tenlittlebullets | Hair dithering.

Hair dithering.

So, beginning of the semester. I've been to all but one of my academic classes and this semester looks like it will be doable. Greek is its usual self--the professor has a low opinion of her students, we have a low opinion of her, I don't find the work all that difficult, therefore my cocky high-school smart-aleck side is resurfacing. Linear algebra doesn't look as easy as I assumed it would be, but after number theory last semester I think it will be a relief to have a math class that's moderate instead of insanely demanding. There's a French class on the 19th-century romantic novel that I signed up for out of curiosity, fully intending to drop it because I don't want to write any goddamn essays this semester, but it looks interesting enough that I'll probably audit it. Best of both worlds--all play and no work, I get to snark about Chateaubriand in class without having to write about him. Fencing is at 9am two days a week and I'm completely out of shape, but it seems like it will be fun to learn, and it'll be nice to get back into some physical stuff. And have an excuse to get up in time for breakfast.

Of course, the class I haven't been to yet is my seminar, which is on digital music processing and meets Wednesdays and Fridays. So I'm not going to write this semester off as easy yet, because I haven't even been to the challenging class yet.

Anyway, Eljay, I need your help making a decision. I am considering chopping all my hair off again and going back to a super-boyish haircut.

I mean, I love having long fire-engine-red hair. It looks awesome on me and I've had it this way for two and a half years and it's become practically a defining aspect of my appearance. It's also incredibly damaged--maybe not as bad as some bleached blonde hair I've seen, and the texture is okay, but the ends are breaking off faster than the roots are growing in, it's super-thin and has an ear-length halo where an incompetent stylist murdered it last year and yanked half of it out at the roots, and it has not actually gained more than a couple inches of length in the 2.5 years since it's gone red. When I started growing it out I wanted butt-length pre-Raphaelite hair, and it is never ever going to do that unless I hack off the damaged parts. I can maintain it at this length indefinitely, but I doubt it'll even get to waist length in this state.

Also, I kinda miss the versatility of short (as in REALLY short) hair. Long hair is ohsopretty but always, always feminine on me, and I can't pull off, say, Victorian menswear with it. Short hair wouldn't mean giving up skirts--on the contrary, I love dramatic genderfucky things like black lacy dresses with a crew cut, or pixie skirts and combat boots. I know most of you know me as femmy but that's actually quite a new thing for me; femininity doesn't come naturally to me--I LIKE it but it's all about pretty costumes. One of the huge appeals of goth fashion for me is that it's so explicitly performative and "unnatural" but still gorgeous, and lately I've been feeling like shaking up the performance a bit.

The biggest downsides of chopping it all off, for me, would be losing the distinctive look and fear of getting cold feet. I look good with really short hair or really long hair but nothing in between, and if I got a crew cut and regretted it, I'd be in for two years of awkward stages and awful hair before it grew back out to a decent length. And part of me is sad at the thought of no longer being able to stand out in a crowd, of being yet another Smithie with a dyke haircut whose professors don't remember her face.

Anyway, here is photo evidence that I can rock short hair:

First of all, the most compelling reason to leave it long: it's capable of looking like THIS.

Me around the age of fifteen:

Half-shaved and spiky:

Rocking the crew cut and dramatic makeup:

The most important pros and cons are what I mentioned above; everything else is pretty much equal.

- Maintenance: About the same--long red hair needs to be re-dyed about as often as short hair needs to be taken to the barber's. And no, I don't consider long hair more high-maintenance on a day to day basis--or at least, mine is usually well-behaved.

- Potential for bad hair days: Dead even. Frizzing and flyaways vs. hair that sticks up if you sleep on it funny.

- Social acceptability once I get out into the Real World and need a job: depends on where I end up, though I think most people are less likely to openly raise eyebrows at Dyke Hair(TM) than at unnatural colors.

- Cold: long hair is undoubtedly preferable when it's six degrees outside, but I do have a fine array of hats.

