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Periwinkle
October 2nd, 2015, 12:04 PM
Hey everyone! Long time no see, and I guess that's kind of how we've come to this thread....

I joined LHC at ~APL, and I'm now at hip, having cut back a bit here and there. I started growing my hair when I was about 14, and I'm now 22. I have had immense fun having long hair - I've learned to do so many updos, accumulated a hairtoy collection, and always relished the comments I've had about my long hair. And of course it's been fun to grow out and experiment with.

But there's a few reasons why I've decided it's time now. Like I said, I started this journey when I was 14, and I used to tie my hair up every day even before then. I want something different (and I've had a fringe and face-framing layers in between, but it's only so much different, y'know?). I often get mistaken for younger than I am, and I do think having short hair would help with that (it does annoy me). I grew to hip by pretty much benign neglect for the most part, but experience has proved that getting beyond hip will take much more effort as I tend to stall, and honestly, I'm just not interested in putting in the effort right now. I do a lot more sport - swimming, running - than I used to, and live in accommodation with dodgy showers, and it would be nice to have hair where washing it wasn't such an ordeal. But 'different' is definitely top of my list.

Having decided to cut, I've decided to CUT cut - pixie cut. I've never had hair shorter than just above my shoulders, so why not go the whole hog? I figure it'll be pretty fast (especially since I'm used to it taking a long, long time) to grow from a pixie cut to something a bit longer, if I hate it. And I'm also actually keen to go for something a bit less feminine. I tend to dress a lot in skirts and dresses, which doesn't entirely reflect how I feel about gender/sexuality - I feel a more agender haircut would be a better fit for me.

So in short, there's a lot of reasons. But I'm also nervous. Who else has done this? And loved it? Or regretted it? What should I be watching out for? What do you think?

luxurioushair
October 2nd, 2015, 12:21 PM
I'm just wondering why you think a pixie cut would make you look more mature

lazuliblue
October 2nd, 2015, 12:25 PM
I enjoyed having a pixie cut but I got it mainly because my hair had thinned, but I am glad that I did it! However, I also get mistaken for being a good 8-10 years younger than I am and it has happened whatever my hair is doing: pixie, bright colours, having my hair in a bun or having it down at MBL. My point being, I wouldn't bank on cutting your hair curing the problem of people thinking you're younger than you are!

It can help with feeling less feminine, but obviously it is down to you and how you present yourself as a pixie can look feminine, masculine or anything in between.

Things to watch out for....the mullet. People growing out pixies tend to have issues with the back being a lot longer than the front, and then you have to decide whether to cut it to all the same length, or just deal with it until it is longer and you can then bear to get it cut.

Nique1202
October 2nd, 2015, 12:58 PM
I went from about midback to pixie about 4.5 years ago, just because I was at a weird time in my life and I needed to change something and my hair was easiest. Personally, I regretted it in the end because even though the pixie was cute, it didn't feel like me the way longer hair had. But, that's no reason not to try it. You're young, and if you regret it then it will grow back and it will have plenty of time to get back to a length that's comfortable, whether that's where it is now or shorter or longer. Your 20s are a great time to experiment and find what makes you feel the most like yourself instead of a meat sack filled up with the hot air of everyone else's expectations of you.

(Since you mention gender, as someone who's quite unattached to gender as most people think of it I will say the pixie cut I had was really affirming for me for a while, and was actually what made me realize that hey, maybe I didn't have to be what everyone expected of me. But, I've since also come to terms with the fact that even though most people think of long hair as feminine, hair is not objectively gendered any more than clothes or makeup, and having long hair feels more right to me even though it makes people mistake me for a my birth-assigned gender more often than not. This may not be the same choice that you end up making, of course, because every person is different! But it's something to keep in mind maybe. Either way I am totally willing to have a longer conversation about this at any time if you want or need it. :blossom:)

sumidha
October 2nd, 2015, 01:25 PM
I shaved my head right after I graduated high school and loved it. The only thing I will say is that going from long hair you can trim yourself to really short hair is kind of a styling shock- it gets mullet-y in the back really fast unless you maintain it, and since it's cutting short hair at the back of your head, it's not really something you can do yourself. So, be prepared to regularly enlist a trusted friend/relative to give you trims, or budget for paying a salon to do it frequently.

