Help me get over this haircut I hate?

[smeerf]

I got my hair cut today. Before the cut, it was the longest I'd ever had it, down to my bra strap, which is a bit of a faff with a toddler but I was keen to keep the length as I'll getting married end of next year/beginning of 2022 and want to keep my options open with updos etc. At least the length means I can really easily tie it back in the 5 mins I have to get ready in the morning and I can leave it 3 days between washes as it's up most of the time. Or at least I could.

My hair is quite silky and thick - sounds great but in reality means it's flat on top, thick at the ends like a big triangle and gets greasy and stringy if it's down for more that one day or touches my face too much.

I went the the woman I usually see, asked for my layers to be cut back in to thin it out and she seemed to understand exactly what I wanted. We talked about lengths and she was indicating one, one and a half inches off the length and more off the layers. I was very clear the as long as it can all be tied back easily, that was ok.

Half an hour later, I'm sitting in a pile of 5" hair and I have a 'Rachel from Friends' cut to my shoulders but it's chin length at the front. If I tie it back, the short layers at the front flop down around my face.

She asked if I liked it and of course I said yes, I think if I was honest with her I would have burst into tears. Also what was she going to do, stick it back on? She said she was glad as "I though you might kill me as it's so much shorter than we discussed!".

I cried when I left the salon, I cried in my partner's arms when I met him for lunch, I cried when my mum tried to reassure me it would grow out and I am crying writing this (17 weeks pregnant and really hormonal).

I'm struggling with almost sole care of a toddler (other half is working crazy hours at the moment as self employed), knackered from pregnancy and pregnancy insomnia, working 32 hours a week and now I'm either going to have hair that looks like stringy greasy curtains straight out of a boy band in the 90s or find a way to wash it every night which is the only way to make it look semi decent while it grows out.

There's nothing that can be done but everytime I think about it I burst into tears. Does anyone have any advice for getting over it?

It's only hair it will grow back, if not happy go back to your hairdressers and say something, u really shouldn't have said yes u liked it if you didn't! But as said she can't stick it back on

You have a new baby, wedding to look forward

I feel your pain, it once happened to me, I ask a stranger were she had her hair cut, I love it. Went to the stylist, there must of been someone els with the same name as it was nothing like I ask for, I went home and cried. Was also off on hoilday in the next couple of days, I spent most of it miserable, just had to get on with it. It will grow, wear your up, try head bands, scarfs, next time alway say a dusting off your hair, they can always take a little more off, I now trim my own hair, I watch lots of YouTube clips first, good luck.

Loved it.

In six months your hair could grow quite a lot. The hair that touches your shoulders has been growing for 6 months. So it will be much better by your wedding date. And if you really hate it in the meantime, at least it's winter and you can wear a hat.

You're pregnant so no doubt your hair will grow faster than usual now :) and I bet it looks good, it's just understandably a huge shock to you seeing how she went much shorter than you'd discussed (what a jerk thing to do).

Until the front layers grow out a bit why don't you get one of those plastic head bands that looks like a fork? The kind that scrapes your hair back and leaves a pretty pattern. Sorry I'm awful at describing what I mean. You could pull the front short layers out of your face with it and poof up the back a bit.

This! :)

Thanks. I don't think I'm upset about how long it will take to grow back, it's that the idea of it being high maintenance terrifies me because I'm only just keeping my head above water as it is and I feel like I've actively paid someone money to make my life harder. I can't wash and dry my hair everyday on top of everything else.

And I feel like a bloody whale with the amount of weight I've put on and now the only thing I liked about my appearance is shit.

I'm sorry, I'm really laid back usually but this has just completely knocked me for six. It"s just hair!

Could you clip the front back, in a quiffesque kind of way?

I think a new haircut always takes time to "settle" too, before you get used to styling it and it all finds its place. It's horrible having hair you hate, so sympathies from me, but it'll be alright!

I have shorter layers at the front and when I do a ponytail I just put them in a half-up first to stop them falling out, then do a ponytail as usual. I'm sure it will grow fast. It's awful having a bad haircut though, you're so excited before it's done and so gutted afterwards. An emotional rollercoaster! Hope you're feeling better now.

I promise you all is not lost.

Of course it will grow back, but thats little comfort to you at the moment, especially when you are feeling so emotional in any case.

There are plenty of ways you can style it out.

Can you take the short layers at the front in your hand, twist it and roll it back into a sort of quiff, pin it back and put the back into high ponytail? Could the short layers make the beginning of a plait and continue in from the sides? You should be able to scoop everything up into a messy bun.

Have a look on YouTube - easy updos for short hair.

OP I had my hair cut in a ‘long bob’ in March and for one reason and another haven’t made it to the hairdressers since - it’s now bra strap length. Your hair will grow even quicker as you are pregnant. A multivitamin might help (well, it can’t hurt). I think your hairdresser was really cheeky though, she clearly knew what she was doing cutting it shorter than you had discussed. I wouldn’t go back.

Ps. Bet it’s really nice though. I am currently considering a long bob again

Do you have a photo? Sometimes it's the shock of the change, not the cut.

Like other pps have said a headband will be your best friend. Look on YouTube on updos for short hair to get some inspiration. Bobby pins will also become your friend. Also what I used to do was only was the front of my hair that needed to be down and tie the rest up.

Also, you don't have to wash and blow dry your hair every day, I wash mine every other and with shorter hair, when towel dried, even though it's thick it will air dry in about half an hour.... That gives you time to be doing other things!

As for washing it, I would stick to a quick wash most days/every other day and only condition it once a week. Over conditioning it can just make it worse

You poor thing. Sounds like the front layers will grow out quickly though.

You could try using dry shampoo in between washes. It makes it easier to style hair into an up do.

"I thought you might kill me as it's so much shorter than we discussed!"

WTF???? So she admits she didn't do what she was supposed to?

I'd definitely complain!!

You could get some clip in hair extensions until it grows a bit longer, their handy to use for lots different styles

I had exactly the same thing! Asked for long layers and got a “Rachel” it even flicked out at the ends in a really 90s way. I hated it but found ways of putting my hair up. After about 6 weeks it sort of settled but I was so traumatised I didn’t go to a hairdresser for a year.

Oh poor you many of us have been there. Get your diary out and put an x in 6 weeks time. Guaranteed you'll be feeling better about it by then. Find a new hairdresser but don't go for maybe 6-8months and then specify the tiniest of trims and watch them like a hawk.
I reckon the whole Rachel thing will actually look great in about 3 months time.

I had this and I was sooo upset. I even started a thread about it (under another name), my solution was to have it cut even shorter into jaw length Bob. It looked so much better but at least it wasn’t a mullety 1990’s Rachel cut. If you don’t want to cut it again, I’m guessing it will grow really quickly due to pregnancy hormones.