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Dung Beetle
August 26th, 2019, 09:59 AM
I don’t “need answer fast!” but I am starting to bounce some thoughts around about the future of my hair, and that future may involve SCISSORS. Or this could be just a phase that will pass if I can hang in there a while. I’m not sure, but I thought I’d at least jot some of these things down.

Also, I hope this thread won’t be all about me; I’m sure there must be others out there having similar feelings, and I’m interested to hear what are the reasons that lead you to chop or not chop.

PROS:

· So, it all kind of started recently when I realized that it’s going to be cold here in a few months and I’m going to dig this air-drying thing a lot less when I have to go to work with a wet head. If my hair were a more manageable length I could blow-dry it.

· Fresh ends! The current ones taunt me with their scraggliness, but screw ‘em if they can’t take a joke. The next hair I grow will be better (I always think this).

· My hair is kind of getting in my way right now. I keep it mostly pinned up at home, but there are still so many times it gets caught on things. This weekend it caused difficulties during <cough> intimate relations.

CONS:

· I want to keep using my hair sticks, so I don’t want my hair too short for that.

· If I cut off my hair, I’ll be a Muggle again, nobody special. (Truthfully, my hair isn’t special now. I saw at least ten people this weekend with hair as long as mine, including a guy at the library. His hemline was thicker too).

· This is the longest it’s ever been, I can’t give up before I go all the way! ”How high does the sycamore grow? If you cut it down, then you’ll never know…”



If it matters, my hair is about waist length now, and I’m considering going back to BSL. So that’s about six inches, a year’s worth? If it’s a mistake, I could be back at this point one year from now. So that’s good to remember.

Any of you guys thinking about a substantial snip? What’s holding you back? What makes you want to hold on?
I hope to get inspiration from your replies later, but for now, I’m going to go over to Pinterest and look at pictures of long, pretty hair.

RoseChantel
August 26th, 2019, 11:01 AM
I did this last summer. My hair wasn't as long as yours (I just got to BSL about two months ago), but I cut it back to collarbone length because I have so much new growth coming in it looked like I had a terribly layered hair cut... I have been frustrated with myself at points this last year growing back those 7 inches that I took off, but my hair is healthier and stronger now. There is always the option to cut off a few inches now and a few inches in a month or two if you still want it shorter. There are some days where I think about how long my hair could've been at this point in the year and am still mad at myself for cutting SO much off. But regardless, it will grow back... I don't know if that helps at all, but no, you aren't the only one.

Mega Moose
August 26th, 2019, 11:59 AM
I chopped off all my hair last October into a pixie that was shaved at the sides. It had been nearly classic length. My energy levels were so low, I just couldn't take care of it anymore. I liked the pixie, but then figured out I'd be doing the stay at home mom thing when the baby was born, and couldn't justify paying for a trim every 6 weeks, so the grow out process began again in February. I'm finally sporting a tiny little bob. I'm wishing now I had only cut back to bsl so I could still use my hair toys and put it up easily. If you're going to chop it off, your idea to keep it long enough to still do that is a pretty good one, I think. :) If it would make you happy I say go for it, but like RoseChantel mentioned, you could always try a few inches to see how you feel and then go from there. Maybe just having some fresh looking ends would make you feel better about things.

Mega Moose
August 26th, 2019, 12:01 PM
Forgot to mention, it was pregnancy that caused my low energy levels and gave me an intense desire to chop all my hair off. You may have figured it out by me mentioning a baby right after, but I didn't want to be confusing.

elsiedeluxe
August 26th, 2019, 12:09 PM
I just had a chop to even up my ends, took maybe an inch or less off. Maybe you could cut a little bit and see how that feels. For what it's worth, my hair is just past SL and I use hairsticks a lot. The disc bun is the one that works at my length, and I bet it would work on yours at BSL.

spidermom
August 26th, 2019, 12:56 PM
I grew my hair out to my goal of classic length then began to long for shorter, easier to manage hair. I tried the "cut back a few inches" thing from classic to tailbone to waist to BSL and finally to what I had wanted all along, a collarbone length lob. I wish I had cut back all at once so I would have the braid from growing out to classic length. Now I'm on the grow again with a goal of waist length. At that point, I can do whatever I most want. It's good to set goals and stick to them.

