Summer Haircut Bug :X

[mzBANGBANG]

I'm developing one :(

I keep seeing all these beautiful women with medium length, layered hair cuts... and they look so much sleeker and shinier than my hair!

I've definitely caught the bug. I was thinking about trimming an inch today to see if it made my hair at least feel a bit nicer. I've been a workhorse recently and I have no time for my usual nurturing routine. Not to mention, I recently moved out and I'm missing all of my usual products.

I needed to write about it to people who would understand, everyone else is just telling me to go for it! I know it would look nice, but I really know I want to experience that long gorgeous hair, too. Argh!

[ratgirldjh]

Be careful...

This happened to me last summer and I ended up cutting my almost waist length hair to a chin length bob.

I loved it for about 2 weeks when it suddenly got hotter here and the bob grew a little bit and was touching my neck... AND I couldn't put it up out of the way without several ponies and clips... ugh

It is just now getting shoulder length one year later and I can finally put it up - whew!

And the sad part is I just went to the salon for a trim!!! They talked me into this bob!!!

What I suddenly found is that my simple hair care - wash with soap/ACV rinse - overnight light oilings - did not work well for my shorter hair and I actually needed to 'style' it to make it look presentable!!! I don't know what layers would involve though and if it was medium length perhaps you could still put it up - at least most of it.

Never again...

[ratgirldjh]

Besides all this - your hair looks like spun gold! I can guarantee that you have much shinier, sleeker hair than you imagine!

[mzBANGBANG]

you're so kind! It did used to look like spun gold, I will admit! But with my lack of upkeep now it kind of just looks like dirty straw, lol. I haven't got a short cut in many years, and I think being reminded of the "growing it out phase" may keep me from acting on the bug. I suppose if anything I could go get a trim and maybe some new fringe just to change it up a bit.

Reality, I need to get back to my old routine... but where is the time!

[leylusha]

No, ma'am, ratgirldjh is all too right. If your hair is ever capable of resembling your icon, then it's not all for naught that you put yourself through some discipline to get it looking so. Sure, there is no time ... if it's a chore! But if you treat yourself more and punish yourself less, you might find hair TLC slipping itself into your schedule. I don't know what your old routine was but I'm sure it's updatable/simplifyable!

[jojo]

You have beautiful long hair already. My advice is give yourself a hair spa day, do a nice per oiling and then a deep conditioning treatment and make it even more beautiful. I never get the urge to trim or cut these days but I do love having a full day of pure pampering my hair, it always makes me feel so much better about it!

[CarpeDM]

Hang in there! At least wait until you get to waist, you are sooo close, you don't want to start all over again, do you? If you are not happy when you get to waist then you can always cut, but at least wait it out. You and I know how long it takes to grow to waist and I would hate to see you regret it. Just pamper your hair on the weekends or when you have some time with some nice oils and before you know it you will have finally reached your hair goal, don't give up :)

[akilina]

I am having a really really REALLY bad summer cut bug also!! I feel your pain. Your hair is great though.
What helps me is that I hold my hair to the point where it would be chopped at...then look at how much length would be coming off, and say ohh noo!! Not happening!

My hair has problems with the cut. Bad problems that drive me nuts. (no horrifying hair dresser story here.)
I feel like it is "stupid" for me to want to chop again. I did a huge chop last summer to get rid of some other problems I had and now, its like new problems have arose and that justifies me wanting to cut in my mind. Now I am growing out an undercut and have a disconnection of 7 or 8 inches, as well as some really frail fried-ish pieces right above where was shaved. It causes that right side to look stringy and long, and it has no shape there. It causes the illusion that my hair is way longer on the undercut side than the other.

If I just whacked my hair into a cute A line, it would be perfect and I could grow it out correctly and it would be soooo easy to get rid of the layering, because it is a stacked hair cut.

The advice given by others helps though :) I just need to get back into oiling every night and do a nice SMT.

[Amber_Maiden]

Get a trim- that's what I did :D

[blondie9912]

I second jojo's idea of a hair spa day! Or even a hair spa night...while you're sleeping, so you don't have to spend too much time on it :)

I can sympathize with you because I was going through the same thing recently. I was all "If I cut to APL my hair would be so crisp and healthy". I like straight, crisp looking SL/APL hair, but once my hair got to a few inches longer than APL but not quite BSL it was looking very...ordinary? Awkward in length? Right now, I'm right at the bottom of my bra band (haven't added any photos in a while due to the uploading problems) and I'm feeling a LOT better about my hair. I waited until I was fully BSL to change my length on my profile (until my hair covered the bottom of my bra band). That would make me a "long BSL", and some people would even consider my current length MBL. From your siggy pic, your hair looks to be about the same length. Just wait it out a bit, in a few months we'll both be closing in on waist, and I find that to be such a lovely length. Your hair is beautiful, and will look even better in abundance :)

That was kind of rambling, but I guess what I'm trying to say is I understand the temptation to cut when you're at a "middle length" so to say. But the extra inch that the summer months will bring can make such a huge difference in how you see your hair! It will suddenly cross the line from "I'm growing my hair" to "I have long hair". Anyway, just stick with it :) I just did an overnight oil treatment that I COed out, and my hair feels amazing, so try that if you're thinking your ends are getting dry. Best of luck!

