Thursday, July 25, 2013

Hair Today, Shorn Tomorrow



For those of us who loved the musical "Hair"

I wish I'd had a camera. To take pictures of the mountains of hair in the room. The Head Room that is. Voted # 1 hair salon in Canada at some point.

I gave this a lot of thought. And sought out no one else's opinion on this momentous change I was making to my own head. My hair was down to my waist and worn basically in a bun all the time. A bun is not conducive to walk training. And to wash this hair was beginning to aggravate me. Combing it out. Drying it. Not that the thickness was there anymore. I was losing my long hair at a really frightening rate. And the pins holding it up were hurting me.

So I mulled things over for about a week. And thought to myself, find an expert on older heads, pay the money - you old cheapskate you, and get a proper job done.

And I did. My original suggestion of wanting a Helen Mirren was met with disbelief but fortunately not with outright laughter. I can be sensitive. Squelch that fantasy under my left trainer. She requested I leave it to her. She hacked the first bunch of hair off me before she washed it. Customers and other staff (the Head Room is in a very old house in St. John's, full of fireplaces and nooks and crannies and staircases, I just love the place) visited the mounds of hair on the floor and gasped rather gratifyingly at what I had shed.

The end of the two hour session had me seriously admiring myself. I was delighted with my hair colour (no colour assists, we decided my natural colour was rather beautiful)and the cut was short, not too short, but completely manageable and falls nicely, thank you very much, even without blow-drying or painstaking styling for which I've never had the time or even a faint desire to make the time.

The very best, the absolute very best, was when I met a bunch of friends for dinner and when I walked into the pub they all went "Oh. My. God. - you've knocked 10 years off yerself!"

I'm obviously not quite ready to crone out just yet.

32 comments:

  1. A whole change in the hair department is great. Long hair pinned up in a bun all the time sucks, it might as well be short. I am so happy you like it and just in time for the telly 10 on Sunday! Good for you in making the change and even cooler that you look ten years younger.

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  2. Good point, Cheri. Yes, should make me lighter for the Tely 10!!!

    XO
    WWW

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  3. How brave of you to take such a radical step! Completely changing a hairstyle is quite something when you're so used to it. Glad you loved the result. And how interesting that everyone thought you looked much younger!

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  4. Wot!? No pix!!

    Show! Show!

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  5. Love this
    Welcome to the new you...
    My hair is short, fine and curly.
    If you cut it all off
    there would not be a small bowl
    full.
    Take care...

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  6. I am also in this predicament. Long for so long, now must find some other way. Do you have a fringe, is it a buzz cut, shoulder length so you can still tie it back for the big race?

    Tips. Give us tips.

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  7. Congratulations!
    Five years ago in hospitaL, let beard grow.Came home, kept it. Don't shave, don't miss it,don'tthink about it, don't need to,don't want to; why should I?

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  8. Nick:

    Yes, that surprised me. It is so very difficult to evaluate our own looks. I was more enchanted with the natural colour of my hair which astounded me. When it's very long it's hard to tell the colour and for some reason I hadn't liked it.

    XO
    WWW

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  9. Anon 1:

    Like your good self, I also am anonymous for very good reasons :)

    XO
    WWW

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  10. Ooh! Courageous! I'm like you. Life's too short to spends hours messing and daubing with our hair. I get a good cut and leave it its natural color --snow white and on a good day, silvery.
    You must feel totally re-invented! Now go out their and run like a rabbit!

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  11. ...tsk, tsk! I meant "there" of course.

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  12. Anon 2:

    It is one of the shortest cuts I've ever had but quite full around the face and I can push sides back behind my ears which I really like. No bangs but a side part and a lot of layering to give the fullness.

    Two days later and I am still pleased.

    It is a huge decision, it was for me as my identity was caught up in this long hair which had been so thick for so long.

    but like everything else I've had to let go of, the claw marks were deep ;)

    I think we always know when it's time.

    XO
    WWW

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  13. Molly:

    Thank you my dear friend. Run like a rabbit!! Oh the faith would put the pope to shame!

