I have a overwhelming urge to lop all my hair off..

[abigboydidit]

But given am 4 months pregnant, I am worried this may be my hormones messing with me! I have long, brown hair that used to be shiny and curly but is now just a bit wavy and wispy, despite still being thick. I have failed to master the "up do" and no matter how my hairdresser styles it, it just seems to fall back into my old look within a few washes. I would say it looks alright till lunchtime and then takes on a horrible scraggy quality!

Am 36 & finally feeling comfortable in my own skin but think my hair dates me & want to look a bit funky for once in my life. Plus I will soon have a 20 month old DS and a newborn so won't have time to bother with hairdriers.

I like this kinda look but am nowhere near as pretty. I have big eyes but my features aren't as cutey and dainty as the gorgeous Audrey.

Is this an example of my hormones leading me astray?! Is short hair a recipe for frumpiness unless you're pixie featured/23/blonde?

I can totally sympathise with wanting to chop the lot off. I normally have very thick wavy hair, and when I was pg it just got thicker and thicker and more out of control ad grew like a weed. Many times at the hairdresser I was sooo close having it chopped, but she managed to persuade me not to. Fast forward to 4 weeks ago, and I had had enough, plus my 6 month old DD had discovered my hair was very tasty and would grab handfuls and chew it. I was also convinced my hair was trying to kill me by suffocation every night. So it was chopped from below my bra strap to just above my shoulders and it's soooo much better.

Anyhow, my point is, it is probably your hormones messing you around, so don't make a hasty decision now which you might regret. Plus if your hairdresser is worth their fee, they won't let you have a style that doesn't suit you.

Hi we have moved this to S&B

Thanks for the reply (& for moving the thread for me Mumsnet!). I have been thinking about it for ages.. My hair's just so meh at the moment - and has been for the last 20 10 years. I had a cropped bob and loved it buy grew it out before DS as it was impractical - too short to tie back and needed washed daily. Unfortunately with me I don't suit mid length - only long or short (though I've not gone proper short since Uni!).

You ought to post a picture and we'll tell you if you ought to go for it

Go on!

Really though, hair grows. So I say do it, if you don't like it you can always grow it to a bob. If it was just something you'd been considering for the last couple of days whilst pg I would say don't but if you have been wanting to for ages then go for it and if you hate it, you can laugh it off with hormone madness talk!

I went 'proper' short when DS4 was a few months old and all my hair started falling out (is it does with me between about 3 and 6 months postnatal, gah).

It was great. Got complimented on it, people thought I looked younger which was welcome as I was a 44 year old new mum and was just so, so easy to look after. Got it cut every 6-8 weeks, so that was not too much hassle either. And it cut right down on the mess in the plughole every times I washed my hair...

However - I got bored with it after about 18 months and am now on the long journey of growing it out, am in the horrible inbetween stage, but will keep going.

IMO, it is just hair, not your left leg. Cut it and at worst you'll have to regrow it again (which admittedly takes a bit longer than a chop ).

I chopped all my hair off. I cried and had to have it recut the next day. Wait a few days or maybe try a wig in the length and style you want? Shorter hair isn't always easier to manage and could need cutting more often to keep a style.

I am over 40 and have just cut from very long to Tilda Swinton's hairdo for pomellato art-opology.blogspot.it/2010/03/tilda-swinton-by-paolo-roversi-for.html . I brush and put some mousse/gel into it, so it doesn't take long. and I can't tell you how nice and light it feels. The Audrey hairdo looks lovely, too, and is probably more suitable for wavy hair.

The problem is that if I post a picture, it will be one I've taken when my hair actually looks half decent! If I set up a MN profile can I get rid of it again straight away?

You may have to up your make up game if you go very short. I've had it cropped in the past, but my hair's fine. I think thicker hair looks great cropped, like the Audrey photo you posted. It is quite high maintenance to keep yourself looking feminine though I found. Maybe go for a middle ground bob first?

