Short hair freakout! Opinions?

[tradygirl]

All right, ladies - I need some serious advice.

I've recently been growing out my hair in order to donate it. I'm just about there in terms of length and I'm starting to think about how I want to cut it. I've never had hair shorter than my shoulders so I'm scared to death (I have to cut it above the ponytail line when I donate)!

I'm considering a few different styles, but I wanted to get some input from some other girls to see if any of my ideas will be a total PITA in terms of ski helmets, bike helmets, and other activities since I spend so much time biking and skiing.

A few things to keep in mind about me - I'm very used to not having to do anything with my hair! I spend about 2 minutes on it before I leave for work (I usually brush it wet and let it air dry - my hair is ridiculously thick and straight). So, I don't want a style that will take me a lot of time to deal with every day. And, I haven't had bangs since I was like 10 years old.

So, opinions needed. First - what about bangs? Do they get in the way? Hard or easy to deal with? Second - how to deal with hair that can't be put in a ponytail? I'll die if I can't get it out of my face.

The style I'm really looking at is a choppy cut above the shoulders with longish bangs. If any of you watch Mythbusters on Discovery Channel, it's just like Kari's new hairstyle (love it!). I'm a bit worried about the bangs, but if they're not a hassle, I'd like to give it a shot since I haven't had them for so long.

So freaked out about doing this, so all advice is appreciated.

 

[altagirl]

I would think yours would be easier to deal with because it's straight?

Mine is just curly enough that when it's short - it's sticking out in every direction and I can't deal with it. I haven't tried it since high school, but I had to spend a ton of time with a curling iron to make it not have one side of my head with hair straight up and the other totally flat.

I have to be able to put mine up. I'm just not willing to put daily effort into my hair and when it's short it really doesn't want to behave...

I've also never mountain biked with short hair, so I don't know what that would be like. Bangs don't bother me, though mine are now long enough to fit in pigtails, so I'm not sure they really count as bangs anymore...

 

[Robyn]

So, I'm assuming you want to keep it more a medium length than something short and choppy is that correct?

I have longish bangs that I use two little barrettes to keep under control under the helmet. My hairs about shoulder length so a little longer than what it sounds like you're looking at but when I had it shorter I would either pull the top half out of my face or, actually, found having shorter bangs easier to keep things out of my eyes.

Here are some ideas of things that I think look great and would be easy to deal with both on and off slopes.

 

[MaineSkiLady]

Hey, tg, I did the same thing as you're doing, in 9/06 - chopped 10" for Locks of Love. Mine wound up being mid-neck in length, and I couldn't pull it back for about 3 months afterward. If I were you, I'd wait until you can cut to that length - some barrettes will get it out of your face, but you may have to be patient for a few months for full pull-back.

I have bangs, also long (to hide the ravages of age!! no Botox for me), not really a problem under a helmet and liner. Easiest if hair is straight. Mine isn't. I iron.

I'm currently contemplating doing the same thing again (but will I make to 9"?????), have about 6 months (hopefully!) to go.

And I really like both those pics just posted. I could almost do the first pic now with what I've got growing.

I don't do much with my hair either except get the frizz out. You'll feel incredibly great about having done this. 5 ponytails donated comprise one wig, for a kid with cancer.

 

[Sheena]

So, I am pretty similar when it comes to doing anything with my hair. I usually keep it medium length - and it is really straight. Over the summer, I got longer, side-swept bangs cut. Not a problem for me to take care of. I just put the tiniest bit of product in to keep them lying flat and in place.

Now that the bangs are growing out, i just wash, brush and clip the bangs to the side. Pretty easy.

When I have cut my hair short, I have had to work a bit more to keep it looking normal and not just plastered to my head - which is what would happen if I did the wash and wear thing. Short hair does give more volume for me, but only when I use more product and actually use a blow dryer. Unless of course you are talking REALLY short, in which case you could just let it go.

 

[alta_gal83]

Hey Trady,

Okay, I have long hair right now too. However, I have bangs very similar to pic. 1 in above my post. I just use a bobby pin to keep them held back (to the side rather) under my skiing and biking helmet. It works just fine.