Siv
August 26th, 2019, 03:02 PM
I've been considering cutting back to collarbone length since June now. In June I hadn't enjoyed my hair for some time, but since June I have had a couple of days that I've actually enjoyed it, so maybe I can get into it again. We'll see I guess. Two days in three months time isn't a lot...

Plan for now is:
- reconsider how I feel in December
- a possible option is growing to my original goal length at BCL since I'm so close anyway and then reconsider again

Two things that made me enjoy my hair again:
- changing up my parting, it makes my hair do's look different and suits my face better
- wearing my hair down more

lapushka
August 26th, 2019, 04:10 PM
I'd check out the 2 week rule thread. Give it a few weeks and think about it some more.

Waist can be an awkward phase. And who says you need to air dry it all. A blow dryer on cool/slightly warm can do wonders! I myself towel dry for 30 min. then air dry for 2-4H and then all I have to do is diffuse for 5 minutes. Done!

Sarahlabyrinth
August 27th, 2019, 04:06 AM
Yes, no need to air dry - I always us a hair dryer on warm for about five minutes, keeping the dryer about 10 inches from my hair and it does no harm at all.

Dung Beetle
August 27th, 2019, 06:25 AM
Thanks to all the folks who mentioned that I don't have to do it all at once! :doh: I don't know why I always feel like I have to make drastic changes.

Siv, I did change my part a little while ago. I had been waiting until all my hair was the same length (which is still a long way off) and then one day it occurred to me that there was absolutely no reason for it. It did help.

Today's reason to cut: I'd like to try a straight-across hemline, don't think I ever had one before.
Reason not to cut: Having to choose a salon, make an appointment, talk to the stylist...ugh!

It's funny, a few days ago I was dead set on a (future) chop. Today I don't feel inclined to cut at all. Tomorrow, who knows?

Deborah
August 27th, 2019, 11:09 AM
It sounds like the uneven hemline is the main thing you don't like. Maybe just cut off about 2 inches and see if you like it then. Many of us cut our own hair. Your hair is long enough to do it yourself pretty easily. I hope you can soon be happier with your hair, whatever you decide to do. :flower:

Dung Beetle
August 28th, 2019, 07:02 AM
I am going to consider it a while. If I can hang in there until winter, the length will be different and maybe the urge will go away. Looking around at some of the other threads on the board, it seems a lot of people are struggling with the same urge right now!

Today's reason not to cut: I like when I walk down the hall and I can feel the ends of my hair touching my arms and covering me like a cape.

JackintheBox
August 31st, 2019, 01:18 PM
Looks like you've got a plan but figured I'd add my 2 cents.

I chopped from hip to APL in the spring. It was a decision I took months to make and really thought through. There were a bunch of positives and negatives when I thought through things but in the end I felt the pluses outweighed the minuses and the desire to cut just wouldn't go away. Maintenance was also part of why I cut, but it wasn't the biggest reason. I wanted a change and I missed some aspects of shorter hair.

In the end it was the right decision. Even though within a few weeks I decided I wanted to grow my hair back out to my previous length there are still some positives and things I enjoy about my hair now that won't be as easy when it gets longer. Just take your time making the decision which ever way you go.

Dung Beetle
September 3rd, 2019, 12:06 PM
Thank you, Jack!

My hair is kind of wild and bushy (and has layers). I'm usually fine with it, but then I see how so many other people have smooth, controlled, groomed hair and OH! I want that! Always forgetting that my hair doesn't do that at any length. :)

I think I will probably give up a couple of inches by the end of the year...just gotta let these thoughts percolate a little longer.