[dulce]

Remember a lot of those sleek mid length super shiny styles involve the blow dryer and flat iron.Yes,the flat iron gives you beautiful shiny hair but the trade off is long term damage.Even with those protective sprays my hair got damaged when I did a stint of trying to make my curly hair a sleek one length shoulder bob.Think carefully and check all your options.

[swearnsue]

Give yourself a very small 1/4 inch trim and and oil treatment. You don't really what to get layers and everything! Remember the two week rule!

[HumanBean]

Your icon is to die for!

[tiarefleur]

I always have this urge to cut to this specific length somewhere around APL+, a length where I pretty much have to style my hair straight or it just looks like a lion's mane. It looks so polished like that, but it's just not practical for me. I would much rather grow my hair to waist and be able to wear it natural, which I think would be so much more satisfying than looking polished and straight at a shorter length.

ETA: I do in fact succumb to this urge every time I reach somewhere in between MBL and waist (it's pretty much a cycle for me), and since joining LHC and putting aside the flat iron I'm determined not to this time :)

[MintChocChip]

Remember a lot of those sleek mid length super shiny styles involve the blow dryer and flat iron.Yes,the flat iron gives you beautiful shiny hair but the trade off is long term damage.Even with those protective sprays my hair got damaged when I did a stint of trying to make my curly hair a sleek one length shoulder bob.Think carefully and check all your options.

^ This is pretty much exactly what I was going to say. My hair is APL and pretty healthy, however it's not super shiny and sleek like some friends of mine who have shorter hair which they straighten and blow dry. A lot of people will use heat tools on their shorter hair and they will look great in the short term because hot tools make your hair look shinier. Your hair looks lovely, I agree with the idea of a hair spa day too! And like Amber_Maiden says, you can always get a trim! :) My hair always looks better after even a tiny trim, you don't have to have a big chop. I've had a few big chops in the past, and I've always really regretted it after about 2 weeks.

[Silken]

Keep in mind that those APL layered haircuts are impossible to put up and look like hell when the humidity soars.
Your hair is gorgeous, btw.

[Ligeia_13]

Boy, do I have the bug :D

I watched all the seasons of 90210 and now I'm DYING to get one of Jessica Stroup's haircuts.

It doesn't help that I'm shedding so much and frustrated as hell.

[kitekats]

Oh, :( don't cut, you will regret it later, be patient instead

[Idjit]

I used to get the urge to cut my hair to chin length every summer. But I don't feel the need at all this year. It's so much easier to just put my hair up and forget about it. It's way too hot for one of those layered cuts. Hair would be sticking all over your face!

If you're hair is dry right now do you think you could find some time to throw some oil or a heavy conditioner in it before you put it up one day? You could have a deep treatment while you're working and then just rinse it out when you next have the time.

[xoxophelia]

I suggest updos or braidwaves for a change. But then, it says your goal is only waist so if you do end up getting 2-3" off, it won't be so terribly long before you reach your goal.

Maybe also give a quick diluted vinegar rinse a go.

[FrannyG]

Yep, I get that bug too. Big time. And then I remember how I looked with shorter hair. And then I go and do a deep treatment, and enjoy putting up my hair.

Your hair really is lovely, and you've gotten so far already. You've got years and years to cut your hair if you so desire, but if you want that long hair feeling, just keep chugging along. Trim off a half inch, if that makes you feel better. Just do something, anything, different with your hair.

The bug will pass. I promise. :blossom:

[redsonjared]

I am growing out a layered style, and let me say to you - please please don't do it :pray: The frustration of the ends as the layers grow out; not being able to put it up without two packets of pins to hold all the layers and measuring it every few days to see if it has grown yet. Whilst your hair may be a bit off colour at the moment, that is quickly remedied with some treatment and pampering. Growing it long again is a slow slow process.

[dulce]

Also on hot days shoulder and up length hair sticks to your neck and due it's shorter length there are much less options to put it up out of the way.