3 year anniversary, reached classic, urging to cut! Pics.

[anitacs9101]

Hi all :) So my 3 year LHC-versary is coming up in a couple of days. I reached classic, which was my initial "longest" goal. Here are some pics. The back shot is from February, so my hair is a little longer now. The mirror pic I took just now:

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt212/OMGPwnies101/Hair/91e28b61-d829-4eea-a364-17d58f742d97.jpg

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt212/OMGPwnies101/Hair/FullSizeRender.jpg


So my issue now is I've been having a big urge to cut. Even though I like how my hair looks super long, the cons seem to outweigh the pros at this point. For me, if my hair is too long to wear down then there is no point in having it long. And I'm quickly reaching that point. It's insanely in the way. It takes way too long to dry, and looks terrible up when wet, so hair-washing is an all day event. I used to swim almost daily, and now I hardly swim at all just because of this (this started as me trying to avoid chlorine after finding these forums, but now it's just because it's too much of a pain). If I ever wear it down for the day, detangling after is a nightmare. And I'm not as enamored as I once was for super long hair on myself. I like the way it looks down, but what is the point if I can't wear it like that? If I cut it, I would cut it to around HL or BCL to start, which were much easier lengths, to my memory.

I've been thinking about it for the past year, but something has been stopping me. I'm terrified of regretting the decision. But if I think logically, there few reasons not to do it.

I think the only thing holding me back is I love being different, and my hair is kinda my defining feature. I get lots of compliments from friends and family and strangers. It sets me apart. Makes me feel special. And I guess I'm afraid I'm going to miss that? Even though it would still be really long by normal standards, I guess I'm thinking the longer it is, the more unique.

Is there anyone here who had feelings like this? Did you cut anyway? How did you feel afterward?

[Mullsha]

Maybe you could find some hairstyles that highlight your length but are also manageable like the half braid one of the ones I can't wait to try. I'll post a few pictures I found on pinteresthttps://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/2d/63/c6/2d63c63cade416c9e9ec97e0feeff888.jpg

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/18/8c/05/188c05bb44a5a8e22ae11413e508d5e4.jpg

And the link I got them from
Maybe you could find some hairstyles that highlight your length but are also manageable like the half braid one of the ones I can't wait to try. I'll post a few pictures I found on pinte



And the link I got them from
https://www.pinterest.com/machelleharmon/really-long-hair/

[yogagirl]

Happy 3 years!! Your hair is gorgeous! Super healthy and my favorite color :crush:

My hair has never been that long, so I don't have any first hand experience. All I can say is, everything you're saying sounds reasonable to me and I can see why you would cut. I don't think you have to worry about your hair not standing out anymore. Between the health and the color, maybe I'm biased, but it's amazing!!! If I were you I'd cut 3-6 inches and see if that helps, and if you regret it you wouldn't have set yourself back that much.

Best of luck! :flower:

[meteor]

First of all, your hair is absolutely stunning!! :thudpile: The shine, the silkiness, the color are simply to die for! :applause And I love your Little Mermaid avvy! :crush:

I'll admit, your comments really ring true to me, too. I feel the exact same cons to having long hair. I just try to "manage around" them. I don't know if it makes sense, but things like having a long, fussy wash day and taking forever to dry and not being able to go swim without any prep or wear hair down on a windy day... - I treat those like I would anything about my body that I'd need to manage - basically, I know there is a very mild limitation, but it's OK/tolerable to me. I try to remind myself that short hair has its limitations, too (for example, not being able to enjoy as many hairstyles), it's just a question of which combinations of pros & cons appeal to you the most. If your sweet spot is around HL/BCL, then so be it! It's all up to you! :D The important thing is that you are happy with the gorgeous hair you have! :D

(But honestly, I so hope you won't cut! :pray: )

[Deborah]

I always found that I got sick of my hair once it was past tailbone length. I don't know what HL is, but I will guess that it is hip length. That is a nice comfortable length; pretty easy to handle but still nice and long. If you do cut, I would advise not to go shorter than that, as you might regret it. If you cut just to there, or somewhere between there and tailbone, your hair will feel lighter and more swingy (which I always have liked), but if you miss classic length, you could easily grow it back without much trouble.

Whatever you decide to do, I hope you can enjoy your hair more than you do now. Good luck!