Christine_O
October 2nd, 2015, 01:38 PM
I've been to pixie and even bald (not by choice). I enjoyed pixie for a while, but I would constantly get tired of it, try to grow it out, hate what that looked like, get it cut again. :P

That said, you're young, that's the best time to experiment. But as sumidha said, it's expensive. I will also add that there are very few style options with a pixie. If you're afraid you might get bored with the same look day after day, you might try for a page boy or an A line.

lapushka
October 2nd, 2015, 02:50 PM
I had my hair millimetered in my very early twenties (higher ed.) and I thoroughly enjoyed that for a few years, but it got old, and I have 4 cowlicks (2 in front, 2 in the back) that make this type of cut very annoying (need to wash daily because it hangs wrong). Don't underestimate the care. You think that it is going to be the same as long, but it's not. Short hair needs daily care, long hair you can leave alone between washes. Short? Not so much.

jera
October 2nd, 2015, 03:26 PM
I once wanted a pixie cut but was afraid to take the plunge so I bought a pixie cut wig. It was a great way to experiment with how I'd feel about super short hair without actually doing it. I'm very glad I did too. Because I hated my hair (wig) in a pixie style. All my friends and my boyfriend also said I wasn't my best look which was diplomatic of them. At least they didn't tell me I looked butt ugly. :p
If you want to look more sophisticated and mature you could try experimenting with your wardrobe and makeup instead of the CHOP. Just a thought.

PraiseCheeses
October 2nd, 2015, 03:39 PM
I totally understand getting annoyed by being mistaken for younger than you are, and you're absolutely right that hair can change this perception. I never went full pixie, but went from BSLish to shoulder-length when I was 20 and then chin-length a few years later once it had grown out. Both times, there was a definite decrease in the frequency of the "And what grade are YOU in, little girl?" sort of questions. I actually really liked having chin-length hair, although it was really annoying to be unable to tie it back (and headbands and pigtails, while effective, produced a decided "I'm-still-in-middle-school" effect).

That said, I still kind of regret never having had a pixie cut, or having shaved my head.

Amenahh
October 2nd, 2015, 03:57 PM
If i were you and i knew that i would get a very short cut, i would dye my hair a crazy colour before that for a while. Because I wouldn't care about the damage anymore.:D

Anyway, good luck with the change:)

LegoCaltrops
October 2nd, 2015, 04:07 PM
I had long hair all through my teens & 20s, it varied from APL to Classic. I got it cut to a long bob, then a 1 inch pixie a few years ago, for a few reasons (not all the same as yours). However, I'm now growing it out again. I missed the soft feel of my natural hair - most pixie styles need a lot a product to stop from going flat. Also, you can't just quickly get up, wash your face & brush your teeth & pin your hair up. You have to wash & style it every morning or it lays at odd angles from the pillow & yesterday's product still in the hair.

Plus - and some women may not feel this way - but I personally felt that I needed to spend time /more time putting on makeup in the morning, as a pixie cut isn't necessarily an "obvious" feminine cut. Although for some women it definitely can be, and really brings out their best features, but it wasn't for me. I've not bothered with makeup since it properly started growing out. I just feel different, like I don't need to. (And I'm no model beauty!)