However, I'm thinking about chopping a lot of mine off this Spring and I have the same worries about the under helmet issue and the time involved in doing it (granted, my hair right now takes about 20 min every morning with a flat iron). The guy who does my hair (Johnny Katsanevas at Lunatic Fringe) is usually a really good "consultant" when I have questions like this -- and I trust him entirely. I've never ever seen anything bad come from his chair (or Lunatic Fringe in general) -- just in case you wanted to try a really reputable, local salon. The one on Parley's way is the one I frequent.

Let us know what you decide to do and how it is working with the helmet

 

[snowbunny1976]

Definitely take a look at how your hair falls before deciding on bangs. I have a cowlick on the right side of the front of my hair, and when I tried bangs, I needed to shellac them down and fuss with the hair dryer to keep them from curling to the left. Bangs were a big N-O for me. I've grown them out some and they now come to my nose - long enough to pull behind my ear and brush to one side when I get snazzied up. And under a hat it looks kinda cute having the angled hairs peeping out from underneath

 

[letioga]

Tips from a dedicated short hair-er

I have short hair. It varies in length, from really short to chin length. I do a lot of sports involving helmuts. My secret: goody stay-put headbands. They pull back the bangs from my face, and hold the hair in place at the back of my head. They don't slip when I take a helmut off, or a hat. My hair pretty much stays in place all day. I have very straight hair. This is the first headband that has NOT slid off my head during the day! (I, BTW, am in no way associated with the brand! I got free Goody stay-put stuff in a race kit last year and have been a convert ever since.)

 

[Kimmyt]

The key here is getting a stylist who LISTENS to you. I've had short hair before, from pixie spikes to chin, and I've also had long hair. Lots of short hair, other than say a pixie, will require a bit of maintenance.

Tell your stylist you don't use product (or what you do use). Tell him/her how long you spend each day fixing your hair. Tell them how you usually fix it, if you tie it back alot, or if you blow dry/round brush it etc. This will give them an idea of what type of maintenance you are used to. I went into a salon looking for something sort of like the first picture posted, and the stylist was like, 'but what you're telling me, you won't be able to work with that style'. So he gave me something short, just under my chin, with layers and long sideswept bangs. It's just barely long enough to put back in a teeny ponytail, or better into two little pigtails.

But it's also short enough to just wear down under helmets, because they keep it out of my face anyway. And I don't have to style it, just dry it and finger comb which is pretty much what I do.

Good luck, and just make sure you communicate with your stylist!

K.

 

[SnowHot]

Myhairdresser is one of my very best friends. Due to this fact, I let her have her way with my hair, with little input. I know she won't mess me up because she has to be seen with me

This is the most recent cut she gave me for helmet hair use.
The advantage is that it has layers in such a way that the ends flip up or under according to desire. When I wear the helmet and take it off, I just tossle my hair a bit and the ends have a nice flip(formed somewhat by the helmet). Its a bit long in this pic and I'm due for a trim.
I had long hair and cut it for locks of love 10 years ago. Won't ever go back to long hair again.

 

[Pequenita]

My secret: goody stay-put headbands.

Mine too, although I am still shopping around for the perfect headband that doesn't give me a headache after wearing it for a while. I don't have short hair or bangs, but I have all these crazy baby hairs around my face that do not grow out. Ever. To the point where hairdressers say, "Do you want your bangs trimmed?" and I politely say, "I don't have bangs." Anyway, back to your question, I think headbands are the way to go.

Are the stay-put headbands the ones with a flat side so they don't roll around?

 

[tradygirl]

Hey Trady,

The guy who does my hair (Johnny Katsanevas at Lunatic Fringe) is usually a really good "consultant" when I have questions like this -- and I trust him entirely. I've never ever seen anything bad come from his chair (or Lunatic Fringe in general) -- just in case you wanted to try a really reputable, local salon. The one on Parley's way is the one I frequent.

Thanks for the recommendation. I currently do not have a "stylist" since I usually just get it trimmed (my hair has been long and straight for a LONG time), so I definitely need some direction. What kind of prices are we talking at Lunatic Fringe? I've gotten a few other recommends that have been a little over my budget . I'd like to spend under $100 if possible (considering not doing color to save $$).

