Any reasons why will I regret cutting my long hair off really short?

[MaureenL]

I have had long hair all my life and quite frankly I do not want it long anymore. I have mentioned to my friends that I plan on cutting my long hair very short in a simple easy style and most are trying to talk me out of it saying that I will regret it. Only one of my friends is short and she feels it is the best thing she has done. I feel that a short cropped look would be so easy to manage, be good for my lifestyle and also genuinely suit me. I want to just get in the shower, quickly wash my hair, towel it dry and go! I want something that I can leave it for a few months between trims as it won't have grown into my eyes by then.

As you can see from my profile pictures my hair is not glam, it is just long hair which I tend to keep out of my face. To get any volume I have to mess about using my heated rollers which I just have not got the time or interest in anymore. I am not the trendy fashionable type and I no longer wish to spend so much time on hair that quite frankly with another baby due in April is a pain. I wondered what other Mum's who have taken the plunge and gone short feel, do you regret it or is it the best thing that you have done?

I fancy something like the photos I have attached but if anyone has any other style suggestions I would love to see them.

Thanks

[TheWeeWitch]

I went very short form very long and have gone back to long again. Short hair - for me - was much harder to maintain because it needed cutting every 6 weeks or it looked awful. I just don't have the time or money to be at the hairdressers so often. I can let my long hair go much longer between cuts if I look after it and can style it in more versatile ways. Try it, though, for sure. I'm glad I did, I certainly always had lots of nice remarks about my short hair.

[OoohSmooch]

LegoCaltrops

NOOOOOOOO!!! Eugh! Thanks for the heads up!

[OoohSmooch]

I've had both too and currently have long hair. I have dreams where it's cut off and scares me!

Long or short there will still be an element of styling and sorting it out. I prefer long (even with a grabby 4 month old baby!) as I can tie it back out of the way.

Short hair dried quicker but styling was still the same time, I just love having long curls put in my hair so if never go short again!

[MaQueen]

Mine really doesn't need styling. Just blast it with my dryer. Only takes 30 seconds.

[LegoCaltrops]

ZOMBIE THREAD

[RandomDent]

Zombie spam :(

[Chestervase1]

I have had short hair a couple of times in my life. I have found that you really need make up and can't get away with a naked face. You can hide behind hair. It also helps if your features are small and you have good teeth. I personally think it is not a low maintenance look. Short hair also needs styling so no wash and go.

[MaQueen]

I have a pixie crop and love it. Never had so many compliments. I have always washed my hair every day anyway, now I just blast it with the dryer and run some product through it.

Make sure you get a good stylist who knows how to cut.

Here's mine (briefly)...

[JemimaMuddledUp]

I cut mine into a pixie 4yrs ago. Will never go back.

It has to be trimmed every 6 weeks without fail, but other than that is fabulously low maintenance.

[Jojomo7]

doctorboo you look fabulous! I felt just the same as you when I had mine cut off, it is such a nice feeling when you look in the mirror at the salon and think......I LOVE IT!
I forgot to add the style pics for the op so I will add them now!

[doctorboo]

I had shoulder length hair back in May, and had pretty firmly decided I wanted to have it chopped off at the end off Summer.
Mid June and a close relative (hairdresser) convinced me said they'd do my hair, agreed on the pics/style then proceeded to give me a butchered bob because they'd decided a pixie cut wouldn't suit me. Gutted doesn't even cover it.

A few days before Christmas (the 22nd) I went to my local Supercuts and for £29 I got a long pixie and I love it.

I have been giving my hair a one minute blast with a hair dryer and running a bit of wax through it, but this morning I put some gel through whilst it was wet gave it a comb and was pleased with the result.

[Higge]

I cropped mine 6 months ago - it resembles your third photo. I have fairly wavy thickish hair. First day blow dry - second day side clip or GHDs - I can even push a third day which I never could do with long hair. I have invested in really good clips!
I look less tired with short hair, I feel less frumpy, my cheek bones are more prominent, my hair is in better condition. I can leave it 8 weeks between cuts - which I thought would be a pain but it's not. I like doing a quiff too!
For me there has been no downsides.