David W
October 2nd, 2015, 04:10 PM
If that's what you want to do I say go for it, you can grow it back if worse comes to worse. I'm a guy so perhaps my opinion is from a significantly different perspective. Mine has been long for 10 years or so, as long as waist as short as shoulder. I recently was considering cutting just to do something different and ended up deciding not to because I felt in the end I would prefer it long and regret it and didn't want to go through the awkward stage, which would be a different experience for you. I did go from waist to about shoulder at one point and didn't regret it at all.
As far as perception and gender are concerned I have never really put hair and that together. I worried about it at first when I grew my hair out, but have since decided they don't have much to do with each other. I would probably be considered a man's man, at least based on my hobbies and general demeanor, on one hand, but have long hair that is "feminine" according to my sister and often wear braids or buns. Doesn't change how I see myself in my case. Probably only affects the perception people who don't know me very well and that doesn't matter to me. If that was the only reason then I'd say keep it, but that definitely doesn't seem to be the case for you.

turtlelover
October 2nd, 2015, 04:14 PM
Do what makes YOU happy! However, I DO suggest a bob before a pixie just in case there is some level of regret! It is MUCH easier to grow out than a full fledged pixie.

spidermom
October 2nd, 2015, 05:29 PM
What fun; go for it! Personally, pixie was the easiest I ever had it. I could jump in the shower and wash it in about 1 minute, then run lightly gelled fingers through it to direct it away from my face, and I was done with my hair. I like starting my day with a shower almost every day, so I didn't consider needing to wet down my hair a hassle, and I could do it with a spray bottle if a shower really wasn't in the time budget that morning. Go on YouTube and look at short haircuts, especially haircuts that flatter your face shape. If you look good, you'll feel good.

DollyDagger
October 2nd, 2015, 06:23 PM
If it would be possible for you to go shorter in increments? It's just so drastic going from one extreme to another..but if you've really got your mind set on it then...go for it I guess.

Clarkie
October 2nd, 2015, 06:46 PM
I think pixie cuts can look great on those who have the right face shape/bone structure. I had very short hair in my 30's and now looking back at pictures of myself, it really didn't suit me at all. I have a round face with high cheekbones.
Just something to think about IMHO. Good luck with whatever your decision is. :)

ReadingRenee
October 2nd, 2015, 06:57 PM
I agree with what a lot of other people have said. PIxie is my favorite short cut, but it has its own issues. Prepare for needing to style it every day. I had lots of cute little sparkly clips I wore in my hair to pretty it up. I am SO not a shower every day type of person and I love having longer hair because I can wash every 5 or 6 days. With a pixie it had to be every day. The maintenance aspect is also annoying as it starts to outgrow its look quickly and needs to be trimmed and shaped.

As far as dye goes, not sure if you want to but if you do cut, now is the time to bleach your hair. Bleach and cool dye colors work GREAT on a pixie. It lightens up fast and evenly because all your hair is close to your head and the damage is minimal since your hair is so short. Its easy to trim off over time. I had a pixie for about 15 years or so and I dyed it all kinds of colors in that time. Dying long hair is a pain.

Also, look at hair magazines and find a picture of what you really want. The best pixie cut I ever got was when I found the picture I wanted my hair to look like and brought it into my stylist. It also grew out really well when I did decide to grow it out because it had such a great shape.

And product, you will most likely definitely need some kind of product to keep it looking not like a bush on top of your head. I am not a product kind of girl either so that doesn't work for me now either.

But when I was young like you, I totally rocked it and loved it. I felt free and bold and unique. If you want it, go for it. I chopped off my waist length hair to a pixie when I was 18 and I loved it. If you don't love it, well... hair does grow. Thank goodness. ;)

Horrorpops
October 2nd, 2015, 07:13 PM
I loved my pixie cut - they are a lot of fun to style and play with, and your hair can be dyed and heat styled and because it is so short it really doesn't matter! It was a fun period!

Although I would say that for me, short hair and any sort of bangs really makes me look younger than I am. I found the most "aging" hair on me was a long bob or shoulder length hair. Longer and shorter both make me look younger!

