Curly hair help - drastic haircut needed

[babycornplease]

Evening all, wasn't sure where to post this!

I have found myself in the position of being a slightly overweight mother of a toddler, with fairly long, curly hair, that requires a hair wash and condition every evening. And then I lovingly coat it with hair food or whatever the heck else I have to hand, and then just put it in a plait.

When I take it out of the plait it's lovely, long and curly, but to be honest, I've got no occasion to wear it down, and am not likely to anytime soon, and it's a pain in the arse to have keep washing it and then doing the same just to shove it in a plait. Rinse and repeat (pardon the pun) plus wearing my hair in a plait makes me look like an overgrown toddler as it is, it just does not suit me:

I suppose my question is:- if I chop it off myself, will I regret it? Can't be going to a hairdresser at the moment, working full time from home and I don't even think they are open.

I just need a proper hairstyle!!!!!! Help!

I have mega curly hair. It was always really long and took 30 mins plus to style every time I had a shower.

Total life changing experience getting it cut really short.
Never looked back.

Look at lots of styles on Pinterest and plan a haircut at the hairdressers.
In the meantime do something different to a plait. Ponytail, up in a clip....
I too have long curly hair and I prefer it long so I can put it up or wear it down. When I had it short I found it was still sitting on my neck in hot weather and it was too short to put up!

I'm in the same situation at the moment but just can't see a shorter style that will suit me!

@Titsywoo me neither!! I'm too scared to cut it off! But it's becoming a bore. My curly hair has always been my thing. But it's such a pain in the arse now, have to wash it every evening... and then just put it in a plait. Which makes me look like a ten year old on a very wrinkly 36 year old's saggy body...

@grumpyone1 how short did you go?

personally, I think short hair only looks better than long haIr when you have a slim face. I am slightly over weight, the long hair balances the look but I look much fatter with short hair.

My hair gets much more frizz is much when shorter as well

When I said short. I meant really short. Think pixie style. Never looked back. Be brave it can always grow back.

I used to have my curly hair long then I had it cut into a chin-length bob (layered) which was a bit too short so I grew it down to shoulder length. I like it that length, much easier to manage. Palmer's Coconut oil leave in conditioner is your friend- love the stuff- makes it so much easier.

DO NOT DO IT YOURSELF!!

Super curly here, short hair doesn't suit me but short curly hair can look fab.

Do you have any pics you can attach of either you (if you're brave, I never share identifiable stuff!) or nearly as useful any celebs with your hair texture / styles you like?

Understanding your curl pattern helps loads and it's worth asking hairdressers if they have cut lots of curly hair before.

Length makes a big difference to how loose or tight my curls are because the length adds some weight. I prefer my longer curl pattern and now I know that it's easier for me to know what length I like.

Also when I straighten it occasionally I know it's going to be super long and I feel like mermaid!

Curly girl method has overhauled mine too, made such a huge positive difference.

I love this stuff so happy to look for some styles / tips if you can give a bit more info on your hair

Ok, so took me about an hour to figure out how to not show my face!
This is my hair about ten mins or so after washing... it's basically dead at the end and fluffy!

Hair basically drinks products. I was a bridesmaid a few years ago and the stylist literally couldn't believe how much stuff she had to put in it to make it do anything, if that makes sense?

I just feel fed up of just wearing it in a stupid plait all the time and feel that maybe if I cut half of it off, it might be more fun? But then again, probably more work...

Ps @backseatcookers your hair is amazing!!!

Ooh yay! And is it much different when it's fully dry? Just as that gives an idea of the texture and curl pattern when fully dry which is the most important thing.

Length wise as it's so long I would personally be looking at a staggered plan, trying an armpit length first before anything shorter. And I'm talking armpit when DRY which means when cutting it will be much longer. Hence why it's important for a hairdresser and us! to see it dry.

Product wise I have a list of products that will reinvigorate your hair. Most are cantu brand, not too expensive and all on amazon. Worth looking into Curly Girl Method as alongside those products it transformed my curls!

Will paste a list suited to your hair if you're able to share a dry pic (or one from someone else on the net with hair very similar to you).

I went short and love it. It's an inverted bob so shorter at the back and longer at the front. Much easier

This is after I had it cut

@QueenCT Your hair is fucking GORGEOUS!!!

Following. @QueenCT yours looks fabulous!

@backseatcookers it's obvs about half an inch shorter when dry. Ish. Again, I can't remember the last time I have worn it down in all it's glory!

I have tried curly girl. Then gave up because I became single parent who works full time, so I didn't have time, basically.

I just need a manageable style!!! That's low maintenance. And that won't make me cry too much with losing the length. Although you can probably see it needs a good inch taken off. I am just always afraid of triangle hair!!

@QueenCT bloody gorgeous!!!!

I get you on the triangle hair! Hence the inverted bob and as many layers as they can put in
It's a LOT longer at the minute but I'm shielding and not sure when I can get to the hairdressers again

@QueenCT

This is after I had it cut

@QueenCT Gorgeous- a little like mine but yours is more defined and tighter curl- mine tends to get a bit frizzy even with coconut oil. Yours look amazing though!

These are quite good starts to explain what yours is most like (it's more the texture / width of curls that is so important not just how much it springs up by) and also explain what styles you like the look of. Can you tell I love being curly nowadays

Ps you have my sympathy re triangle hair... I had a phase of being called mushroom head too at school when I was about nine! Hairdresser cut a bob. A beautiful chin length bob and fringe. When it was wet. Omg the shrinkage 😭😭😭

Found some old pics from when I actually wore the hair down. This was last year.

@QueenCT

I get you on the triangle hair! Hence the inverted bob and as many layers as they can put in It's a LOT longer at the minute but I'm shielding and not sure when I can get to the hairdressers again

When I was a teenager I made the mistake of asking the hairdresser for a bob of same length. She was dubious. I wish I had asked her why because after she did it it looked traingular. Like Alice from the Dilbert comic. Lesson learned, I always go layered now!

I'm coming back to this thread tomorrow because my god your hair is FAB @babycornplease - already lovely and so much potential for shorter styles. Have a look at those pics and see if you can spot ones similar to yours and / or shorter ones you like the style of to give us inspiration.