As I was walking out of the gym last evening, I noticed a chic looking girl walk past me through the doors. Being sort of a regular at my workout place I am familiar with most faces and was wondering if another new desi member has signed up. As I was staring at her while thinking this to myself, she turned around and said hi. It was not a new member, but someone whom I knew who had gotten a new hairdo.
Having a new hairdo is like having a complete make-over, it is remarkable how someone'e looks change so drastically just with a pair of scissors. Especially, if you've had shoulder length hair that has now been reduced to a sleek close layered cut, the difference is startling. I have come to admire the courageous streak in most women who are bold enough to experiment with their hair.
I come from a traditional family where it was normal to want to have long, braided hair. Seeing my mom who had hair long enough to go past her waist, it was natural for me to want to have long hair. And, over the school and college years, it was painstankingly maintained by using the right oils, herbal and henna treatments, the same shampoo etc. After coming to US, like many others, the change in the water etc. gradually resulted in hair loss, but still, there is enough left over for a braid. A habit that started in the teens, I can hardly let my hair loose or even do a pony tail, it has to be a braid. On my last India trip, a cousin of my husband's remarked that it is nice that being in the US for a few years now, I continue to have reasonably lengthy hair and still braid it, unlike in India where its hard to see folks having long hair these days. She said most people want to go to the parlor or a stylist and then experiment with their tresses- Curling naturally straight hair, using highlights and coloring the hair, gelling them etc. have become the norm of the day. Even my mom, whom I least expected to say, wants me to do away with the tresses and go in for a shorter hairdo. It is the in-thing these days and helps you fit right in at work in a western workplace.
But, I am not ready yet. Seeing how others around me are so bold and free to experiment with their looks, I am so skeptical about this whole concept of getting a shorter haircut. What if I don't like what I see and want all my hair back? What about those efforts and the time it has taken me over the years to maintain the length, is all that a waste if I decide to do away with shorter hair. So, many doubts and fears of having a new hairdo. I indeed applaud the wannabes who have embraced the new styles and made the transition. Maybe, someday, some other time I will be able to take a leap into the shortcut, but until then, the tresses are here to keep and grow.
15 comments:
For many years, i had a lenghty hair pretty much like you.
But When I was in Boston, a hair dresser really messed up with my hair. Ha ha everyone laughed & teased after all only hair, it grows fast Dear! Short hair is really easy to maintain in cold place , specially those who have a sinus problem :)
A new hair cut sure does give a new look, if you are skeptical about cutting the length, then why not try having long side bangs or layers? I tried it and ended up liking it esp. since I did not have to give up on the length. Find a good salon, after all a good head of hair is what frames the face.
I had and still do have long hair. A couple of years back, though, I too went through such a phase where I just wanted to chop it off and I did. From upto-the-butt hair I went all the way to barely-shoulder-length hair. I liked it and then wanted long hair again and decided not to cut it any more. Now it's back to its good old long self. So try a shorter hair-do and if you don't like it, it'll always grow back :-))
i love long hair .. N it depends from one to another long hair really suits some N some look very good ith short hair .. Mine is medium in length i only wish i could grow very long .. itz all a matter of choice
I don't know about being bold; but it certainly easier to maintain. For a person like me who sweats mostly on my head and add sinus problems! Long hair was a mess! The only thing I do with my hair is cut it. As you said when I was in India b4 my marriage, it used to be a trim (a proper cut would be blasphemy both at home and my dance class! lol! :)) Once I cut it short...then when I came to the US, I was still clinging to long hair. Did not feel like chopping it. Then did it. From then on, I experimented with various lengths (never shorter than just above shoulder length). Now back in India, I did not go get a cut for quite sometime. Then just went back to my layered shoulder length hair :) My mother's opinion...well you are bored so you just go do what you do with your hair! lol!Though she did say the look suits me ;)
Nice post :)
Can so relate to this; I am someone who has gone from waist-length hair to really short (just below neck) and now I am growing it back again. For me it is a phase - the good thing about hair is, as Cham said, it grows real fast. Go ahead girl, and experiment :)
I had long hair growing up and remember the first time I went to get it cut ( i went with a neighbor)- I must hve been 5 years old..the hairdresser asked me " did you ask your mother?" I told her yes and she proceeded to cut with this apalled look on her face. I've grown my hair to my hips twice since that cut until I decided that short hair is really easy to maintain, and definitely looks better for me. I think you should try it! Go to a food stylist that will help you find a style that suits you.....if you don't like it, it will grow back..
BTW where do you seem to get these apt pictures for each of your post??
Being a member of opposite sex and not worried much about tresses and hairdo, I will give this a pass :-)
Cham- How true.....
Divya- Thanks for the tip.
Jayashree- Yes, I guess it will grow back, but over a long time.
Deesha- That is true, I think long hair suits me.
Aparna- Thanks for sharing your experience.
A-kay- You have great long hair, now.
Taste Tinkerer- Having seen you, its hard for me to imagine you with long hair.
Shankar- All thanks to google images.
Krishnan- Ha :)
I had a long hair like yours.But thought it was easy to maintain if its short & got it cut.. & now i regret & waiting for it to grow back...
Hi Mitr,
4 years back, in grad school, a friend of mine volunteered to trim my hair, but actually cut it short! I come from a background like yours, so started crying that no guy from my background would marry me :-) How silly!
The point is, within few days, I felt like a new person. Enjoyed it thorughly. Short hair makes you look young and if you need a change, you should go for a hair cut.
I certainly try changing the hair cuts and each time, its like a new birth.
You should do what you fear to overcome it and cut your hair short - that will be the starting point not to worry about what others will say and do what you like to do!
Post pics with short hair :-)
For me, it was the other way around- I had short hair (almost like a boy cut) until I was in high school as my mom would not let me grow my hair long (I was a sports person who travelled for sports meets etc, so it was for practical reasons) and I longed to have long hair! Now I refuse to cut my hair short. I make sure it is at least shoulder length and I never tie my hair too. Strange how some things get to be habitual.
I say,do what you are comfortable with. If you wan to start experimenting, you can take it slow by chopping off a few inches first, then maybe not tying your hair for a few days. But do it only because you want to.
Radhika- Am sure yours will grow back soon.
Janaki- Thanks for sharing ur experience, will definitely let you know if I end up cutting my hair short, don't think its going to happen anytime soon :)-
Vani-well said, loved it when you say do it only if you want to. Thanks for stopping by.
nice post :-)..while I like cutting and experimenting with it in terms of length, I am scared to color it or straighten it, because I know how fragile my hair, and want to maintain what I have :-). So, I understand where you are coming from...
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