So just a word of caution, if you look youthful now a pixie cut may not help with that so much. But still I say go for it, its hair and it grows back. :)

But definitely go to a good hair dresser as with pixies and shorter styles it is really important the style suits your face and features. And also what you want to be able to do with it, e.g. leave longer hair on top for styling, bangs/no bangs, assymetrical etc etc.

LegoCaltrops
October 2nd, 2015, 08:57 PM
I would also advise, if you do decide to go for it, take a picture with you to the salon of what you want. Check out (beforehand) pixie cuts on face shapes similar to yours, & take a picture or have it ready on your smartphone to show the stylist, so they know exactly what you want. There's a lot of difference between a 1 inch pixie with a completely cropped back (as I had) & a style that's closer to an asymmetric short bob.

Bear in mind that different cuts suit different colours & textures as well. A very short cut will need trimming every 5 weeks, 6 at most, to keep looking tidy. Also, pay attention to what the stylist does & what tools & products they use, ask questions. Especially the first couple of times you go.

applecinn
October 2nd, 2015, 09:55 PM
No advice from me, other than you must do what feels right for you - but I will relate that many moons ago I went from a little longer than APL to pixie length a'la'Victoria Beckham and hated it. Felt horrible about it and the way I looked, dating life crashed, self-esteem took a massive hit and I was more introverted than normal. I basically hid under hats for two years. Worst mistake ever (hair related) but then - I guess I wouldn't know that if I hadn't done it. :)

pailin
October 2nd, 2015, 11:44 PM
I think it's good to have short hair at least once. Then you'll really know if you like it or not. Since you're mentally ready for it now, that's probably your best time for it. At the times that I've had short hair, I've felt much freer to experiment, especially with coloring, because it's not a long term commitment even with bleach. Also since you'll have to trim frequently you can actually try out a lot of different cuts over time. If you don't like the first one, you can try a different variation in 6 weeks.
I think it depends upon the person, but for me, when I was in my mid-twenties I found people always thought I looked older with short hair. Really helpful when you have to supervise people old enough to be your parents! (when I started that job, I was also raiding my mom's closet for work clothes, since I didn't have enough professional clothes yet, and that was helpful too).

Ashflower89
October 3rd, 2015, 02:17 AM
Short hair is super liberating and fun and effortless. Id suggest doing it just the once to have the experience. BUT. The growout process can be a major pain, so many awkward lengths that can push you into cutting it off all over again. After 2-3 months of my first pixie, I seriously missed the length... the updos, the throwing it over my shoulder, the feel of it on my neck. Theres only so many ways to style a pixie, its so limited. If you do decide to do it, it'l be a good year or so before you'll be able to stick it back into a basic ponytail.

Nuala
October 3rd, 2015, 03:49 AM
I cut down from waist to pixie (in stages) and now I've just started to grow my pixie out again. For me, it got boring quite quickly. There isn't much you can do with a pixie. Also, in order to keep it in good shape, I would need to go to the salon for a haircut every six weeks or so (my hair grows quickly). Now I am at this awful stage where I have a mullet. So yes, I regret cutting it; it takes minutes to cut off your hair, but years to grow it back.

Then again, if you've never had short hair, just give it a try and experiment a bit with it as others suggested, with funky colours and cuts. I can't do that because of my work, but if I was your age I definitely would!

lapushka
October 3rd, 2015, 04:35 AM
I agree as well with the people before me who said go slow and cut in increments. Go from hip to BSL for instance. I once did after I grew out a perm and half my hair was damaged. It was a total *shock* to go back to BSL, and I couldn't wear it up anymore, besides doing a peacock twist. It was terrifying because I didn't have styles to hold onto, no nothing. Had to start from scratch. Imagine what that shock effect is going to be higher than SL, even pixie length!