[Jojomo7]

I was in a similar boat to you, I had long hair all the way down my back and I just could not see any point to it. About 18 months ago I had the lot chopped off to a similar style to the ones you have showed. I also loved the Helen Flannagan cut on one of your photos. My stylist suggested I stay a bit longer for the first cut but I went back again a few days later and I had her really crop it and I so love it. I am lucky that I have a stylist that is really interested in her work and is always suggesting slight tweaks every time I go. The beauty of short also is that the style grows out so quickly so you can look different in a few weeks, mine grows about an inch in 6 weeks so there are so many styles and looks to try quickly. Over the last 18 months my stylist has done so many different styles so it looks different every time I leave the salon. I know it is costly but one thing that I have found especially over the summer months was that I was going every month for a trim, I really felt it was like having a new outfit, it feels great to look different and she has done things like a straight hairline fringe, a clippered nape and when I went to Malta this year I had a Miley Cyrus cut which was fabulous for a holiday. I have attached another couple of easy style options that you may like.

I don't think you will regret it, let us know how you get on.

[specialsubject]

be aware that it may not grow that long again, your follicle cycle time may have changed. Or it may not have done.

but with straight hair you've got all the choices so why not?

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Halle Berry to Janice Battersby in the space of one missed hairwash

My DS (16) tells me if I stopped dyeing my hair I could look like Carol from The Walking Dead like it's a Good Thing

[Petal02]

I had my hair cut short 18 months ago, and I loved it. So did everyone else, DH included.

However .... It took more styling than I expected, and I ultimately felt less feminine. I found that with short hair, I needed to do more general grooming to look good, whereas with longer hair, i could get away with 'au naturel' more readily

And what looks like a Halle Berry style on a good day can easily resemble Janice Battersby if you're not careful!

[Crusoe]

Do it! I have gone from short to longish (and everything in between) several times. Short is great and you know what if you don't like it or get fed up with it, it will grow!

[ASmallHenInItsLateForties]

I think it would suit you, and I do like short hair but I would suggest doing it in stages. To suddenly go so short can be a big shock.

As others have said, short hair does need trimming often and styling properly every day.

I have had v short hair before but growing it out was agonisingly slow and hard going.

[MadamCroquette]

My short hair is also fine. I wash it every day but never blow-dry - but I use a bit of volumising powder, which also gives some hold and texture and stops it being flyaway. It is true that greys show more - I dye mine, but I like trying out different shades etc so I don't see dying as a hassle.

[mercifulTehlu]

I have had just below shoulder-length hair, a bob and cropped hair. I'm growing out the crop atm to go back to shoulder-length.

My hair is very fine with no volume. Having it in a crop is no easier as it looks crap if I don't blow-dry it and use styling products. Whereas when it's long at least I can tie it back when I haven't got time or can't be arsed.

Also, the only time I really like my cropped hair is when it has been recently cut, but it's bloody expensive to have it cut often. Can't wait to get through the growing-out phase!

[MarmaladeBasedProtectionRacket]

I am also dithering about going very short. I've done it before and I know it suits my face.

What stops me is -

1. I really can't be bothered getting it trimmed every 6-8 weeks and it looks awful without regular maintenance
   
2. yes, hair grows, but when I change my mind and want it a bit longer again I know mine looks awful for months in that growing out phase
   
3. this may not apply to you, but last time I had mine cut short it seemed like I lost all the colour and the grey was very very obvious. I don't colour mine, nor do I wish to start, so that was a deal breaker for me!
   
   Sorry, I probably haven't helped. Short hair is great, I personally am too lazy to deal with it's upkeep! If it's what you want - go for it!

[Greengardenpixie]

I have long hair and have had short. IMO it is nice for a change but i think you will find that it isn't as low maintenance as you may think. With long hair you can put it up when it looks shit or dirty. With short hair, there is no such thing and when you have a bed head you have to fix it very often daily. Yes, its is quick to dry that definetly is a plus point but then there is getting someone to style/cut it that does not add years on to you.
You definetly have the features that will suit it and its nice for a change. Just beware of those few points. I think reinventing yourself can really be great and give you a boost :)

[Didiusfalco]

I had my long hair chopped to a short bob about a month ago, and while i definitely dont regret it, its not totally an easy option either. Ive found i could be lazier with my long hair, bad hair days simpler to ignore, and could be tied up and washed less frequently. I still think you should go for it, but just bear in mind you probably will need to style and trim regularly to stop it looking rubbish.