I have an unhealthy obsession with my hair. To be honest my relationship with my hair I think at times takes on a somewhat Samson and Delilah biblical proportions.

In case you don’t remember the story Samson was given supernatural strength by God in order to combat his enemies and perform heroic feats such as killing a lion, slaying an entire army with only the jawbone of a donkey, and destroying a pagan temple. Samson had two vulnerabilities—his attraction to untrustworthy women and his hair, without which he was powerless. These vulnerabilities ultimately proved fatal for him. Delilah ultimately wooed Samson and shaved his head and long story short they poked out his eyes, made him a slave and eventually he died after being deserted by God.

Now, for sure I don’t think that God is going to desert me should I cut my hair but I am certainly very attached to it. I agonise most decisions over changing it and then in times of emotional crisis will do something really dramatic like cut it all off or if it is already short change the colour in a very bold manner!

They say that for women with long hair unless you are very, very sure don’t cut your hair off in times of emotional crisis or you are sure to regret it eventually. While it is very true that it is only hair and it will always grow back. Unless you have some magic hair growth pill (that doesn’t exist) if you go the really big super short chop it can be years before you have long hair again. My mum is a case in point she had crazy long hair (like nearly at her bum) at her wedding by her 21st she was shoulder length (still stunning) sometime in the next few years mum went the big chop and she has been growing it ever since (40 yrs!) The truth is mum’s hair simply takes forever to grow in the time that I can complete re-grow shoulder length hair from a short bob, mum is lucky to grow an inch. So really she has just kept her hair relatively short all these years with the odd perm on top throughout the 80s and early 90s. Mum rocks short hair though!

Lots and lots of awesome women rock short hair and when we have long hair sometimes we have this desire to go short. There is the unrealistic expectation that short hair is so much easier to do than long hair that we seem to always pull back into a “mum pony”. If we have long hair we should do it and wear it out right?

I have thick hair and lots of its so when it is very long it actually gives me headaches if I don’t get it thinned out and a blow-dry by the hairdresser can take an hour for them so imagine how long the untrained professional takes (hours and hours and hours!) Thank goodness for the GHD to take the frizz out of straight hair!

I have seen two very gorgeous bloggers (Mrs Woog & ICurvy) this afternoon announce they are going to go the big chop inspired by other equally gorgeous women (Robyna from The Mummy & The Minx and ONE little MOMMA. Both Robyna and Kilee ROCK short hair and I am not going to talk anyone out of going the chop if that is what you have your heart set on I will just share some key things I have learnt over the years of my rollercoaster ride with long and short hair.

  1. Don’t make ANY major hair decisions when in the midst of emotional crisis.
  2. If you do something dramatic remember it will always grow back or can be re-coloured!
  3. Short hair might be quicker to do each day, once you have the hang of it, but it is not necessarily easier. It is most certainly not easier than the mum pony especially in the early days when you are getting used to it.
  4. Short hair needs to BE DONE each day, so if you are not the sort of person that likes to spend anytime fiddling with a hairdryer in the mornings factor this in with the style.
  5. Short hair maintenance can be quite high compared to longer styles. Typically with long hair whilst the colour might end up looking terrible and the greys screaming out at you I just went six months without a cut or colour (I am a bit lazy and the hair wasn’t really on the priority list!)
  6. When I have had short hair I have needed to get regular haircuts every minimum 4 but no more than 6 weeks! Colours I really can’t go more than 6 weeks.
  7. Short hair can be very expensive! See above and the products that you will discover. Hair cuts every 4-6weeks plus a colour adds up.
  8. Ultimately if you want to go short do it you won’t know until you try it and it will grow back I promise! Mine has in only about 18mths but I could do a pony of sorts from about 6mths.
  9. Whatever you do DON’T get a perm! Goodness only knows what we were thinking in the 80s and 90s!
  10. Whilst I know that my hubby and my dad love my hair short and I can see that I can pull off short hair, the maintenance is just too much for me.

I will leave you with a gallery of my many different hairstyles.

Can’t wait to see the new do’s ladies!

Kit xoxo 

9 Replies to “Samson and Delilah”

  1. Ugh I did whole perm thing with short hair when I was 16. Everyone tried to talk me out of it but of course I refused to listen. I looked like a sheep, whenever I walked my hair bounced and I had to endure weeks of clown jokes until everyone got used to it.

      1. My hair actually started to fall out in my early 20’s. I modeled for a hair show, they dyed it for the first time and there was no stopping me after that 🙂

  2. I ONCE agreed to be a hair model my twins were 6mths old plus the 3yr old! They promised me it would be an easy hairdo! It was a new cutting technique razor cutting my longest layer was about 3-4inches! I went from being able to pull it back into a mum pony with uber thick hair to a head of almost no hair with flicky ends it was terrible! I left those photos out!

  3. I love all your hair pics. You know, it’s funny, after I saw Robyna’s post and how good Mrs Woog looked with short hair, I did seriously consider it… For about a minute. I’ve never had short hair and I was only thinking the other day how I’m like Samson with my long hair. I am sure it gives me secret super powers or at least, a bit of confidence! Thanks for being the voice of long-haired reason! Cheers to lazy ponies!

    1. I think that’s what it is for me with short hair there is nowhere to hide but with long hair I can hide behind wearing it out with some smooth curls and everyone focuses on my hair and not me. Whereas with short hair you need to rock your own confidence!

  4. Hair has a big role in our physical appearance. Many of us do a lot of changes with our hair and even change the natural look. It can add your beauty or it can make you feel bad. And most of the people cut their hair or do some changes when they are feeling not okay. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. This is really true.

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