Loveisaverb
October 3rd, 2015, 05:11 AM
I cut my hip length hair to shoulder, but that was with really no hair length in mind except I wanted it to be shorter. Then I ended up cutting from shoulder to pixie. Pixie is a very fun haircut to have and one that was awesome to have in the summer.
I think if you have a clear length in your mind that you want and you're sure of it, then go for it! But if you also open to the idea of cutting it bit by bit instead of immediately going from pixie to get a feel for shorter hair, then that would be my way.
But really do whatever you want, its your hair and your life. :D

Mimha
October 3rd, 2015, 06:43 AM
Hello Periwinkle ! :)

I understand how you feel about needing a change towards something that you perceive as being "more like you feel inside" :)

I personally have had all the possible lengths of hair, from a short pixie to classic length. I looked nice with all of them, but I did not feel "myself" equally with all of them. The painful thing for me was to have bangs : I totally hated it on me. I have a very high and large forehead and it is necessary for me to have it free of hair otherwise I feel hidden, cut from my perceptions. Concerning the length, I found it cool to try ultra short once in my life, to see how I would feel. My face is quite "bone-structured" so I can sport ultra-short well and ultra tightly bunned too when long. I loved it because even if it enhances the "hard" part of my features, it corresponds to how I feel inside : an ultra-sensitive woman, but a rather strong, stubborned, intellectual character. I was looking much more feminine with my large natural waves cut to nicely frame my face but I just didn't feel myself at all looking like that ! What I mean is that your haircut should fit your state of mind more than what people think would suit you better because you have to feel well inside. To feel YOU.

Concerning the life with such and such haircut, I did not enjoy my pixie very long. I have cowlicks that make my hair look weird if I don't style it every day with water, blow-dryer or gel (ugh !). I also hated the transition time with the mullet : I had to go to the hairdresser all the time, which meant a lot of money and stress (not sure how it would turn out, and unhappy 1 out of 2 times). I did not enjoy the bob phase either : my hair is wavy and my bob required a lot of styling not to look totally wild. So finally, the most happy I am is when my hair is APL and plus, and that I can attach it out of the way and make updos, or let it down and enjoy the "fluidity"^^. When my hair gets very long (= TBL and plus) I usually start to get bored and fed up with caring and time involved in grooming, and long for a short cut. Lol. I forget how fastidious it was to have short hair just because I only remember this wonderful feeling of lightness : no more scalp pulling heavy updo, no more endless detangling sessions, easy to get dressed, easy to jump in the shower, no worry to go to the swimming pool, etc. Sounds like freedom... until I cut it and have to face the trouble again, ha ha ha !

Life is an endless circle^^. Short is worth to be experienced, though. Go for it when you'll have found an appealing cut and don't have regrets : it will grow back. :flower:

Theobroma
October 3rd, 2015, 06:53 AM
I've done it. I hated it. And if you go for any kind of pixie it'll take the better part of two years just to get it all one length at shoulder again if you decide you don't like it. I can relate to wanting a change, but do think carefully about it before you do anything drastic!

georgia_peach
October 3rd, 2015, 07:13 AM
Hello Periwinkle ! :)

I understand how you feel about needing a change towards something that you perceive as being "more like you feel inside" :)

I personally have had all the possible lengths of hair, from a short pixie to classic length. I looked nice with all of them, but I did not feel "myself" equally with all of them. The painful thing for me was to have bangs : I totally hated it on me. I have a very high and large forehead and it is necessary for me to have it free of hair otherwise I feel hidden, cut from my perceptions. Concerning the length, I found it cool to try ultra short once in my life, to see how I would feel. My face is quite "bone-structured" so I can sport ultra-short well and ultra tightly bunned too when long. I loved it because even if it enhances the "hard" part of my features, it corresponds to how I feel inside : an ultra-sensitive woman, but a rather strong, stubborned, intellectual character. I was looking much more feminine with my large natural waves cut to nicely frame my face but I just didn't feel myself at all looking like that ! What I mean is that your haircut should fit your state of mind more than what people think would suit you better because you have to feel well inside. To feel YOU.

