This is a bit of a long time coming, post-wise, but the holidays, Nationals, etc, have been a whirlwind and frankly, there was more pressing info I wanted to bring to you guys, like what to put in your carry-on for every single flight, some Dry January tips, and lots of holiday fun. But anyway… earlier in December when I was in Paris, I chopped off all of my hair again. And holy crap, guys… It’s so. much. easier.
Why did I spend years trying to grow out a pixie cut that I knew looked decent on me? Sigh… I wanted to be able to ‘look dressed up.’ What I forgot in the last four years of awkward growing-out was that I rarely actually dress up. So those moments, compared to the ‘throw back in a kind of gross ponytail’ were few and far between.
Turns out, short hair is almost always done.
I was getting really tired of my hair always being in a ponytail… I found that every time I went to go out, I would try to leave it down, and inevitably, I would end up putting it back up. I dig the concept of the messy bun, but on me, it wasn’t looking as chic or edgy as I hoped. More… athletic/sport at best, kinda underdone and messy at worst.
I knew I was going to go back to a pixie cut. I tried to hold out, but in the last six months, I realized that it was never going to grow out to a length that was going to make me be happy with it. And so, I walked to the salon, ready to go short again…
Leaving this, in its place. It’s crazy, but the second that I saw myself in the mirror, my first thought was, “Oh, there I am.” I missed me.
So, why go short? I’ve come up with a massive list.
Mornings take 2 seconds. Seriously, when I wake up and it’s a little out of control, a spray bottle is all it takes to get it back into shape.
Honestly? I think it’s sexier. And more feminine, for me. I never felt overly girly with longer hair. I just feel more me. It’s a little cheesy, but I do think it ends up making my style in general a lot more elevated, and makes my more normal clothing seem a little more edgy. It felt like getting back to myself (hence the Dre lyric in the title).
Comedically, coming home, most family and friends didn’t even notice that it was gone! I was a little bummed that none of our families noticed, but Peter pointed out that could possibly be because it’s the cut that makes the most sense with my face, and it looks natural. Or maybe it just feels natural!
And let’s talk about post-workout. Helmet hair? What helmet hair? Ditto for sweaty ponytails post-running, or hat hair from a run. (^ This picture? Immediately after a hard run. Almost no difference from when it’s ‘done’!)
Another thing I never realized… For years, I had long hair envy, and that’s why I grew it out. As it grew, though, I realized it was nowhere near measuring up to what long hair in magazines and on Instagram looked like. Now, I can be envious of some of the great long hair and style out there, but it’s no longer long hair compare and contrast—I don’t have to measure up anymore! (This might actually be a side benefit of getting a bit older—I don’t feel like I need to measure up to the Olsen twins to be stylish anymore.)
Lastly—and Peter will probably agree with this one the most—shedding less is weirdly a huge benefit.
The only downside is that it means regular hair trims. But as someone who’s had bangs for most of the hair grow-out phase I’ve been in, I’m pretty used to going to the salon regularly. And while that means an hour once every six weeks, it still saves time on the daily. The cost is probably about the same.
OK, let me know in the comments: have you gone pixie? Thoughts/feelings?
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