Hair: Going short (and growing it out)

women short hair examples

Women on New York Street

When I was in college, I brought in a photo of Anne Heche (in her Ellen Degeneres coupling days), and asked for a pixie-cut. Twice I went through the awkward grow-out phase, only to cut it super-short again. Aron assures me I looked lovely with short or long hair, so I’m always slightly tempted when I see someone looking super chic with a short crop. Case in point: my gorgeous friend, Rebecca. She’s managed to look stunning in at every length. I’ve asked her if she’d share more about going short and—perhaps the scariest part—going back to long. Here’s what Rebecca had to say…

My husband and I moved to NYC nearly six years ago, and within months of my arrival, I thought it’d be a genius idea to chop my chin length bob into a Katie Holmes pixie. I think most life changes end in a new hairstyle of some sort, or at least that has always been the case for me. Despite looking back at a few photos that irk me (DANG, my hair was SHORT), it was ridiculously perfect at the time. I rarely ever touched my hair and the pixie always came through. It’s impossible to mess up.

Fast forward about six months later to when my pixie high ran out. The time I gained never fixing my hair was now transferred into my face being front and center. I realized less hair equals more face and I should actually put on some makeup in a proper fashion. Makeup is not a topic that necessarily interests me, but HELLO my face is out there for all to see.

Anyway, at some point or another the pixie started wearing ME. I felt the need to wear certain things to balance out the edginess of the pixie—if that makes sense? This is getting all too philosophical for a measly haircut, but long story short, I just didn’t feel like myself.

Which leads me to a few tips on the horror of growing out a pixie.

Women with pixie hair cut

Chin length bob hairstyle

1. It takes a solid year to get your hair back one length, ending somewhere only around your chin. Settle in and suck it up.

2. Oddly enough, you’ll need a trim more often than you’d think to keep evening out the layers and avoid the wig effect.

3. Enlist a good friend/stylist to keep you from throwing your hands in the air and yelling profanities as you march to the salon and end this vicious cycle. Hang in there!

Women long hairstyle with red hat

Once my hair reached my shoulders, I figured I’d keep on going and let this long-hair-thing play itself out. I reached a point where I reverted to a ponytail almost every day and then decided it was time for an actual hairstyle. For now I’m sticking with a shoulder length bob, and have never felt more like myself.

women's mid-length hairstyle example

Whew, that’s a lot of hair talk. Your turn.

Rebecca Baust lives in Manhattan with Ed and Sam and chronicles stuff at The Daily Muse.

Thank you, Rebecca! I totally remember feeling like I needed to wear more lipstick with super-short hair. Anyone else thinking about a major cut? Who’s your current haircut-muse? 
P.S. Celebrity haircut inspiration. More on my beauty pinboard (this is a great pixie). And that other question: Bangs or No bangs

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