Me, From the Mirror

WIW - Bad Haircut and why curly hair needs a great cut

August 1, 2012

I haven't posted WIWs in a few days as it's been crazy. I assure you I've worn other things besides this BF formula that I've been repeating =)

This weekend I went to get my hair trimmed. Somehow over the past few weeks I had convinced myself that the $60 I pay to get my hair cut once every 3-4 months was too extravagant and that since I just needed a trim and wasn't making a major change, I should be just fine going to the walk in $20 haircut place.

This was a mistake.

Here is the difference. The $20 haircut place spent about 10 minutes on my super thick curly hair. The shape was right and really it looked ok when she was done with it. 10 minutes is not enough time to properly layer curly hair though. For a good cut, you really have to get in there and see which direction the curls are going, or at minimum you need to straighten it and later it that way. Otherwise, the curls are going to be choppy and won't fall right. My normal stylist spends 45 min to an hour every time.

Where this really comes to light is in the styling of the hair. I can usually just wet my hair, run a wide tooth comb through and walk out the door. When it dries I can add a tiny bit of product to tame the frizz and I've spent one or two minutes on my hair.

With this cut, it doesn't fall right and it takes a lot of fiddling with it to get it to look ok.

I don't know why I haven't learned my lesson for good until now but this has been soooo consistent throughout my life. If you have curly hair and you consistently struggle with styling it, before trying any new products etc... I suggest to revisit the cut. Maybe get some recommendations for stylists that are known to work well with curly hair in your area. It might take a few tries, but it's sooo worth it. And then don't be like me and have to re-learn this lesson every couple of years =)

I'm going to begrudgingly let this grow 2-3 weeks and then I'm going back to my regular stylist to have her fix it.

Today I am wearing
Top - American Rag from Macys
BF Jeans - KUT
Shoes - Keen Sneakers
Necklace - Premiere Designs

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Posted in the What I Wore category
This post is also published in the youlookfab forum. You can read and reply to it in either place. All replies will appear in both places.

16 Comments

  • DeclawedJaguar replied 12 years ago

    Abie, I feel your pain! I've had a few of those unfortunate haircuts myself, before I switched to a pixie. If it's any consolation, you still look radiant. The swirls on the top are very fun.

  • ramya replied 12 years ago

    Another Curly girl who still has problems with the stylist.... I understand your pain :(

    Saying that you atill manage to look fab and radiant :)

  • Krista replied 12 years ago

    You look great, as always! I hear you on the dilemma around your hair and having it cut. I don't have curly hair, but I do have a strange mix of wavy and straight that needs to be straightened in some way every day. A good cut is important but it gets expensive and I think it's normal to think about cutting back or changing (I do it too - I've been going to the same guy for 12 years and let's just say he's not getting cheaper as the years go).

    The important part is that you know your hair well and you know what it needs and you'll be able to style it over the next few weeks until you go see your own stylist. In the meantime, your hair looks lovely - only you will know the truth!

  • sarah replied 12 years ago

    Well, I think you look fabulous - I'm sorry you don't feel that way. Live and learn, I guess. Your outfit is so cute!

  • Transcona Shannon replied 12 years ago

    You look gorgeous and no one else will notice anything with your hair, trust me. But I totally understand where you're coming from. My sister has extremely curly hair and knows that cutting it takes skill. The best thing about hair? It grows.

  • Abie replied 12 years ago

    Thanks everyone, Thankfully it's not the worst I ever had and I agree that it doesn't look to bad otherwise i'd be getting it fixed immediately.

    The other thing I notice besides it being more difficult to style, is it doesn't stay in place. I find myself adjusting it every time I'm at the bathroom mirror. Just annoying.

    If you happen to be in Austin this is probably a good time to give some props to my normal stylist, Amy @ Shine Salon off of South 1st. She is amazing and not only does a great job with my hair but also my husbands who has a completely different texture and set of problems than I do. She is truly fantastic and I've never walked out of that Salon without knowing that my hair looked fab.

  • replied 12 years ago

    Oh, that stinks. I'm sure it's annoying, but take it from me, know one else can tell. At least it wasn't cut shorter than you wanted.

    I haven't seen you sport your BF jeans so this is anything but the "same old thing" to me! So cute! Your top is great as well. You guys must be having cooler weather for you to be wearing jeans so often. We must have had the coolest, cloudiest July on record. It's been getting down to at least 80F every night. Amazing!

  • Janet replied 12 years ago

    Abie, I have been there and totally understand! When left to its own devices, my hair is almost as curly as yours, and I've made that very same mistake. I hated it!

    However, I've got to say that I think your hair looks great here. I know how it is to have to put in a lot of work to get it to look right to compensate for a bad cut though. Fortunately, I haven't gone through that in a long, long time.

    I bet you'll be happier in a couple of weeks. In the meantime, just know that you still look fab!

  • Jem replied 12 years ago

    Darn! You still look great, though!! You have the best tops and dresses! I love this one!

  • Abie replied 12 years ago

    Claire - It's actually really hot here. Somehow the BF jeans are cool enough to wear. I think that it's because they are so loose. I will likely be regretting that I didn't wear sandals later today though.

  • Vicki replied 12 years ago

    First off, I think you look great! I love that pretty top with your jeans and even though you aren't liking your hair at the moment, like Shannon says, it will grow and you'll have time to ask around for someone who has a good stylist for curly hair. While I don't have curly hair, we've all had those haircut and hairstyling experiences. In the meantime, just know that I think you look really cute.

  • April replied 12 years ago

    Abie, I once heard Isaac Mizrahi say that you really couldn't spend too much on hair. I think he's right, though I'm bad about following that advice myself.

    When my stylist of 18 years left the business and I called a new salon, I specifically asked them who they had who was good with curly hair. Then I asked the stylist if she was willing to cut my hair dry (most stylists aren't willing to do that, and when they cut it wet and it dries, they're surprised that it's five inches shorter than they thought it would be. And shorter equals waaaaaay curlier, without the weight to settle things down.)

    Argh. Anyway, I don't think your cut looks bad but I know what it's like when *you* think so. I like your idea of going back to your regular stylist in a couple of weeks for a fix-up. Maybe in the meantime, you'll make peace with it.

  • Victoria replied 12 years ago

    I have been there as I have very wavy to curly hair and had my share of mishaps with stylists who cut it as if it was straight. I pay about 60 for haircut every month but believe me, its worth it as I love my stylist who have seen my hair through several different cuts. I have seen too many female friends get their hair screwed up in a cheap salon. One couldn't even trim my hair straight and left one side longer than the other

  • Mo replied 12 years ago

    I feel for you. I tend to go without a cut for months and months her in FL (where I don't have a stylist) rather than get a bad cut. Neither one is a good choice. I agree that at least it looks fine to us casual observers, although I'm sure the pain of fiddling with it is getting to you.

  • Nadya replied 12 years ago

    Glad you're resolved to getting it fixed - a bad haircut is no fun! A couple years ago I 1)admitted I have curly hair (it went from straight to wavy to curly in the last 30 years) and 2)found a hair stylist with curly hair who knows how to cut it. It's been a revelation.

    Love your BF jeans - I'm still stalking them!

  • Sheila replied 12 years ago

    I feel your pain, Abie. I also am a Curly Girl, but at this point in my life (retirement) I have chosen to keep my hair super-short. My husband and I travel a lot and it irks me to have to spend any time at all on my hair, when there are so many other fun things to do. Keeping my hair this short means my curls and waves are essentially cut off...though that brings up a different issue, which is a couple of highly determined cowlicks. Oy, it never ends!

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