Thanks everyone else for the advice. I think I'm going to go with the style I really want, regardless of how it ends up working with helmets - I never do this so I might as well do something fun! I'm thinking something similar to the first pic, but a little bit longer. Besides, my hair grows so fast, I can be back to "normal" pretty quickly. :D

 

[Robyn]

Check out the link before the first pic (it wouldn't post as a pic for some reason). That might work better for you.

 

[alta_gal83]

Thanks for the recommendation. I currently do not have a "stylist" since I usually just get it trimmed (my hair has been long and straight for a LONG time), so I definitely need some direction. What kind of prices are we talking at Lunatic Fringe? I've gotten a few other recommends that have been a little over my budget . I'd like to spend under $100 if possible (considering not doing color to save $$).

Here's the link to Lunatic's princing https://www.lunaticfringesalon.com/lunatic_rates.html

Johnny is considered a "Master Stylist" so he's pretty expensive -- I do a cut and all over color and mine is about $140ish when I go (that's with tip). However, the "Creative" and "Junior" stylists are really good as well -- they've all been trained at the Paul Mitchell School by Cottonwood Mall (same owners as Lunatic Fringe), plus, all the Master Stylists go around and make sure the Juniors are doing things correctly.

Good luck with the cut!

 

[altagirl]

I'm always half tempted to find a really good stylist and try to find a cut that would work shorter for me.

But once I explain that I'm willing to spend, oh, about 30 seconds a day on styling my hair, they just roll their eyes and say, yeah, let's just color it and you can throw it in a ponytail/twist/braids every morning and the 3x/year you want it to look nice you can flat iron it.

I also have a problem with headbands giving me a headache. I tried just about every style I could find last year when I was spinning a lot, and if they stayed put, I'd have a headache by the end of class. I did find a few looser ones that worked a bit better under a helmet for biking, but they didn't seem to work quite as well.

 

[Bravosarah]

I love my short 'wash & go' hair. I shave the back (#2 blade) and layer the top. I have a cowlick, so no bangs.

Similar to this, only not as stylish. lol:

https://z.about.com/d/beauty/1/0/j/H/short9.JPG

Great for helmet hair, just rub your hands through your hair and no one's the wiser!

 

[Jilly]

My summer do is similar to QQ's. Spikey and great in the humidity and water sports I do. I let it grow longer in the winter. But that's really short compared to where you want to go tradygirl. Find a stylist you can work with (I've had mine for 20 years now, not interested in training a new one!) And as a volunteer with an organization that will use your donation - thanks. Someone on chemo is going to "look good, feel great!"

 

[tradygirl]

Maybe something like Nicole Richie? I kind of like the simplicity.

Or Reese:

 

[altagirl]

Yeah, I love the cut on Nicole Ritchie - and I think your hair would actually do that too. Addie had her hair about that length and it fit into little pigtails for biking.

I would totally do something like that, but for me it would be 30 minutes with a flat iron every day.

 

[ski now work later]

I love Nicole Richie's hairstyle but must say, it does look like a professional flat iron job! If only I had a daily hair stylist at my disposal....

I was forced to wear my hair short as a kid and hated it (I was skinny and tall and looked like a boy, so I thought). I had wavy, red hair that turned auburn by college. I moved in with my Dad in high school and was free to grow it long, and have worn it long since, except for twice when I tried short hair, once in 1979 when in college and when I lived in Boulder CO, and again in the mid 90s when I was in my 30s after I had children. Both times, I just didn't feel like me, so I grew it long again. I have to flat iron it which is a royal pain in the b-tt, but I've got a routine that works well for me now which is to wash it at night, let it air dry and supplement briefly with a blow dryer if needed, and flat iron in the morning. Day 2 and Day 3 (if I wait 3 days which I can since I have dryish hair) I use a large curling iron to "refresh" my locks. This season I have the best ski hair-do so far, which are 2 pig tails. Kinda funny for someone my age (48) but it feels comfortable under my helmet and looks fine when I take it out.

I was always super against any hair-do that required time, energy, and product (still not a big hair product fan), but now that I'm in my 40s, I have succumbed to all kinds of beauty routines that I was able to swear off for years, including wearing light foundation make up, coloring and styling my hair, etc. OK, here's my first attempt to post a photo on Diva. This was taken a few months ago as a professional photo for my web site.