[Nimia]

The thing that strikes me most about your post is that you rarely swim now, because of your hair. That seems… sad. It's like what they say about how to know if you have a problem with substance abuse, etc.: does it interfere with your life? It sounds like your hair is interfering with activities you love, and giving you more grief than joy.

Your hair will still be unusually long and gloriously shiny and richly colored at hip length, and will grow out in a year or so if you regret it. So why not cut, if it's been preying on your mind for a year? It sounds like the urge hasn't gone away. Sometimes the best way to cope with a temptation is to give in to it.

Lo these many years ago, I had blonde hair down to my hips and cut it into a chin-length bob. I didn't regret it, and it was a much more drastic change than you're contemplating. Cutting off a few inches might make your relationship with your hair much happier, and that would -- I suspect -- be worth the slight diminution in compliments. I'll bet most people wouldn't even notice it was shorter.

[OUKess]

anitacs9101 your hair is beautiful!! You are different and it is AWESOME, but its your hair and you have to do what makes you happy!!

[flickm]

It seems you've become a slave to your hair - one part of your appearance has become your defining feature, and that seems wrong to me. I remember when I first went out with my partner that he went on and on about my hair being my special allure, and i thought: what about my eyes, my personality, my body? It really annoyed me that he thought of me in terms of my hair and not the rest of me.

I'm going to say something that will probably ruffle the feathers of people with super long hair, but I actually wouldn't want mine longer than hip length. I think after that length, it starts to be who you are, rather than a part of the whole complex person. Waist or hip length looks beautiful, unusual enough but not unbalanced. Longer than that becomes something you can't avoid looking at exclusively, like Lolo Ferrari's breasts. You could wear it up, but then why grow it that long if nobody is going to see it. It must also, surely, be a nuisance. Mine has never been longer than just above my waist (though I'm aiming for waist or hip for the first time in my life) but even mid back gets in the way at night and tickles my back, and I can't stand wearing it up or braiding it for sleep.

Why not have it cut to hip or waist and see how you go. Get your life back. It will still be unusually long and still look stunning, but it won't overwhelm you or get in the way of you living your life and doing the things you want to do. And remember, it will grow again if you change your mind.

Disclaimer coming up: you folks with hair longer than hip, you all look fabulous and your hair is gorgeous. It's just me, if my hair stopped me doing stuff, I would feel massively restricted.

[hypersensitive]

Your hair looks great! While classic is a very pretty length, it's not manageable if it's constantly worn down and loose. Tailbone is a good compromise, and to most people that length still looks jaw shockingly long. Heck, even when I cut from fingertip to waist, people I am close to didn't even noticed I had cut my hair. For me, I amreally enjoying the trimmed back length. I'm around hip and it's perfect to manage. No regrets at all. I am much happier than i was.

[flickm]

Your hair looks great! While classic is a very pretty length, it's not manageable if it's constantly worn down and loose. Tailbone is a good compromise, and to most people that length still looks jaw shockingly long. Heck, even when I cut from fingertip to waist, people I am close to didn't even noticed I had cut my hair. For me, I amreally enjoying the trimmed back length. I'm around hip and it's perfect to manage. No regrets at all. I am much happier than i was.

And it doesn't hide your lovely figure.

[teddygirl]

If I were in your position, I would cut. You arent enjoying your hair any longer. It will grow back, and its not like youre cutting to pixie or anything. Long hair is only fun if you enjoy it!

[Horrorpops]

Ok, so I have a story to tell, and its kinda related to this.

I used to be vegetarian - I was vegetarian for 5 years. It was a thing that set me apart in my friendship group and while I originally stopped eating meat because of ethical reasons as time went on I realised my values had changed but I was scared to start eating meat again because I was worried people would think about me differently.
Or I would lose something that made me "unique".
I realised, however, how silly it is to not do something because I was worried it'll make me less unique... because it won't!

I am interesting and unique no matter what I eat, and you are interesting and unique no matter how long or short your hair is. It can be easy to start attributing peoples interest in you to a random thing... like hair length or diet, but I guarentee they care more about your opinions, sense of humour and kindness. :)

I would say, cut it if you want... it will always grow back. And it won't take too long to regain a few inches if you just cut back to HL/BCL as you describe. I don't think you have anything to lose - especially your uniqueness - if this is something you want to do.

Just my experience :D but regardless your hair is beautiful and looks very shiny and healthy!

