Hair Update

When are you going to cut your hair? It's the number one question people who knew me with short hair ask. No one out here ever asks me that because they've only ever known me with long hair. But the people from my short hair past want to know.

While the original intent was to grow my hair for Locks of Love--and I do still want to donate it--the long hair has actually become a necessity. When I wear my hair short, like I have for my entire life, my hair grows really quickly. I used to get my hair cut every 5 - 6 weeks. And I was dismayed to discover that hair cuts out here are nearly twice what they were in Ohio. So I refer to my long hair as my Recession 'Do.

Last October I was certain I was to the Locks of Love cutting point (10 inches). I went in to see Nick, my hair guru, and he talked me out of cutting it. Which I was OK with. Long hair is really easy during ski season--you just throw it in a ponytail, let it flop out the back of your helmet, and you're good to go.

So when I got to the salon last October, Nick said, "You spent all this time growing it, why don't you enjoy it for awhile? Come in when you're really sick of it and then we'll cut it." He did cut a few inches off and shaped it up. It looked really cute--when he styled it. I was never able to replicate The Look. Of course.

All winter I had this thought that I'd cut it in May. And I was slowly getting sick of my hair. We had plans to be in Ohio and Virginia during the summer and all I could think about was all of this hot hair clinging to my neck in the humid summer weather in the east (I wasn't so worried about it in our six week summer out here!). It just sounded gross and I decided I didn't want to spend another summer with long hair.

I made an appointment this past Tuesday to consult with Nick about what my new look would be. What would he suggest? A short bob? Something layered? Nick has curly hair himself and he's the best stylist of curly hair I've ever been to, so I was excited to see what his vision was. I was ready for a short, fun style.

I washed and really spent time on my hair that morning because when I go in, Nick likes to see how the customer styles it so he can get a feel for how it looks. Plus, since it was just a consultation, he wouldn't be washing it. And of course, as anyone's hair does on the day you're going to the salon, it looked awesome. Not the annoying hair I'd been wanting to chop off for weeks. It was super curly with some good wispy pieces around my face. What the heck? My hair is betraying me.

So I get to the salon and Nick remarks that he has never seen my hair look better. What? He still doesn't want to cut it. He tells me it looks organic, which I think might be code for messy and crazy and he's just afraid to say it to my face. And apparently organic is in. For once in my life I might have in hair. I totally don't get it. We are talking hundreds of dollars out of his pocket because he thinks I should wear my hair long.

This explains why my hair is, after three years, still long. Nick is going to lop off a few inches and give it some style next week, but I'm still sporting a mane. Just in case you were wondering when I was going to cut it. My new answer is: when the economy improves and when Nick lets me. He's pretty much in charge.