And a few other considerations I'm blanking on right now, but general conclusion is that aside from the issues mentioned above, there's nothing pushing me to do one or the other.

All in all I think I'm leaning towards cutting it. What I'll probably do is re-dye it for maximum fabulousness, have my friends take a fuckton of photos, then get a crew cut and maybe let it grow out until it's long enough to spike.

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http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_iv58TDqNTYE/TFl_RYu-EZI/AAAAAAAAAcw/M-H6zmrBKZU/s1600/funky%2Bhair%2Bcut.jpg

This is ALMOST the kind of 'do I meant would look good on you. But i meant with more dramatic colours and spikier (gelled?) spikes. This picture just shows the general length. I wish I could draw or think of someone who actually does have the do I have in mind, though. XD

http://www.aaa-fashion.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/2010-elegant-pixie-hairstyle-for-women.jpg spiked KIND of like her hair is in the middle?

This is me searching for AGES through various google image searches.

Edited 2011-01-26 02:25 (UTC)

Actually, that's just about the length where mine starts curling under the weight of the gel and looking shit-ass awful. *g* I like those kinds of hairstyles but my hair refuses to submit to them--it can't really get much longer than it is in the second photo or I start looking like a reject from a bad gangster movie.

Well the 2nd photo is actually a few inches longer than the image in my head; it was more the spikiness. XD I seem to remember someone like Kelly Osborne having the 'do I have in mind, but fuck if I can find an appropriate picture.

One of my friend's friends that I met awhile ago has the exact do I'm thinking of, but I don't have any pics of her. XD

HA: Like this only this is twice as long as I thought of:
http://www.womensbeautylife.com/albums/short_hair/spiky_short_haristyle_for_women.jpg

Edited 2011-01-26 02:37 (UTC)

Wow, that's definitely a quandary... I have to say, you look AMAZING with short hair (and it does lend itself to different sartorial choices), but I can see why you'd want to keep the long cut.

As someone who somewhat recently cut her long hair, I'm going to say to go for it. There are definitely days when miss my long hair, but it's just so much easier. Then again, I didn't cut my hair super short and I haven't gotten it cut since because I'm lazy.

YOU WILL ROCK EITHER LOOK.

I'd wait until February to cut it- it's freeeeeeeeeezing until then!

But also that I think the hair cut you have in the second picture looks amazing!

Ever thought of opting for a Korean/Japanese (male) -inspired do? ;) It wouldn't be as short as the crew cut you used to have, but it would still be (relatively) short... and androgynous and genderfucky. (And if it doesn't turn out to be to your liking, you could still go shorter).

But yeah, I think you rock short hair. Even if that mane of fire is pretty dang awesome.

- Social acceptability once I get out into the Real World and need a job: depends on where I end up, though I think most people are less likely to openly raise eyebrows at Dyke Hair(TM) than at unnatural colors.

The fire engine red, I think if you had it that color and still long and just put it in a bun or something most people wouldn't think it inappropriate. Stands out but I don't think it would raise brows the way say green or purple hair would.

My overall vote is to to say you should just cut some of it and keep growing it, but if you wanna cut it I'd agree with marguerite and say you should wait because of the cold.

Of course, I don't have a problem with fire-engine red and don't really think of it as "sticking out". But, then again, I have a thing for redheads. ;)

I like your haircut as a fifteen-year-old. It reminds me of how my friend Meredith wore her hair and I liked it on her as well.

I'm not really helpful at all in this regards as I haven't tried a new style with my hair since, well, never. Can't wait to see what you decide, though I agree that maybe you should wait until it warms up a bit.

Biggest thing is when do you anticipate starting to interview for jobs? You've got to have something business respectable at that point. Something that looks decent when wearing a suit.