[Frankenstein]

I was in your shoes a few months back and I took the plunge and got a cut. It wasn't much, just some inches, but to my surprise I didn't regret it at all. It's easy to become bored with hair and aggravated when it begins to interfere with activities you enjoy. I agree with the other posters who suggested cutting to hip. It's enough change for convenience but your hair will still be very long and pretty; and I'm sure the compliments won't stop either!

[cat11]

Your hair really is stunning like others say. I Love it!!

You could try length showing styles like comet buns and lwb ponies and braids.. but Ill bet you already have. Even though I love your hair maybe that length just doesn't work for the lifestyle you want, if you don't wanna set aside a day for washing or deal with it swimming. But there are good ways to deal with it, at least dry.

I think its beautiful and even if you do cut it should only be to hip length... slow experimentation that wouldn't be too terrifying to fix

[schnibbles]

Your hair is stunning, no wonder you get attention for it! :thud:
However I completely understand what you're saying about it taking over some aspects of your life.
For me personally, I'm not planning to grow much past tailbone because of the reasons you describe...I'm at about as much hair as I care to deal with right now.
In fact, wearing it down is getting ridiculous, so I feel you there too. I would echo what everyone else has already said, if you'd be happier cutting a few inches (maybe to tailbone first, see how that feels. Then maybe hip plus if necessary?)
You should be able to enjoy that gorgeous hair! :crush:

[wilderwein]

What about getting long layers? This way you will still have long hair, but it will be a little bit more managable. For example it will dry faster and it will be less heavy

[Chocowalnut]

It seems to me almost everyone who reaches a very long length anyways finds some reason to want to cut it off. If it's truly bothering you I would maybe cut back to hip or tailbone, otherwise it's beautiful and took you a long time to get right? Dont do something you'll regret like so many others is my advice.

[Atira]

I'd cut it. You want to enjoy your hair! Tbl or hip length would be perfect,y long without getting in your way.

[TrapperCreekD]

Your hair is gorgeous, so shiny and healthy looking! But if you're not enjoying it you're not enjoying and long is supposed to be fun so I'd take off a few inches, nothing too drastic that would take me years to get back if I ended up regretting.

[Wusel]

It seems you've become a slave to your hair - one part of your appearance has become your defining feature, and that seems wrong to me. I remember when I first went out with my partner that he went on and on about my hair being my special allure, and i thought: what about my eyes, my personality, my body? It really annoyed me that he thought of me in terms of my hair and not the rest of me.

I'm going to say something that will probably ruffle the feathers of people with super long hair, but I actually wouldn't want mine longer than hip length. I think after that length, it starts to be who you are, rather than a part of the whole complex person. Waist or hip length looks beautiful, unusual enough but not unbalanced. Longer than that becomes something you can't avoid looking at exclusively, like Lolo Ferrari's breasts. You could wear it up, but then why grow it that long if nobody is going to see it. It must also, surely, be a nuisance. Mine has never been longer than just above my waist (though I'm aiming for waist or hip for the first time in my life) but even mid back gets in the way at night and tickles my back, and I can't stand wearing it up or braiding it for sleep.

Why not have it cut to hip or waist and see how you go. Get your life back. It will still be unusually long and still look stunning, but it won't overwhelm you or get in the way of you living your life and doing the things you want to do. And remember, it will grow again if you change your mind.

Disclaimer coming up: you folks with hair longer than hip, you all look fabulous and your hair is gorgeous. It's just me, if my hair stopped me doing stuff, I would feel massively restricted.

It's exactly what I would write and I second that.
I'm greedy for every inch more I get NOW that my hair is short (even though my BF and my band say that it's gotten SOOO long) but I'm sure that I don't want to be "the very-long-hair-one". I'm Wusel, I have a personality, I have an active life with sports every day, I have many interesting hobbies... When my hair starts to rule my life and become the first thing people notice, I'll definitely cut it.
The worst thing would be for me when, being on stage, people would talk more about my hair than about my songs and voice. NO!

[lapushka]

Is there anyone here who had feelings like this? Did you cut anyway? How did you feel afterward?

Yes, back when I was 10/11 years old, I got to this point and it got so in the way that I had them snip it all off into a page style bob. I regretted it almost immediately. I mean not the day itself, but the day after. I should have gone in increments. Should have had them cut it a tiny bit shorter.

