Sometimes, this happens. By nature I’m a bit of a thrill seeker, and like to do things that scare me, at least just a little bit. Just to make sure I’m fully wide awake and alive. It’s the wild part of me that likes to experiment and try new things.
I’ve been wanting to get a haircut for some time now. Being totally devoted to my hairdresser Josh, I haven’t been able to go to another, so strong in my loyalty, and because of this, I’ve not had my hair cut in a year, bar the tiny trim I gave it when I was in Costa Rica in February this year.
I’m not new to cutting hair. I’ve gone from nothing to a short fringe (a.k.a. bangs for you US folk) a few times in the last ten years and have never shied away from giving my hair a bit of a trim, or a good layering with a technique of twisting stands and cutting into them, that a hairdresser taught me many, many years ago.
When I was little, my dolls all received some crude hairdressing treatment from me at some point or another, until many of them began to look bald and I shamefully hid them away from public view.
The last few days (perhaps even weeks) I have been thinking very seriously about getting my hair cut again after growing it to mid waist over the last couple of years (my secret goal was that my hair would cover my breasts if I was a naked mermaid languishing in the sea – said goal = achieved) and it’s time for something new. Hours have been floundered as I researched Pinterest for inspiration, and stared at starlets like Jessica Alba, Nicole Richie, Olivia Palermo and Alexa Chung brandishing each their own version of the latest must have hairstyle: the lob a.k.a. the long bob.
Laying in bed wide awake last night, the full moon still a whole week away, the only reason I can blame my 2am insomnia on is the maca infused organic dark chocolate that I indulged in at 5pm that afternoon, as I start to put two and two together. What if I managed to cut my hair in this most desired of all styles myself?! Could I do it? What could go wrong? HOW could I pull this one off?
And so I start to research. Ah, the Internet is a wondrous thing, especially for a wild and wired little gypsetter like me at this ridiculous time at night! And I come up with what looks like a tried and tested solution. The ponytail hair cut. Pull it up high for layers; tie it down low near your nape for blunt. A blunt lob is what I’m after. And so here is what happened next:
I made a pros and cons list in my head:
CONs: I might fuck it up / I won’t be able to twist my hair up on top of my head anymore.
PROs: I might look fabulous.
 
BEFORE

Feeling ridiculously bright eyes and bushy tailed at 2am in the morning.

Then I parted my hair, combed it through thoroughly, and tied it at the nape of my neck. I slowly glided the elastic band to about the length that I wanted to cut and then fastened another hair band below it to use as a guide in order to cut a straight line between the two.
 
DURING

Starting to get a bit nervous….

After swearing profusely a couple of times and wondering what the hell I was doing, the scissors went in and made their first cut. Ok! Here we go! And slowly but surely half the length of my hair is cut off. I’m freaking out a but but am also excited. Once the entire thing is cut, I go to the bathroom and even out any parts that are missing and cut up at the ends of my hair in a snippity-snip fashion, like some sweet devoted hairdresser once taught me (not realizing I would take this wisdom to my own hair obviously) to feather the line and edges a little.
 
AFTER

Excited, relieved and still scared!

Et voila! My very own lob is done, and I’m excited and delighted with the result! It is slightly A-line, meaning the front is just a teensy bit longer than the back, which was exactly what I was hoping for and I can’t wait to wash it and figure out what new styles and can try with my new shorter and much healthier hair.