility of everything going wrong, the chance that the hairdresser takes too much off, the thought of what others will say.
If you're lucky, you have a trusted beautician or barber that trims your tresses. They work with consistency; you walk out of the shop satisfied. You leave #blessed. This success only graces a few. Haircuts give the rest of the population anxiety.
As a curly haired girl, I know the feeling all too well. Curly hair shrinks. A lot. If I get an inch off, when it's dry it will look like I got two cut off. If my layers are too short, I get a halo of frizz. I usually tell the hairdresser half an inch less than what I really want with the hopes it ends up the way I was hoping.
If they do cut it too short or the shape is wrong, you are the one to live with it. Every person you see will notice your hair. What are they saying? What do they think? Why are they looking at me like that? Let's be honest, no one is giving your new hairdo a second thought. They aren't talking about it in a hushed tone in the corner. They aren't shooting you a funny look. You're probably just being a little paranoid and thinking into it too much.
I go through this feeling every few months where I just want to chop all of my hair off. It gets hot, long and just plain annoying. I have this craving for a cute, short style.The though occupies my mind for days. Weeks go by and I scroll through Pinterest searching for inspiration to finally give me that final push. I find the one that I have fallen in love with. What if the hairdresser can't do it? What if she screws it up?
Be bold. Chop it off. Experiment with a new shade. Add layers. Go for it! You'll never know how you feel until you try it. Even if it doesn't turn out like you wanted, push your creativity and add a hairband or braid the shit out of it. You'll get use to the new length, shape or color. It can always be changed; it just takes a little time. Who knows? You may fall in love with it.
Remember. It's just hair. It. Will. Grow. Back.