If you do cut it, cut a few inches off initially. If that's still too long, cut a few inches more, and so on until you reach a length that is comfortable to you.

Why not still join the classic length by Christmas 2015 challenge, and cut afterwards? The thread is here:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=126191

[anitacs9101]

First of all thank you everyone for the lovely comments!!!


The thing that strikes me most about your post is that you rarely swim now, because of your hair. That seems… sad. It's like what they say about how to know if you have a problem with substance abuse, etc.: does it interfere with your life? It sounds like your hair is interfering with activities you love, and giving you more grief than joy.

Your hair will still be unusually long and gloriously shiny and richly colored at hip length, and will grow out in a year or so if you regret it. So why not cut, if it's been preying on your mind for a year? It sounds like the urge hasn't gone away. Sometimes the best way to cope with a temptation is to give in to it.

Lo these many years ago, I had blonde hair down to my hips and cut it into a chin-length bob. I didn't regret it, and it was a much more drastic change than you're contemplating. Cutting off a few inches might make your relationship with your hair much happier, and that would -- I suspect -- be worth the slight diminution in compliments. I'll bet most people wouldn't even notice it was shorter.

Thank you. I'm glad you didn't regret it, that makes me feel hopeful :)


It seems you've become a slave to your hair - one part of your appearance has become your defining feature, and that seems wrong to me. I remember when I first went out with my partner that he went on and on about my hair being my special allure, and i thought: what about my eyes, my personality, my body? It really annoyed me that he thought of me in terms of my hair and not the rest of me.

I'm going to say something that will probably ruffle the feathers of people with super long hair, but I actually wouldn't want mine longer than hip length. I think after that length, it starts to be who you are, rather than a part of the whole complex person. Waist or hip length looks beautiful, unusual enough but not unbalanced. Longer than that becomes something you can't avoid looking at exclusively, like Lolo Ferrari's breasts. You could wear it up, but then why grow it that long if nobody is going to see it. It must also, surely, be a nuisance. Mine has never been longer than just above my waist (though I'm aiming for waist or hip for the first time in my life) but even mid back gets in the way at night and tickles my back, and I can't stand wearing it up or braiding it for sleep.

Why not have it cut to hip or waist and see how you go. Get your life back. It will still be unusually long and still look stunning, but it won't overwhelm you or get in the way of you living your life and doing the things you want to do. And remember, it will grow again if you change your mind.

Disclaimer coming up: you folks with hair longer than hip, you all look fabulous and your hair is gorgeous. It's just me, if my hair stopped me doing stuff, I would feel massively restricted.

I guess my problem is I don't really feel very special otherwise :) Even though I probably get more negative attention for my hair than positive, since most of my friends don't like my hair. (which is another thing even though at this point I agree with them on most points it used to bother me a lot when they'd pester me to cut it and I almost feel like I'd be giving in.)


Your hair looks great! While classic is a very pretty length, it's not manageable if it's constantly worn down and loose. Tailbone is a good compromise, and to most people that length still looks jaw shockingly long. Heck, even when I cut from fingertip to waist, people I am close to didn't even noticed I had cut my hair. For me, I amreally enjoying the trimmed back length. I'm around hip and it's perfect to manage. No regrets at all. I am much happier than i was.

You have such pretty hair! I'm glad you didn't regret it. I hope if I cut that I have a similar outcome to you.



Ok, so I have a story to tell, and its kinda related to this.

I used to be vegetarian - I was vegetarian for 5 years. It was a thing that set me apart in my friendship group and while I originally stopped eating meat because of ethical reasons as time went on I realised my values had changed but I was scared to start eating meat again because I was worried people would think about me differently.
Or I would lose something that made me "unique".
I realised, however, how silly it is to not do something because I was worried it'll make me less unique... because it won't!

I am interesting and unique no matter what I eat, and you are interesting and unique no matter how long or short your hair is. It can be easy to start attributing peoples interest in you to a random thing... like hair length or diet, but I guarentee they care more about your opinions, sense of humour and kindness. :)

I would say, cut it if you want... it will always grow back. And it won't take too long to regain a few inches if you just cut back to HL/BCL as you describe. I don't think you have anything to lose - especially your uniqueness - if this is something you want to do.

Just my experience :D but regardless your hair is beautiful and looks very shiny and healthy!

