Every girl dreams of having long, flowy Rapunzel-style hair. Hair you can braid, fishtail, throw in a bun — the works. But when I saw Emma Watson’s pixie cut in sixth grade, I immediately knew I had to have it. It was the first time I had noticed a young woman with such a unique haircut and I was instantly inspired. It didn’t hurt either that the Hermione from my childhood was all of a sudden becoming a bit edgy.
The Decision
However, I didn’t want just any Great Clips hacking off all of my hair. After a little searching and help from a friend, I found a hairdresser I could trust who happened to be the owner of Sharon Daniel Salon. She was fully booked, but decided to make an exception for me. Little did I know, in a few years I’d have the opportunity to model my hair style for her salon! But now back to the story.
The Build-Up
I was extremely nervous to have to literally hand over 10 inches of my hair to her. At this point my hair was past my shoulders, but I planned on getting it cut above my ears!
I planned to donate my hair to Locks of Love, a non-profit organization that uses donated hair to make wigs for children who have lost their hair due to various medical conditions. My hairdresser first put my hair up in a bunch of tiny ponytails like Cindy Lou Who from The Grinch. This allowed for a more even cut and an easier transfer of hair. I was nervous, there’s no doubt about that, but I knew that in a few short minutes that hair would be in an envelope on the way to a girl who really needed it.
The Chop
The time had come. The scissors rapidly approached and, before I knew it, I had a little sprig of hair shooting out of my head where a ponytail used to be. After the initial snip, cutting off the rest barely made me flinch.
WARNING: Your hair will look weird after the first few snips, but give it time. Put faith in your hairdresser and I promise he or she will work wonders.
The whole time my hairdresser explained to me what she was doing, asked for my feedback, and made sure that I would walk out happy. Honestly, having a good stylist made all the difference here. Sharon, the owner and my miracle-worker, assured me that my new style was all the rage. And of course, she was right! A few months after my cut I ended up spotting pixie cuts left and right! It almost made me feel like part of a secret club when a girl with short hair would compliment your look and you could do the same back.
The Takeaway
What I discovered about pixie cuts is that there are way more styling options than you would think. You can have your hair asymmetrical or buzzed short. You can make it wavy, voluminous, or completely straight! Add in headbands or hats for fun twists; the possibilities are endless!
A dramatic change in your life can be fun and exciting, not scary. Cutting off 10 inches of my hair seemed terrifying, but I’ve never regretted it for a second. Being different is a wonderful feeling and a huge step towards figuring out who you want to be someday. Moving outside of your comfort zone makes you a stronger person, and in the end, it’s just hair. It’ll grow back. But honestly, I’m tempted to keep my short hair forever!