For which I say full on buzz is more reasonable if you want to go more extreme than generic dyky fauxhawk that everyone who has to keep an office job ends up with. If you want to do the crew cut, make sure you do it when you've got a couple of months for it to grow out into something more "respectable" before interviewing. Of course, this is also personal preference in that I think a general buzz looks better than a crew cut on just about anyone - not a fan of white walls.

But as someone who has been interviewing in this climate, I'd recommend looking as average as possible in that context. Or at least not looking as if you've never worn a suit before, which is really kind of the same thing to a large extent. Not looking like you're more suitable to bartending in the dark than doing the work their company would have you do in their probable cube farm.

I know, I'm a total buzzkill. But seriously, at one point, I was starting to wonder if maybe I looked too dyky and should grow my hair out again for business presentation. It's nasty out there, and employers really do have their pick of qualified people for everything I was looking at. Haircut, accent, suit, general attractiveness - any of these were perfectly valid reasons when choosing between qualified candidates. It's easy to say "I wouldn't want to work for them anyway" - we all make trade offs, and if hairstyle for an interview is the only thing, it's not much of a sacrifice compared to a lot of other things.

God, I'm still so bitter. (and I agree with Cary on Jpop crazy options being awesome.)

Don't worry, I'm in a phase of "I totally want to just buzz all my hair off" alternating with "I wish I could grow it out enough for a funky asymmetrical cut" and doing nothing because one really shouldn't do crazy things when trying to hold down a job with DoD.

The long, intense red hair is beautiful, but the crew cut is extremely flattering on you, too. Maybe shave it down and invest in a couple of fun wigs, just for the sake of variety?

You are the only person I know who can rock both long and short hair like this.

However, I will say this as someone who once had 3 foot long hair: I miss my long hair. I think you look much better with Goddess Hair (tm).

Also, I got an article from National Geographic for February that has some pretty delicious maps of historical Paris I am going to scan at a high resolution for you.

Haha, I don't know you as "femmy" but then again, we met when you were 15 and I was 16, right?

You look great both ways but I think the last few photos with the real short hair and the make up is insanely hot. Sometimes I feel like cutting all mine off again too. I'm at that awkward "in between" stage now and half of me wants to chop it all off because I know it can look just as good and it can be just as versatile (and far more convenient, though if I want to keep it a certain style I have to get my hair cut about 4-5 times a year instead of the usual two times a year when it's longer). The other half of me keeps picturing what it would look like down to my waist. It's been that way before but YEARS ago and my face shape has totally changed since then.
A while ago I had really long bright red hair too and exactly the same thing happened: every time I brushed it, a huge chunk of ends would break off. I cut it about Leeloo Dallas length and kept it like that for a while... later I got an undercut and after that I got a fauxhawk. I had a bob for a few years in a row before I started growing it longer.
I don't think you "just blend it" because you look a lot better than a lot of people.
Anyway, you're hot. That's that.

On a side note: fencing! Which weapon do you like to fence with the most? I got back into it a couple months ago and I love it (even with all the bruises that come with it).

(Sorry for the edit, found typos and had more to add)

Edited 2011-01-26 10:34 (UTC)

Hack it off, and I'm only saying this because it's damaged and you ultimatly want it to be waist length. It's time to start over and let your hair heal. It will grow SO MUCH FASTER after you cut it it. I had dyed my hair a crap ton in high school/college. I finally gave up and get it chin length and it grew so much faster after that!

Also, I find the androgynous look kinda hot ;)

wow, typing fail.

What about chopping it all off but still keeping it red?

Well...I adore the long red hair (Jill would argue to keep it because she thinks it looks utterly fabulous in photographs, particularly against the greenery in the Luxumbourg), but you do have the sort of gorgeous, almost elfin face that looks amazing with the looks of an androgynous ultrashort cut. That's the sort of cut I went through a phase of really, really wanting (although I don't think it would suit me like it does you), until I discovered the Dutch Doll bob and decided that was the 'do.