It's funny you'd say that. I just got off the phone with my cousin, who told me she could totally relate to what I was saying about fearing losing my "defining feature". She has struggled with eating disorders (obviously totally different, but yeah) and one of her biggest obstacles in recovery has been that her "iron will" with diet and exercise and her weight loss has always been her thing, what she was known for. And she didn't want to lose that. Of course having an eating disorder is different from having long hair, lol.

But I see what you are saying. I guess I'm a little self conscious sometimes, and I'm (irrationally) afraid I'd be cutting off the only thing that makes me special. Thank you for your very kind words. :)

[anitacs9101]

double post!

[anitacs9101]

Yes, back when I was 10/11 years old, I got to this point and it got so in the way that I had them snip it all off into a page style bob. I regretted it almost immediately. I mean not the day itself, but the day after. I should have gone in increments. Should have had them cut it a tiny bit shorter.

If you do cut it, cut a few inches off initially. If that's still too long, cut a few inches more, and so on until you reach a length that is comfortable to you.

Why not still join the classic length by Christmas 2015 challenge, and cut afterwards? The thread is here:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=126191

Oh my goodness. I don't think I would ever cut it that short, lol. If I do cut I will take your suggestion.

[kidari]

Your hair is so beautiful. I cannot even understand the amount of time and care that has gone into it, because I personally never had the patience and the resolve to grow it anywhere near that long. The longest I got was waist length with tons of layers- which doesn't seem to really count as a true waist length in hindsight. However, when I reached that length, it was not only the longest my hair had ever been but also in the best condition I've ever had it in since childhood. The years it took to grow it that long along with not bleaching, teasing, heat styling, etc. on top of the ritual oiling, gentle handling, and dedicated loving care I gave to my hair made me have such inner turmoil about wanting to cut it shorter. The fear of damage and the obsession with growth/length along with how increasingly dedicated I became about my hair's condition was starting to take over my life almost. I never wore it down, because it was always carefully misted on the ends, smoothed with butters, and safely and securely tucked away from the dangers of the world. I really wanted to enjoy my hair more the way I used to. I just started with 1 inch trims and then took baby steps with other experiments and gradually got to BSL. I've been growing to almost waist and then cutting to MBL then to BSL then growing it back to almost waist over and over for a couple years now. I realize that BSL or MBL is where I am happiest. I can still do everything that makes me happy and I haven't looked back.

However, you should really think about it before you do it (any big cut). Sometimes you just need to take a tiny break or longer before you come back to a hobby or a love and then you'll fall back in love all over again. In the meantime don't do anything drastic. At most cut back to where you can grow it back to classic in a year. If you end up happier with the cut, all the better! You should do whatever it is that makes you the happiest in the end. It's just that growing it back to where you're at in the condition its in is pretty priceless. Not everyone can do or have that in a lifetime.

[anitacs9101]

Your hair is so beautiful. I cannot even understand the amount of time and care that has gone into it, because I personally never had the patience and the resolve to grow it anywhere near that long. The longest I got was waist length with tons of layers- which doesn't seem to really count as a true waist length in hindsight. However, when I reached that length, it was not only the longest my hair had ever been but also in the best condition I've ever had it in since childhood. The years it took to grow it that long along with not bleaching, teasing, heat styling, etc. on top of the ritual oiling, gentle handling, and dedicated loving care I gave to my hair made me have such inner turmoil about wanting to cut it shorter. The fear of damage and the obsession with growth/length along with how increasingly dedicated I became about my hair's condition was starting to take over my life almost. I never wore it down, because it was always carefully misted on the ends, smoothed with butters, and safely and securely tucked away from the dangers of the world. I really wanted to enjoy my hair more the way I used to. I just started with 1 inch trims and then took baby steps with other experiments and gradually got to BSL. I've been growing to almost waist and then cutting to MBL then to BSL then growing it back to almost waist over and over for a couple years now. I realize that BSL or MBL is where I am happiest. I can still do everything that makes me happy and I haven't looked back.

However, you should really think about it before you do it (any big cut). Sometimes you just need to take a tiny break or longer before you come back to a hobby or a love and then you'll fall back in love all over again. In the meantime don't do anything drastic. At most cut back to where you can grow it back to classic in a year. If you end up happier with the cut, all the better! You should do whatever it is that makes you the happiest in the end. It's just that growing it back to where you're at in the condition its in is pretty priceless. Not everyone can do or have that in a lifetime.