Concerning the life with such and such haircut, I did not enjoy my pixie very long. I have cowlicks that make my hair look weird if I don't style it every day with water, blow-dryer or gel (ugh !). I also hated the transition time with the mullet : I had to go to the hairdresser all the time, which meant a lot of money and stress (not sure how it would turn out, and unhappy 1 out of 2 times). I did not enjoy the bob phase either : my hair is wavy and my bob required a lot of styling not to look totally wild. So finally, the most happy I am is when my hair is APL and plus, and that I can attach it out of the way and make updos, or let it down and enjoy the "fluidity"^^. When my hair gets very long (= TBL and plus) I usually start to get bored and fed up with caring and time involved in grooming, and long for a short cut. Lol. I forget how fastidious it was to have short hair just because I only remember this wonderful feeling of lightness : no more scalp pulling heavy updo, no more endless detangling sessions, easy to get dressed, easy to jump in the shower, no worry to go to the swimming pool, etc. Sounds like freedom... until I cut it and have to face the trouble again, ha ha ha !

Life is an endless circle^^. Short is worth to be experienced, though. Go for it when you'll have found an appealing cut and don't have regrets : it will grow back. :flower: Very good advice here from Mimha.

I actually feel much more myself in a modern short cut. Although others think I look more feminine and approachable with longer, softer hair. I'm growing to at least hip for my own reasons and may one day go back to very short hair. As far as my experience with short hair, I also felt more myself wearing a heavier, more glamorous make up and large *statement* earrings and jewelry to balance the hair. I didn't mind the maintenance of short hair. I rather enjoyed the extra time primping and using products. But I sometimes grew tired of the extra effort I had to take with my makeup and accessories.

Good luck making your decision. And I hope you'll share the results with us! I always find change very exciting.

DreamSheep
October 3rd, 2015, 07:42 AM
I cut from APL to bob when I was 13, and went through a variety of hairstyles until I was 17. I don't think any of them suited me that well, but I wasn't super fashion conscious and I really enjoyed trying it out. :)

I would say go for it if you want to do that, though I do feel that hairstyles shouldn't be considered so gendered. :) I've never felt superfeminine, and I've felt the same regardless of my hair length (just a thing to note if you think you are chopping just to reflect this better, but I do agree that short hairstyles are fun to experiment with too!)

Neelie
October 3rd, 2015, 07:51 AM
from personally making the totally wrong decision to cut from waist to pixie i would say DON'T DO IT.
maybe do it in stages, yes, but should you end up not liking it, you'll hate it for years!!
i deeply regret my cut....

lapushka
October 3rd, 2015, 08:11 AM
Also think about your scalp. If you have oily hair, and you go to pixie length, you will need to wash even more than at this length. Length sort of "absorbs" oil and allows you to stretch your washes. So keep that in mind as well. You really don't want to go to daily washing if maybe you now do it twice or even once a week. I needed to wash at least 3 times a week at pixie and it was still gross - fast.

KittyBird
October 3rd, 2015, 08:26 AM
I'd say go for it! I cut from hip to pixie when I was 15, and it felt awesome until I realised that I really didn't suit that style. It just looked dreadful on me. It felt really good to have hair that was easy to wash and dried in no time, and it was pretty much weightless. I would have kept it for longer if it wasn't for the fact that I didn't have the face for it.

As for growing out being a pain in the behind, I honestly didn't notice it. I used bobby pins to keep the hair out of my face, and once it was long enough, I started wearing tiny, stubby ponytails and pigtails. Before I knew it, I was back at hip length again! ;)

LauraAlaina
October 3rd, 2015, 09:41 AM
I say go for it! as long as you keep a couple things in mind.
if someone comes into the salon with extra long hair and wants to go REALLY short i usually ask a couple of questions...
1. are you pregnant.
2. are you going through a breakup
3. is there anything happening in your life which would make you want to do this which you will end up regretting..
if they say yes to any of those i wont do it..
otherwise if they're put in a lot of thought and are SURE SURE then i say go for it!

