Long or short locks, that is the question. I am currently attempting, for what seems like the umpteenth time, to grow my hair out long. Anyone who has ever done this knows how irritating the process can be. A little over a year ago, I got a short, choppy coif, and I mean short. The longest layer hit right about chin level and I had even shorter layers. While I liked the manageability of it, after the newness wore off I found myself wanting it long again. Obviously, it's a lot easier to get short hair than long hair! So ever since I've been patiently waiting while it grows, which in all fairness is relatively fast. It's just past shoulder length now, and just about at the stage where it was when I cut it last time. And now, I remember why I cut it! It has reached the unavoidable awkward phase, where I just can't seem to be happy with it no matter what I do. More than once in the past few weeks I have had the urge to get it cut short again. The fact that a lot of girls in my dance classes have been cropping up with adorable short, layered cuts lately hasn't helped me maintain my resolve to let it grow. Oh, how I've longed to go to the salon and leave with a cute, layered bob with some choppy bangs to match! But so far I've stayed strong...so far. Although I am planning to get a body wave perm in the next couple of weeks, because the way it is now is driving me crazy. But that's another story, and another post. Right now, I want to take a look at some of the pros and cons of each style, since I've had both I know from experience. So here we go.
Short hair
Pros:
1. Typically easier to maintain than longer styles. Less tangles, less to blow dry, less to style.
2. There are so many cute and sassy variations on a short bob, which is great when you want something suitable for your specific face shape.
3. In the heat of the summer, it is so nice not to have a mane hair hanging down your neck making you feel less like a lady and more like a merino sheep waiting for the shears!
Cons:
1. This one is a big deal breaker for me. Sometimes short hair is so short you can't tie it up. For a dancer, being able to get you hair out of your face and into a bun is a BIG thing (fellow dancers will understand!) Not being able to get my hair back into so much as a mini- ponytail was one thing that made me want to grow it back out so badly.
2. Having to get it trimmed on a regular basis. If you fall in love with what the stylist gave you, it means making a trip down to the salon about every six weeks, give or take depending on how fast your hair grows. This can not only get expensive, but it can be difficult to keep the exact cut you originally got. No matter how much of a genius your stylist is, the cut is going probably to vary a little each time you get a trim. Having layers adds to the difficulty of keeping exactly what you have. This is one thing that stopped me from running out and getting a copy-cut of one my friends' new style. Even if I went to her stylist, there's no guarantee she'd be able to give me that specific cut she gave my friend.
3. If you get it cut short and loathe the style, there's not much you can do but wait for it to grow out! Even if you're ok with it but decide you prefer it long, it's going to be awhile before you're going to get all that hair back.
And now, let us explore the pros and cons of the style on the other end of the spectrum, long hair:
Pros:
1. Ok, this one may be just me, and it may be a little silly. But whenever I see a lady walk by with ridiculously long hair flowing down her back I think, dang, I wish I had her hair!
2. All those updos! With long enough hair you can do so many beautiful things with it. And you don't have to worry about getting it up into a bun!
3. Besides updos, there's so much more you can do to style your long hair. If your creative enough, and have the time you could come up with a new style every week. Long hair can really be an artist's medium, trust me. I've seen some amazing things done with long hair.
And now, the cons:
1. Long hair can be a pain in the arse. Tangles, knots, all that brushing. Washing and drying it can take twice as long (or longer, if you're one of those people with hair down to their waists.) I'm at just past shoulder length right now and air drying it has started to get annoying. I don't blow dry unless I have to but having damp hair up to three hours after I've washed it does not a pleased belle make.
2. Ever think of what would happen if it got gum caught in it? I've heard of people who haven't cut their hair in literally decades and wonder if their pride in their hair is really an obsession. And what would happen to these people if suddenly they had to whack off all their long hair? I mean, long hair is nice but is it worth an anxiety attack if the day comes you must get it cut short?
3. If you fry it, there's not much you can do but cut it. All the Rapunzels out there know that if you are attached to your locks then you have to do something other than cut it if you want to change it up a bit. Coloring, highlighting or perming are always options but what would you do if you fried it beyond repair, or bad color turned it orange? If you have a shorter style hair blunders such as this can be easily corrected with a trim, but if you've invested a lot of time growing your hair then what would you do if it turned into a dry, crunchy frizzball?
Well, those are a few things to consider. I'm currently right in between long and short styles so I don't get the benefits of either. I don't have a short cut that I can style and go, and I don't have these long, fabulous locks that speak for themselves. Sigh. Only time will tell if I have what it takes to wait for the long hair I've been wanting. I just had a conversation with my sister-in-law the other day about this very topic. When we have longer hair it drives us crazy but as soon as we get it cut short we want to grow it again. Perhaps long or short isn't the question, perhaps it's a matter of change that we crave. Right now I'm planning on getting a perm this month. I also could have a weak moment and have her cut it instead. It could go either way ;)
No comments:
Post a Comment