Yeah, I will definitely miss having long-ass bright red hair, but I suppose I could always invest in a wig and wear it on days when I feel like long hair.

Haaa, I actually find long hair easier to take care of--doesn't need to be washed as often, doesn't need to be cut as often, doesn't turn into a mullet if you don't cut it. But I'm definitely in a rut hair-wise and I miss the versatility of short hair.

Hats! Hats are the answer. More hats!

Are we talking crazy J-rock styles, or the shortish easily-spiked cut that you see on ordinary guys? ;) Because I've had the latter and it's probably what I'll grow the buzz-cut out into, but I'm waaay too lazy to maintain a crazy hairstyle and my hair curls up in a ball if you come near it with styling products.

I guess I could always dye it burgundy or some other reddish shade that can be found in the drugstore, but that'd take the fun out of it.

Problem is that if I chopped off the damaged parts, I'd be right back at ear length, which is like all the pain of growing your hair out through the awkward phases without the fun of short hair. And I wouldn't be able to get it bright red again without bleaching and setting off a new round of damage.

Well yeah, it's probably the least shocking of the unnatural colors, but if I ended up applying for corporate jobs it'd be a bit much.

And I am perfectly willing to brave the cold--it's an excuse for more hats. :)

Was thinking of cutting it soon (as in this weekend) into a buzz cut sort of like the last two photos, and letting it grow out to something like the second photo. Job-hunting will probably be around graduation time, so May, so not exactly dykey fauxhawk but I'll at least have a couple inches of hair to work with.

At least I'll probably be going into the tech/IT field, which may not be a surefire ticket to employment anymore but at least the stats aren't quite as grim as everywhere else--and lots of tech companies are fairly laid-back about appearance. And sad to say, being a total dyke might help me not get written off as a silly girl who doesn't know what she's doing.

Yeah, I'll probably buzz it off, since I'm in a total rut anyway with the red and haven't even re-bleached it in a year. And I've been eyeing some of the curly period-style wigs on Amphigory--if only I had enough cash to blow $35-50 on one.

The price of being able to rock both is that everything in between looks like shit. ;)

I missed long hair when it was short much more than I've missed short hair now that it's long--but I think that's just because I know in the back of my mind that if I want short hair it'll be the work of ten minutes, whereas growing it out takes years and lots of awkward phases. You want what you can't easily have. But I think I do want it short now--the first photo above is my hair at its best, and it hasn't looked like that for a while now.

And those National Geographic scans are made of awesome.

Haha, yes, it was long and bright red when I knew you! I wonder if that was a subconscious motivation for me to dye it two years ago--you were gorgeous with the red hair.

My fencing class is foil only, but I'm also just beginning--only had two classes so far, didn't even learn how to properly hold the damn thing until two days ago. But it's super-fun, even if I spend a lot of time tripping over my own feet.

Yeah, at this point the long red hair is not getting any longer--keeping it would only be postponing the inevitable chop. I'll probably keep it short for a few years and then try for waist length once I want it badly enough to brave the awkward stages.

I dunno, part of the appeal of long red hair is the "pre-Raphaelite maiden, techno remix" effect, whereas with short hair, red is just another unnatural color--one that's apt to do things like fade out to candy-apple pink when you're trying to pull off a super-masculine look. (This has happened to me, alas.)

So I'll probably buzz-cut it, keep the half-inch of red tips, and let it grow in my natural color.

Heee, I would never have thought "elfin"--that makes me think thin face and cheekbones like whoa, whereas my whole extended family looks like the collective populations of Wales and Switzerland decided to band together to produce round-faced rosy-cheeked poster children. Ultrashort and ultralong hair are the only ways to make my features look at all delicate--otherwise the chubby cheeks take over everything.

Can't imagine you with short-short hair, but that's probably because the bob suits you so well. :) Now there's one haircut I could never pull off.

My main problem with long hair was how tangled it would get, but I agree with you on the other things.

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