i do agree i think long hair tends to make people look younger (yay!) sometimes a good cut helps make people look more mature and stylish (not that long hair doesnt!)

but do keep in mind the growing out part, i find short hair to be MUCH more of a hassle than long hair. when my hair was short i was CONSTANTLY messing with it, but that's just my experince. good luck, im excited to see results!!

embee
October 3rd, 2015, 10:05 AM
I did not go to pixie, but I went to a boy cut and it felt free and was cute... until I couldn't afford (and hated the smells of) the constant salon visits to keep it looking cute. I quickly got tired of the daily washing to get the greasies out. Not to mention the zits that showed up on my forehead from the sidebangs which wouldn't stay off my face. Sigh.

It took years to finally grow out enough that I felt like me again. My growing out phase was singularly unattractive, I looked like a poor shaggy stringy mess.

I hope your mileage will be different!

Tobasco
October 3rd, 2015, 03:34 PM
Good idea, Amenahh, to dye it and not worry about the damage! :)

I have had a pixie before and I did like it. Well, it wasn't a TOTAL pixie, it was more like Rachel Ward's hair in Against All Odds: short in the back and on the sides, longer and fluffier on top. I liked it. But growing it out to something else was a total pain in the hind-end. I've also grown to near-classic and didn't care for that (my hair is not good long hair) so now I hang-out at BSL and it's good there. My hemline is actually much better than it EVER has been, and I feel it looks good on me. Ultimately, that's what you need to do -- what YOU FEEL looks good on YOU. Because it's really not about anyone else. A longhair board is great for support for growing, and can be good support if you cut, but any group that is focused on one common goal tends to FEEL like there is an unspoken pressure that all members go for that common goal. So good on you for knowing your own heart and what sort of hair will make YOU happy.

Having said that, it IS hair and it does grow, so you can change your mind again later and do something else entirely. :cheese:

missmelaniem
October 3rd, 2015, 03:54 PM
You do what makes you happy but I recently cut my hair into a pixie and absolutely hated it. I dont care how easy it was. For me personally I felt ugly. Now (7 months later) that I am beginning to get a bit of length back I am so much happier. The only trims I have done were at the nape just to even it out a bit (about 1.5 inches total) and I'm not going to trim again till 2017. THAT is how badly I want some length back.

I got a lot of compliments when I had a pixie, but of course all that matters to me is that I like what I see in the mirror. I dont expect to actually like my hair for another year and a half.

If you really want to change things up I would go with a bob and then see if you want to go shorter.

ladyfey
October 3rd, 2015, 04:36 PM
I cut from floor length to shoulder back in April. I'm now at chin length and I really like it. I hate going to get hair cuts, that is why I end up with really long hair. I discovered youtube tutorials on how to cut your own bob, so that is what I do now.
So I'm saving money from the long hair, I have no added costs and no longer need to use conditioner :)
I think you'll enjoy the short hair, it is a nice change from long. Like you said, you can always grow it back out!

Sunny_side_up
October 8th, 2015, 08:12 AM
I have thought about a pixie on and off, can be a cute style on people, or maybe bring out certain features of their face depending how you look at it...When i had bangs and my hair up in claw clip, i would feel like its a taster of a pixie. I like to imagine the ease of washing and drying time on my hair type. But at the mo it suits me at apl, for tying it up for work(practical), and wearing it down for photos or evenings out, looking feminine.