Thank you for the compliment :flower: I can relate to all of that. I am glad you are happy with your hair now. :)

So I thought about it for a while, and even though I kept having second thoughts, I decided to cut. Which was probably stupid, but I did it anyway. :P I was planning on just cutting two inches or so, to try to get rid of the uneven thinning out on the right side of my hemline. Then I got a little carried away and ended up cutting 6 inches, back to BCL. But I don't regret it at all. My hem looks SOO much better, and my hair feels so light and airy and out of the way! I'm glad I was right about it being a dramatic change in manageability. It's crazy how different my hair feels between these two lengths.

Here is before & after:

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt212/OMGPwnies101/Hair/91e28b61-d829-4eea-a364-17d58f742d97.jpg http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt212/OMGPwnies101/Hair/855d938d-031d-40cd-8415-d3a4a69211a9.jpg

Now that my hemline isn't crappy anymore, I may even keep growing. More likely than not, though, I see myself gradually going shorter.

Thank you all for taking your time to listen to me complain, and for your lovely compliments and advice :flower: :heart:

[yahirwaO.o]

It seems you've become a slave to your hair - one part of your appearance has become your defining feature, and that seems wrong to me. I remember when I first went out with my partner that he went on and on about my hair being my special allure, and i thought: what about my eyes, my personality, my body? It really annoyed me that he thought of me in terms of my hair and not the rest of me.

I'm going to say something that will probably ruffle the feathers of people with super long hair, but I actually wouldn't want mine longer than hip length. I think after that length, it starts to be who you are, rather than a part of the whole complex person. Waist or hip length looks beautiful, unusual enough but not unbalanced. Longer than that becomes something you can't avoid looking at exclusively, like Lolo Ferrari's breasts. You could wear it up, but then why grow it that long if nobody is going to see it. It must also, surely, be a nuisance. Mine has never been longer than just above my waist (though I'm aiming for waist or hip for the first time in my life) but even mid back gets in the way at night and tickles my back, and I can't stand wearing it up or braiding it for sleep.

Why not have it cut to hip or waist and see how you go. Get your life back. It will still be unusually long and still look stunning, but it won't overwhelm you or get in the way of you living your life and doing the things you want to do. And remember, it will grow again if you change your mind.

Disclaimer coming up: you folks with hair longer than hip, you all look fabulous and your hair is gorgeous. It's just me, if my hair stopped me doing stuff, I would feel massively restricted.

This the post I feel like most related to in every word written.
I had classic lenght hair too and while it wasnt as pretty and perfect as yours (thin awful ends), I felt the same, couldnt wear it down because some people didnt like it or going outdors was a nightmare without being in braids or a bun. I wanted my hair to be straight, long and feel nice with it. Not a slave to keep it contained all the time. Simply I wasntt feeling happy.

I decided to cut back to mid back and liked it, then a thing came up and had to chop it to APL. Love this lenght and BSL, you can wear it down, mainstream long but looks very beautiful in a blunt cut and my ends hemline feel so much full.

Yes I say go and cut between waist and hip first, I think you can pull long layers really well without having big issues and still wear it down without being annoying and heavy.
If u fancy shorter lenght like APL between BSL is pretty in and fashionable right now being one lenght.

You have options and lots of chances to go and have a real fun with your hair that fits your beautiful appearance and personality. Dont hide behind your hair lenght and be a person!

[Becs]

The cut looks sooo amazing! Your hair was gorgeous before of course, but I am quite a sucker for a beautiful blunt hemline and your hem is absolutely droolworthy :crush: I'm so glad you're happy with your new cut. Did you cut it yourself or did someone else do it?

[endlessly]

Congratulations on reaching classic!

I've felt the urge to cut many, many times (currently feeling it, actually), so I know what you're going through. In the past, I've always regretted my decision, which is why I've also hesitated recently. Back in March, I removed 10 inches because like you, I didn't feel as though I could wear it down, but my reasons were because I felt the ends looked too damaged for me to wear it down. My thought has always been, "If it isn't pretty or healthy enough to wear it down, then why have it long?" and that's something I've been battling quite a bit recently. What I opted to do in place of cutting a huge section of length off, is to just trim a bit off the end and see how it felt and looked, and then I spoiled my hair with a few treatments. Now for me, that made a huge difference and while I only lost 2 inches of length (had to clean up the unevenness from my last cut), the overall appearance of my hair has also improved. From past experiences, I knew I would deeply regret losing a major amount of length and if you're even the slightest bit worried about regretting it - which it sounds like you are - then I wouldn't personally risk it. Try just a trim to see how it feels, but definitely don't rush into anything you might regret later. Another thing that helps me out? Remembering just how long it took me to grow it, that's made me change my mind more than a few times! Best of luck!