Yes, that's what I think. Though to be honest, I'm having to up my make up at the moment as I look so blinking exhausted! I have a long commute to work & a nursery drop off and currently my hair takes ages to dry (think 80's shaggy perm!) but if I try to speed it up it goes even more frizzy. I loved my short bob (was just at the hairline at the nape of my neck) so maybe I should just go for that. I know my nature though - if I go for that then I'll be back within weeks getting it all hacked off! Why oh why can't we try hairstyles before we commit..

I've had my hair cut in an angular style this morning, bored of the no shape layers before & then had my eyebrows done. Not sure it's me, I'm not elfin enough to carry it off, but am awed if you can do the Tilda cut - you must have very good bone structure InstantFamily

You can remove a picture any time you like, Abigboydidit

Think <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=hairstyles.thehairstyler.com/hairstyle_views/front_view_images/2866/original/Halle-Berry.jpg&imgrefurl=www.thehairstyler.com/celebrity-hairstyles/halle-berry&h=600&w=500&sz=76&tbnid=mMbE6L5eSI2r_M:&tbnh=90&tbnw=75&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dhalle%2Bberry%2Bshort%2Bhair%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q=halle+berry+short+hair&usg=__OaUtLJ-u02Icr1wXWXUyYB1Dl-0=&docid=_QZzqpNaKBA05M&sa=X&ei=mbcTUKjuF-id0AWG34DoBg&ved=0CGAQ9QEwAQ&dur=2827" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this OP. Go for it!

Oh go for it. I have short hair and it's so liberating. There is a short style for everyone!

I cut my very long hair off at 24 and never looked back.

I love that blossoming but my face is a long oval and I think I have too high a forehead! Maybe that means I shouldn't do it actually..

Oh right, I popped in because I thought it might be Britney Spears having a meltdown again.

Go for it OP. I think a shorter haircut makes a lot of people look younger.

Do it. I have and I love it. I look younger for sure. And more pulled together. And I don't even need to brush it in the mornings.

Do not cut hair off while pregnant (don't do anything too drastic I mean). That's my advice based on experience!

Short hair needs more styling.

DO NOT CUT YOUR HAIR OFF WHEN PREGNANT!!!

speaking from someone who did go with the urge

dont do it

I hated it and it took ages to grow back

Hmm.. See it's the hormone issue am nervous about. But after DS my hair looked shocking and I resisted to urge to do it then, even though my mate who was also postnatal took the plunge and looked fab cow.

This link probably is more like what I fancy and is a shorter version of the bob I had which I really liked.

Actually, maybe being unable to make a decision means I should resist but then again

Give the curly girl method a try- loads of info if you google. Maybe if your hair was in better condition you would like it better? Having said that tho, I am of the 'go for it' opinion. Start with long bob to make sure, then progress to shorter? Also agree, short hair can often require more maintenance. I have chin-length bob, have to blast it with hairdryer every day to smooth it out a bit.

I chopped, BFing and large weight loss meant my hair was shit.

It looked great, loads of compliments, but bored now. Growing it, currently sporting a very fetching mullet.

I find having shorter hair more time consuming, fiddling about to make it sit right. Maybe go up in stages first?

Thanks folks. I tried curly girl and still use a few of the techniques (no poo/cones etc) but my hair just lacks the oomph it used to have. As odd as it sounds, am prepared to do a bit of faffing - the problem I have at the moment is that is takes forever to dry as it is so long and thick (& needs to be dried slowly) but looks rubbish the second day and I hate straightening it. When I had my bob it could "air dry" in the length of time it took me to drive to work, which was ace. Maybe I should just go back to the bob. I just have a notion but that may be hormones!

I had mine cut from waist length to very very short when I was pregnant- think really close on the sides (I have it clippered #2 or 3, and a mussed up top. Sounds awful written down but I LOVE it. Never looked back. It does take some styling every morning but it's less than 5 minutes. Used to spend 2 hours just blow drying it!