    I will trudge like the old Connemara donkey I am, a chara. ;)

    XO
    WWW

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  14. Marc:

    I gather the beard is quite wild? I'm having a vision of the metaphysical poet in his lair now :)

    It is wonderful to get a style and to keep it.

    Change sat heavy on my shoulders until I made the big decision.

    XO
    WWW

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  15. You are a tease! You should have posted a before and after!

    I have a different problem altogether. I have no hair on the top and have to manage a friar's fringe. Quite annoying really.

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  16. Your cut sounds very chic. I don't have enough hair to layer, and mine is now just below ears which will necessitate a new toque this winter. Why did I not do this long ago...??

    The only thing I'll miss is the money, because this cut I can't do myself with the old Singer sheers.

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  17. Well, good for you. It's your hair, you should have it however you want.

    After having longish (past my shoulders but not superlong) hair my whole adult life, I cut it off in grad school. And I mean a very short hair cut - probably an inch in the back and a little longer on top. But now I wear it to my shoulders and mostly back in a ponytail. My older son had gorgeous thick hair to his id-back and when he cut it he donated it to Locks of Love. I was hugely proud of him.

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  18. There’s nothing that comes close to a really good haircut to make me feel good.
    I don’t feel good often.

    Long hair is a pain and for us older folk a bit unsuitable too. Short flatters the face.

    Congratulations on having bitten the bullet, erm, taken the plunge, erm, cut the cackle . . . . .

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  19. Ramana:

    A friar's fringe. My dad had one of those and I found it hard not to laugh when he "had" to get a haircut.

    Now that I'm older and know many older men I finally get it. A nuisance but necessary.

    XO
    WWW

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  20. Anon:

    No I couldn't cut my own either, it needs too much expertise (and compassion!)now.

    XO
    WWW

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  21. SAW:

    I had your style for years, very handy just tying it back when in the way. I miss it :(

    But like my new re-invention.

    Bully for your son.

    XO
    WWW

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  22. Friko:

    Tee-hee.

    Shorn le cheveux, lol.

    XO
    WWW

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  23. I just got a haircut today. Such a coincidence. My hair still is dark enough and has some wave, so it looks best short but not too short with NO BANGS and a little longer and with layering in the back.
    It is better than long hair for me but does take maintenance.

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  24. I like to allusion to the metaphysical poets; quite a compliment! But sorry, I'm too vain for that. I get a trim every month.

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  25. Perfectly wonderful! I like where you are headed. (Pun only marginally intended :-)

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  26. Hattie:

    The layering is the magic bullet for the hair, IMO. I can't say I like the effects of aging one bit as my identity was very much wrapped up in my lustrous long thick hair...lol. Now any "assists" are welcome and I really like my natural colour too.

    Keep us updated on your new look.

    XO
    WWW

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  27. Ah Marc what I didn't say was I don't really care for the untrimmed beard so I'm pleased you get it trimmed. :)

    XO
    WWW

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  28. Mel:

    Good one. Me and the head head off for the 10Miler tomorrow in heat and humidity that is quite unpleasant in the city.

    I do hate sweat. My own that is. The hair is going to look tragic with it..... :(

    XO
    WWW

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  29. Hoo boy. I do not miss my long hair ... and haven't for 24 years. I only had it for 10 years, and it was glorious hair ... but it was great to get the weight off my head, and it improved my looks considerably once it was gone. The shorter my hair, the bigger my smile ... so I think I know just how you're feeling. Congratulations for making the change. It DOES matter.

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  30. SJG:
    Yes, the weight and the pins and just the sheer appalling management of it are gone forever and I couldn't be happier with just letting the short crop dry on my head AND the absolute pleasure of running my fingers through it :)
    XO
    WWW

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  31. I look forward to seeing a photo at some stage. I bet your head feels so much lighter now. My hair is so heavy that I cannot wear it long and must get it cut every six weeks.

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  32. GM:

    The wet one from the run does not do the "do" justice. I will try and get a better one. You are lucky to still have the weight. Mine is gone very flimsy.

    XO
    WWW

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