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retiring the scrunchie

Reactions to cutting my hair short, public and private

  1. “What were you thinking? A girl should have long hair!” (An unsoliticited advice-giver)
  2. “Does Alex know about this? Have you discussed this with him? Guys always hate short hair.” (Blogger friend)
  3. “Really honey? I always liked your hair shoulder-length. What does Alex think?” (Mother)
  4. “Did you get that email? We’ll meet next week.” (My boss, didn’t notice, sees me daily)
  5. “I love it!”
  6. “Ooh … hot!”
  7. “Wow – you had me with the hair. It’s got sass!” (My friends who hadn’t seen me in 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years, respectively)
  8. “Why the little barrettes? I like it better without.” (A co-worker my mother’s age)
  9. “I love it! You make me wish I had cut my hair shorter!” (Little T)
  10. “What have I done?! I look awful!” (Me – seeing myself in the mirror with short hair for the first time, making my beloved hairdresser feel like crap)
  11. "I look like a boy! Baby, you already live in Chelsea. They’re going to think you are gay because you’re walking around with a BOY!” (To Alex, when he arrived at the salon)
  12. “I’m like one of those babies they tape a pink ribbon to the forehead of so people stop calling them a boy!” (Still panicking, inconsolable)
  13. “Can we get three or four cocktails before dinner, please? Momma needs her bottle.” (Plan B)
  14. “I’m wearing enough hair product right now that a single cigarette could send me into Michael Jackson-style flames” (Upon feeling my hair’s new *texture*)
  15. “I’m DEAD SEXY.” (Looking in the mirror after restyling my hair the way I wanted it, in my best Fat Bastard voice)
  16. “Of course we can get a drink. I knew you’d be panicking.” (Alex, always with the right answer)
  17. “I can’t stop. You look different!” (In reaction to me saying: "Quit staring!”)
  18. “You’re so goddamned cute.” (Sigh)
  19. “I like it. I really like it.” (Said at least thirteen thousand times since last Monday)
  20. “If you think you look like a boy, just look down. That’ll remind you.” (In regards to Statler and Waldorf)

comments (13)

Well I told you not to cut it! who listens to me anyway;) I'll reserve judgement until you post a pic, i'm sure you look fine as a boy. Happy new year!:)

1 | jaz | January 6, 2004 12:16 PM

I'm sure you look fabulous, darling, just fabulous.

Although I must say I think it's fascinating that most of girlfriends seem to cut their hair short when it's winter. You'd think it'd be the opposite, but in my experience it's not. Was it just time for a change?

2 | Wendy | January 6, 2004 01:39 PM

I just thought it was really funny that most of the people you see every day didn't notice (or maybe they just didn't comment on it), but the friends you haven't seen in years were all over it. Personally, I think it looks great, even though I practically had to wipe away your tears when I met you at the hairdresser's. And baby, ain't no one gonna mistake you for a boy.

(Am I #1,000?)

3 | Alex | January 6, 2004 01:49 PM

Awww, what a sweet guy. It's just hair, anyway. It grows, you cut it, it grows...

4 | Courtney | January 6, 2004 02:23 PM

when i cut my hair short, my coworker who sits across from me didn't notice until he overheard someone else commenting on it.

and i'm sure it looks great.

5 | Dahl | January 6, 2004 02:39 PM

When i worked in an office full of middle-aged men and cut my hair short not one of them said a thing, they all just stared. Felt like it was against some man rule, commenting on a woman's hair.

6 | emma | January 6, 2004 03:26 PM

Pictures.

Though I must admit that I initially read the title somewhat differently than intended.

7 | Frankenstein | January 6, 2004 04:04 PM

Emma, people have been sued for less. No, seriously.

8 | Neil | January 6, 2004 04:41 PM

Surfed in here from www.sciron.org and stayed for a long read in the back pages. Wonderful, intriguing and enaging as all good blogs should be. Take care and don't worry, there are lots of guys who like short hair, and it seems like you've already snagged a good one anyway. Be well, keep writing.

caraxus xo

9 | caraxus | January 6, 2004 10:28 PM

Hey its your hair why should it bother you what other people think. All my previous boyfriends wouldn't let me cut my long blonde hair then when I finally cut free of them I cut it shoulder length and dyed it jet black. And to be honest I love it, and I do actually get quite a few comments saying they prefer me with black hair. I bet yours looks great ;o)

10 | S | January 7, 2004 05:16 AM

Hair is a fun toy, you should play around with it.

I look completely different with short hair than long. I could cut my hair short if I need to join the Witness Protection Program - that would be a sufficient disguise.

When I grew my hair out long a couple of years ago, I received tons of Male Attention. So I've kept it that way.

11 | sugarmama | January 7, 2004 11:11 AM

I used to have hair down to my waist. When I moved to California, I got it cut to just above my shoulders. Now, it's really *really* short. The cure to looking like a boy? Style it & wear stylish earrings. (I don't wear make up too often, so that's doubly important for me!)

Great blog - keep up the good work!

12 | TwiddlyBits | January 7, 2004 05:36 PM

"Venus As A Boy" is what came to mind, for no reason at all.

13 | Michael | January 20, 2004 12:26 AM