[Duchess Fuzzy Buns]

Your hemline does look nice and thick and beautiful in that after picture! I'm glad you like the cut and are finding it more manageable already. :cheer:

[Lucy Elizabeth]

First off I would like to say happy 3 years :D :cheer:

Second, your hair is absolutely beautiful :thud: I love the Ariel colour you have in your siggy

And thirdly, I agree with you, I don't see the point in keeping hair extremely long if all you are going to do is wear it up/you don't enjoy it anymore.

I love the new cut! Your hemline looks so much thicker and healthier! To me, it's still pretty attention-grabbingly long

[flickm]

Thank you for the compliment :flower: I can relate to all of that. I am glad you are happy with your hair now. :)

So I thought about it for a while, and even though I kept having second thoughts, I decided to cut. Which was probably stupid, but I did it anyway. :P I was planning on just cutting two inches or so, to try to get rid of the uneven thinning out on the right side of my hemline. Then I got a little carried away and ended up cutting 6 inches, back to BCL. But I don't regret it at all. My hem looks SOO much better, and my hair feels so light and airy and out of the way! I'm glad I was right about it being a dramatic change in manageability. It's crazy how different my hair feels between these two lengths.

Here is before & after:

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt212/OMGPwnies101/Hair/91e28b61-d829-4eea-a364-17d58f742d97.jpg http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt212/OMGPwnies101/Hair/855d938d-031d-40cd-8415-d3a4a69211a9.jpg

Now that my hemline isn't crappy anymore, I may even keep growing. More likely than not, though, I see myself gradually going shorter.

Thank you all for taking your time to listen to me complain, and for your lovely compliments and advice :flower: :heart:

It looks lovely. that's the longest i would want to be (I think), and you have a good body which can now be seen. It made me sad when you said your hair is the only thing that makes you special. You look lovely, and i bet you have tons more things about you that are worth while.

[anitacs9101]

THANK YOU everyone for your lovely comments!!!!


The cut looks sooo amazing! Your hair was gorgeous before of course, but I am quite a sucker for a beautiful blunt hemline and your hem is absolutely droolworthy :crush: I'm so glad you're happy with your new cut. Did you cut it yourself or did someone else do it?

Thank you so much!! :flower: I cut it myself, with the JJJ method.

[lapushka]

I'm glad your happy with the cut, anitacs9101 and that you didn't go butt-crazy with cutting a lot off. 6 inches is still "okay" to do, I think, without it becoming a huge humongous chop.

[DakarNick]

It looks beautiful! It was before, don't get me wrong! But now it looks even healthier.

[Puffer Fish]

Your latest photo update had me think something silly. I'm sure you're happier now, but your hair looks happier at this length, too; it's like it wants to be Hip/TBL at most.

I'm glad you made your decision and that it worked out fabulously! :D

[meteor]

I love your new trim, anitacs9101! :D

And wow: you did it yourself? :bigeyes: It looks amazing! :thud: Such a perfect hemline! :applause

[Wosie]

^ :agree: Your new hemline is indeed perfect (I would love for mine to look like that too)! :thud: I love your hair colour as well, and how glossy & soft it looks (especially near the ends, the light shines on it so nicely... hair and ends look super healthy). <3 I think you made a great decision. :)

[Shepherdess]

Edit: I see that you went for the trim and I think your hair looks lovely both at classic and at your current length! It is great that it feels better to you now! :) I can relate to the swimming. I used to love swimming, but now that my hair is long and takes a while to dry, I rarely go swimming. But in a way I love my hair too much, so I don't think I could ever part with it, but I think you made a good decision. :)

Thank you for sharing your lovely hair and progress with us!

[Clarkie]

Wow,wow,wow!! Your hair is stunning. I'm so pleased to see that you've made a decision which has made you happy and preserved your beautiful hair. I'm so curious to know, is that your natural colour? If not, would you be willing to share what you use to achieve that beautiful shade?