My scalp is better since i went back to sls free shampoo. As my hair got longer i started using sls poo for ease of washing,but scalp didnt like it, length was getting frustrating (wasnt even long by standards here). Now my scalp & hair are coping better as its a length that i find manageable. So discover what makes you content. It'll grow if you decide you want more length ☺

SparkleToes
October 8th, 2015, 09:14 AM
I think your biggest concerns lonely going to be
1. Your face shape, if you don't have the face for it it will not look the way you want
2. Styling time, you HAVE to be ok with washing everyday (or at least a lot more than usual) and LOTS of blow drying and ironing
3. Not liking it, if you don't end up liking it there's nothing you can do.
Every time I have cut my hair shorter I have regretted it , I have never gone pixie though mostly chin lengths. Maybe you should try a different hair color something drastic like blue or green, something that will show off your personality. Either way make the decision that will make you happy not anyone else.:)

SparkleToes
October 8th, 2015, 09:16 AM
*are* not lonely my autocorrect is not being nice to me:(

spidermom
October 8th, 2015, 10:44 AM
I have thought about a pixie on and off, can be a cute style on people, or maybe bring out certain features of their face depending how you look at it...When i had bangs and my hair up in claw clip, i would feel like its a taster of a pixie. ☺

I was thinking about that, too, how when you have long hair that you can put up, the look is similar to a pixie in that your ears are showing, your neck is showing, the hair isn't flowing down the sides of the face. I really feel now that long hair is the best of both worlds because you can do so much with it.

I like my hair very short or long. The in-between stages are the worst! Here is natural, air-dried hair as I grew out my pixie (over-the-top fright makeup courtesy of my then 13-year-old goth niece):
http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c79/spidermom/BOONEW.jpg (http://s25.photobucket.com/user/spidermom/media/BOONEW.jpg.html)
Horrors like that are why some people end up stuck with short hair; they can't get through the awkward stages of the grow out.

rapunzel123
October 8th, 2015, 06:58 PM
Last year I went from past waist to collarbone. And I regretted it the moment it was over. I was so upset with my hair for months. I had never had shortish hair and wanted to try it at least once. Anyway, I am finally almost to BSL a year and a half later, and I will never make a huge chop at once like that again.

My Mom had Classic length hair in her twenties. She said she slowly cut a bit at a time until she got to shoulders. If you have any doubts I'd do that! You should try some crazy hair colors or something like someone else mentioned. Even though I know at the end of the day it will grow back... ;)

lilin
October 9th, 2015, 07:10 AM
So in short, there's a lot of reasons. But I'm also nervous. Who else has done this? And loved it? Or regretted it? What should I be watching out for? What do you think?

I have, from BSL. Well, I shaved it actually, but it's a pixie now. :D

I have really enjoyed the pixie. So much, in fact, that I keep waffling about whether I should keep it for a while or just keep letting it grow out.

However, I doubt the pixie is going to help age up your face. Most people say pixies make them look younger, and that's been true for me as well. With long hair, I get guessed about 3 years younger than my real age. With a pixie, I get guessed 5 to 7 years younger. Pretty dramatic! I even got accused of using a fake ID once recently because they didn't believe my birth date.

Still, it's fun, and since my hair naturally sweeps to one side, pretty easy to wash-and-go. I didn't think BSL was terribly time consuming either, but obviously very short hair is even less so. And I do have to say it really does suit my face shape, for me personally.

That said, I do find myself washing it slightly more often. Since there's not as much hair for oil to disperse onto, it looks greasy a little faster than my long hair did.

OleanderTime
October 9th, 2015, 11:22 AM
A tiny bit of advice based on personal experience: when my hair was super short (shorter than a bob), I couldn't tie it back at ALL, which actually made it hotter, sweatier, and more annoying when I was doing outdoorsy or athletic things. If you want maximum shortness, I would consider making sure nothing is touching your neck, and that the top can be clipped back away from your forehead and ears. Of course, if you grow it out again, you'll have to move through that annoying stage, but honestly, I complete agree with your impulse that if you're going to go short, go really short! Why not! If you wanted to try a pixie cut, don't go progressively shorter and shorter - just take the leap and enjoy the adventure! :) Definitely post a before/after when you're ready!

spidermom
October 9th, 2015, 02:07 PM
Absolutely! Pictures are a must!