Friday, January 20, 2006

Trivial and Purely Petty Hair Rant

Ok, this is one of those days that I'm Bugged. I was doing some, um, self-analysis yesterday and decided that I have a problem, and my problem is that I don't Feel Pretty. And one of the main causes is my hair. I've fought with my hair all my life; it's very thick, sort of coarse and naturally wavy, bordering on curly. You could say frizzy, as the waves/curls are neither symmetric nor flattering. My solution several years ago was to just let it grow out; at least I could pull it back and put it in a bun/hair clip and be neat. It grew so long that a couple of years ago I got it cut and sent an 18" ponytail to Locks of Love. I loved the short hair; it was easy to keep neat, although I did have to keep going to get it cut every whipstitch. Then we started doing Scrooge at church, and for the past two years I've been cast as a guest at the Fezziwig's...which means I can't hide my hair under a bonnet. The first year I used copious amounts of gel and many hairpins to keep my hair appropriately pulled back into a hairpiece that wasn't appropriate but was the best I could do. I got it cut after the show, enjoyed the easy hair for a few months and then started letting it grow in the summer. Went through the Really Ugly stage in August-September, and by Christmas it was long enough that I only needed a moderate amount of gel and a handful of hairpins for the front bit of my hair to pull it back into the hairpiece. I was looking forward to getting it cut again after the show.

But it hit me: if I get it cut now, I'll have to go through the Really Ugly stage at the end of the summer all over again. It would be nice for it to be long enough to be able to just put my hair into the right style for the next year's show...but I've got to live with it between now and then. Right now it's shapeless and still too short in the front to pull up neatly. Bottom line: I have frumpy hair and there's not a whole lot I can do about it at the moment. So, I just need to loose the frumpy attitude...and maybe pick up some more small spring clips... and make some fantastic something that makes me forget the hair ;)

4 comments:

  1. LOL! No, Peg, I'm not offended; I've wondered the same thing. Even been asked the same thing by someone else at church. No one else worries about stuff like that, why should I? But I do. And I *don't* like fussing with hair gel and hair pins to glue too-short- to-pull-back hair to my head. Ick. Once things get grown out a bit more, I can get a cut that will be long enough to pull up but will hopefully have a shape to it. Right now, though...

    I tried a spikey hair cut a couple of years ago. Spikes and natural curl do not mix. Sigh...those haircuts look so cute, but I had to rate them 'Pattern did not work for me' ;)

    Wigs in the right style are kind of hard to find, actually, unless you've got a lot of dough...and I don't. The hairpiece I've used the past couple of years is not at all right for the time period but since the producers are not being particular about hair (I think I was the only one who even parted my hair down the middle...which is how it should be worn) it's ok.

    Whaddya wanna bet that, after letting my hair grow all year, next time I'll get cast as one of the scavenger char women...who do wear great, ugly, frizzy wigs... :p

    (Oh, yes, 40 is history around here, too)

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  2. "From someone who really knows what they're doing and can handle curly hair..."
    Aye, there's the rub! For who can handle hair that curls and waves in a contrary fashion? I tell you, Horatio, I know them not at all...

    And if five people in the audience noted the hairstyles on any given night, I well know that it would be an amazing thing ;)

    Ah, who knows...if someone sends me to a gifted curly hair specialist, I may weaken in my resolve. Meantime, I think I'm going to find that hair iron I bought ages ago and see if I can figure out how to use it.

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  3. When I first joined PR, I read many of your reviews because they were well written and helpful. Then about a six months to year after I joined when reading one of your reviews, I noticed your new photo and hairdo. It was cut short. I commented on one of the reviews, heaven only knows which one, and I said I love your new hair cut.

    I agree with Peg, you really do look much younger with the shorter hair. "Girls", like me, with straight, fine hair always want the curly hair. I love short hair but realize that the styles I like in short hair are of those with curly, thicker hair than mine. When I go short, it requires more of my time than when long, because I try to make straight, fine hair curly when short. Want work.

    Having just turned 55, I find I am more verbal than I used to be. So I too do not mean to offend. Just that you look happy and younger with shorter hair. Live life for you. When you are happy, those around are also.

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  4. Funny that I'm getting more comments on my hair than anything else! Maybe if I can find someone that has a good reputation for taming wavy contrary hair I'll give up and get it cut. Maybe. ;)

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