[kidari]

Thank you for the compliment :flower:

Here is before & after:

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt212/OMGPwnies101/Hair/91e28b61-d829-4eea-a364-17d58f742d97.jpg http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt212/OMGPwnies101/Hair/855d938d-031d-40cd-8415-d3a4a69211a9.jpg

Now that my hemline isn't crappy anymore, I may even keep growing. More likely than not, though, I see myself gradually going shorter.

Thank you all for taking your time to listen to me complain, and for your lovely compliments and advice :flower: :heart:

:thudpile: ohmygosh I freaking love it!!! You could grow it back in no time too if you decide to and this time it would be classic again but even BETTER!! So glad you did it without agonizing over it for a longer amount of time. I'm so glad that you are happy about your decision as well. I don't usually check back on thread but I'm so so so glad I saw this!!!

[Deborah]

It was pretty before, but I like it even better now. Good choice and good job!

[anitacs9101]

Thanks everyone!!! :heart:


Wow,wow,wow!! Your hair is stunning. I'm so pleased to see that you've made a decision which has made you happy and preserved your beautiful hair. I'm so curious to know, is that your natural colour? If not, would you be willing to share what you use to achieve that beautiful shade?

Thank you!!! :) :) :) It's Manic Panic in Vampire Red. But I actually haven't dyed it in, like, almost two years. :P It's a lot red-er when it's fresh.

[Tristania]

I ended up cutting as soon as I reached classic. Yes, I was getting compliments, but I honestly wasn't enjoying the length. The closest thing I ever came to wearing it down was braiding it. And I really missed wearing it loose. So I ended up cutting back to hip, but with lots of layers (the shortest are around my chin).

[Kendrix]

What about getting long layers? This way you will still have long hair, but it will be a little bit more managable. For example it will dry faster and it will be less heavy

Oh my. Great suggestion. I did this multiple times whenever I found myself at waist before. My sis would layer my hair to stop the ends from tangling so bad when it was down. IT WORKS. Yes, you WILL have a thinned out hemline, but in my experience, this option freshens up a style and makes wearing hair down so much more manageable. Granted, my long layers and face frame have grown out (just past bcl), but if I find myself at classic and frustrated, I will definitely get them back. They are like old friends. :D

Another thing my sis has done to stop me from tangling less is a technique called point cutting. Instead of cutting a smooth hemline, she would cut my hemline with the scissors perpendicular to the hemline. It didn't thin out as much as layers, but it did help a LOT. Of course the drawback is that she cut her fingers once or twice, but it still came out great.

I wouldn't have made it to bcl without my hairdresser living in my house lol. She has become an expert with long hair over the years because of helping with mine.

[teddygirl]

Still very long, and beautiful!

[turtlelover]

LOVE it! I think that is my favorite length of all on a lot of people. Stunning, and so nice and thick at the ends!

[luxurioushair]

Maybe you can consider just trimming a few inches off, like up to waist length, so it's more manageable? Your hair is so pretty.

[luxurioushair]

Thank you for the compliment :flower: I can relate to all of that. I am glad you are happy with your hair now. :)

So I thought about it for a while, and even though I kept having second thoughts, I decided to cut. Which was probably stupid, but I did it anyway. :P I was planning on just cutting two inches or so, to try to get rid of the uneven thinning out on the right side of my hemline. Then I got a little carried away and ended up cutting 6 inches, back to BCL. But I don't regret it at all. My hem looks SOO much better, and my hair feels so light and airy and out of the way! I'm glad I was right about it being a dramatic change in manageability. It's crazy how different my hair feels between these two lengths.

Here is before & after:

http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt212/OMGPwnies101/Hair/91e28b61-d829-4eea-a364-17d58f742d97.jpg http://i613.photobucket.com/albums/tt212/OMGPwnies101/Hair/855d938d-031d-40cd-8415-d3a4a69211a9.jpg

Now that my hemline isn't crappy anymore, I may even keep growing. More likely than not, though, I see myself gradually going shorter.

Thank you all for taking your time to listen to me complain, and for your lovely compliments and advice :flower: :heart:

Whoa I just realized you already trimmed it! It looks even better than before with the awesome hemline. Good decision!

[ghost]

Your hair is stunning at any length! The blunt hemline looks great, but the most attention-grabbing thing is how shiny and healthy your hair looks. Whatever you're doing, you're doing something right.

[leilani]

I love the new length. I find it far more stunning this way!