Trendy Wendy Wednesday * Wendy Gets A Haircut

Me, my new hairdo and one of my favorite tshirts from my friend Stacey.  Cuz Iowa IS awesome! And 75% vowels.

I did something really scary yesterday. Like scarier than Halloween scary. I cut my hair. I mean I didn't cut my OWN hair but I had my hair cut. A lot of it. Like five inches. 

My sister and I circa 1980. At this point, I'm still recovering from the boy haircut. And pre-braces.

I can see you shaking your head. Yes, you. I know most folks don't find haircuts scary, and normally I don't either. I actually love going to my hairdresser Mario to get my hair done.  One, his color is amazing. My hair is a flat brown color by nature. He makes it look like I'm Princess Kate. And for a while, I had hair as long.

If you lived through the 70's then you remember these babies. My head hurts just looking at them.

But you see, there's a back story. When I was a little girl, I had long, straight brown hair and I loved it. Well, except the part where mom would pull my hair into those pony-tail holders with the colored plastic balls at the ends. Those damn things hurt my head every day. 

What I looked like after the "boy" haircut (this is Mia Farrow, but the resemblance is striking, I think).

I think I was about nine when my sister and I were shipped off to spend a week with my grandparents in Omaha. My grandparents came and picked us up at our house and mom causally mentioned that, "the girls could both use haircuts." Next thing I know, I'm in the salon chair with my grandmother looking over my shoulder and my long hair is falling to the floor.  

Everyone wanted the Dorothy Hamil.

Except me. I wanted to look like Wonder Woman (I still love her. My car is named Linda CARter. Don't judge).

Why didn't anyone have me dry my hair after coming in from the pool before the photo?! Good lord that's awful. And let's not even talk about that neck. (circa 1983)

Granted, it was the early 70's and short cuts were in (remember Dorothy Hamil?). But I had folks confusing me for a boy. "Are you looking for a present for your mommy, little boy?" (that was at the Singer sewing store in Merle Hay Mall as Dad, my sister and I looked for something for my mom for her birthday). I was devastated. 

The '80's bob was too appealing. Plus the coolest girl I knew had one. So I got one too.

This isn't me but it is my old haircut. Even the popular girls complimented me on my courageous cut. My mom and Dad? Not so much.

Over the years I tried to grow it back out. I'd get it so far and I'd get frustrated (or Mom would, because it looked awful) and cut it again. Or there would be a trend I couldn't pass up (Erin Henz and her bob haircut was just too much. I had to have a bob too). And there was that bi-level in high school. The one mom told me I couldn't have but I did anyway (got me in such trouble my parents pulled me off of the cheerleading squad as punishment - the only time I ever made a cheerleading squad. My life was ruined. But my hair looked awesome). It was in my thirties before I was able to stand growing it out to get it to my shoulders again.

Me two weeks ago today shooting the Trendy Wendy Wednesday Lipstick post you all loved. 

Long hair at last. But yet, not quite long enough (this was about 3 years ago)

And for the last fifteen years or so, long hair has been in and I've kept mine past shoulder length with the dream of growing it about five inches past my clavicle (for you non-anatomy people, that's your collar bone).  
But times change. And I was ready for a change. So I did what all girls do - I searched on Pinterest for a hairstyle I liked. And I found a couple of photos, pinned them and off to see Mario I went. 

That's just some of the hair no longer attached to my head.

And then I freaked out on the inside. But he was so excited about taking off the length, I couldn't back out. Five inches later, a bunch of my hair was on the floor and I had a new shag haircut. Which I love. Other than that weird feeling you have when you run your hand through your hair forgetting a bunch of it is missing, I'm loving the way it moves and it actually feels lighter. Who knew.

Lighter. Feeling free. And loving the buzz you get from doing something a little scary.

So my advice to you: do it. Now. Before the fear takes over. You don't have to get your hair cut, but do something that scares you a little bit. And then celebrate it. And tell me about it in the comments. And for the boost of courage - you're welcome.

Trendy Wendy Wednesday * It's Like 80's Hair All Over Again But Better

Today is our first Trendy Wendy Wednesday.  So, I thought I'd lay it out there.  One of my deepest darkest desires.  Just display right here for all of you to gawk at it.  You see, I have stick straight hair.  STICK. STRAIGHT. HAIR.  It's long and dark and shiny, which I'm generally pretty pleased about.  But all my life I've just wanted a little wave.  Ok, a lot of wave.  I have a friend who has the most amazing boing boing curls (you know who you are "Miss Are we going to a biker bar?  I'm not going to a biker bar!" And yes, you'll be showing up in the book I'm writing.  You're welcome.).  And she wants to straighten it all the time.  It kills me.  Along with the friends that have these waves and texture and awesomeness.  And they flat iron it all out every chance they get. Arrrrggghhhh!

Photo courtesy of JennaBethDay.com

I've spent crazy dollars on products to make it curly. And full. If it says "adds wave" or "adds volume", I've probably bought it.  And when I 'do' my hair, I spend as much time on my hair trying to make it wavy/curly as the curly haired girls do straightening theirs.  

Photo courtesy of JennaBethDay.com

So, when I saw this pin on Pinterest, I cruised over to JennaBeth's webpage and I thought to myself, I may have found a way to get some curls in these straight locks of mine.  Here's my attempt at the style. First - my tools:

My trusty round brush Some bobby pins and a few heavier duty clips Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray to act as a texturizer  TriDesign Covert Control Hairspray (the best hairspray on the planet) My HotTools 1" curling iron.

Next, I washed and dried my hair like she said, spritzing in a little of the texturizer before I dried it and then sprayed it with some hairspray and brushed through it.

Then I took my curling iron and started at the top of my head.  It took a couple of tries to figure out the best way to curl it so the roots got heat but the ends weren't all twisted up.

Then I curled and pinned the rest of my head.  It got easier the more I attempted it.  By the end, I was pretty good at creating the big round curls around my fingers and getting them pinned.  

I let it all cool for about 25 minutes and then took the pins out.

Turned my head upside down and shook out the curls and ran my fingers through the ends which were a bit tangly (but what's new - yet another curse of lots of fine straight hair).  
And voila.  I had hair like I used to in 1988.  But better bangs.  And much less hairspray used. And no Liz Claiborne purse with the can of AquaNet in it. And for once the curls stayed!  Maybe it was the little bit of hairspray and the texturizer.  Maybe it was letting the curls cool long enough. Who knows. But damn if I didn't wish I had somewhere to go.  At least the trash guys will see me in something other than sweats and two day hair today.  You're welcome, trash guys.