For the last three years, I’ve sported a chin-length haircut. Then, in preparation for this trip, I started growing out my hair so it would be easier to manage on the road. All I have to do when it’s long is put it in a ponytail, and there’s no hassle of styling it.
A couple months ago, Mike proposed the idea of cutting it off — all of it. I was intrigued.
Me: You wouldn’t mind it if I had a pixie cut on our trip?
Mike: Look, I think you’re beautiful, and if it’ll make life easier for you, I say do it.
I think a lot of people would say, “He better feel that way!” But even I don’t like when his buzz cut is too short, and I tell him. The fact that he was so sincere when he said it made me feel more empowered to potentially do something extreme.
Should I cut my hair to pixie cut length or continue to grow it out for our trip?
And so here it is, my pros and cons list:
Pros: Could be easier to maintain, an exciting change, wouldn’t go through shampoo/conditioner so quickly, great opportunity to do something different, might look cute
Cons: What if it looks horrible?!, might get too uncontrollable when it’s that short (I have naturally thick wavy hair), could be hard to maintain on the road, the cost of getting it cut often to keep it short may become a burden, if I decide to grow it back out it could be an even bigger annoyance
In Spain four years ago, I got my hair cut and they gave me a mullet. Well, not a real one, but as close as I’ll ever get. But is the unknown part of the excitement of it all and in the spirit of this trip? I considered flipping a coin to tell me what to do, but then decided to open it up to you all for one week. Cast your vote and any comments below. Whatever you tell me to do will decide my fate.
[polldaddy poll=6242334]
UPDATE: The poll closed after one week with a 50/50 result. (So much for determining the fate of my hair.) My compromise is to keep it long for Iceland and then reevaluate its length once we hit Finland in late June. Tips, opinions and Photoshopped mockups welcome!
.
Honestly Tara, like Mike says, I think you look beautiful either way. However, for ease, long would be better. One length you can put it up in a pony tail and not have to deal with it, drying, straightening etc. Short you will have all sorts of fly away hairs. Yours will be curly and you will get annoyed. So with that said, it’s your choice.
It’s such a tough decision. I see the pros and cons to both, but then I think, “Well, this trip is supposed to be about doing things differently and being adventurous, so do I cut it just for that reason since I’ve always wanted to try a short cut?” That’s why I’ll just let the voters decide for me 🙂
You better look like your ID picture!
I’ll put on a hat so airport security can focus on my face 🙂
Tara, Mike is right, you are beautiful no matter what way you cut it. However I cut my hair very short one time and hated it. I’m a long hair girl. When its short there’s not much you can do with it except wear it in the style it’s cut. If you keep it long you can put it up in a ponytail, braid it, put it up in a clip, you have options. Besides when you return you can cut it and donate it. So as you can see long hair can be good for you and someone else. 😉 Love Aunt Robin
Thank you 🙂 It’s pretty long right now, and might actually be long enough to donate. The point of doing it short would be so I can just get up and go out and don’t have to worry about doing anything with it. We shall see…
I say go with the Pixie cut, but that’s just me. Either way, once you make your decision maybe you can help with mine 🙂 You see, usually I keep my hair around the length in the pic here on the right but currently it’s down to the bottom of my shoulder blades. I’ve taken great care of it and get a lot of compliments thanks to the Farrah Fawcett-esque curls it gets, but I’m just plain tired of it. So, should I whip it into some dreadlocks or just shave it off? 😉
haha we’re in the same boat. I’m going to do whatever the results of the poll come out to. If I end up leaving it long, I’ll reevaluate after about 2 weeks on the road. I’ll keep ya posted!
SHORT! Why?
1. You look gorgeous with short hair
2. You look gorgeous with long hair
3. If you start short, it’ll be long by the end of your trip, so you get the best of both worlds
4. Most countries looove crazy curly/wavy hair, so I don’t think it’ll be an issue to just “let it be”
I know, I’m awesome 😉
Yes, you are awesome! lol Those are some good points.
Mike is a very wise man at his tender age is all I have to say! You will be fine either way – I am glad this and not how to get a visa into Russia is one of your last decisions / action items!!!!
lol me too! Thankfully, we have our visas and passports in hand — finally.
Oh some many pros and cons on both but I say do it. You will ROCK a pixie cut!
And what’s the worst that can happen you end up growing it out but the upside you have a year traveling around the world to do it. Plus you will be able to add another part to your site… Best places to get a hair cut! or you can have Mike trim it up for you 🙂
If you don’t chicken out… go to the saloon with your hair air dried no products and make sure you tell your stylist you want it to work with little effort and product along with the sleeker look (you have a hair dryer, products and time). Cannot wait to see what you choose. 🙂
Have Mike trim it?! You’re crazy, lady!
Hey Tara, maybe you can have the front longer, like an extended bob. That way, you can pull it back, twirl it into a French twist, etc. You look terrific either way- short or long. I keep mine long, to pull back or pull up during these hot LV summers. When I go into a cold restaurant or library, it comes down to keep my shoulders warm!
I guess the issue with keeping it long is that I wouldn’t wear it down because it would be too poofy. I would always keep it up. I’m very particular about my hair, and I would want to straighten it if it was down. That’s why I’m letting the poll results tell me what to do 🙂
Short short short! So easy, and it will be long by the time you come back to us 🙂
Come back?! 😉
I think you’d look great with short hair, but I voted long. The biggest reason is not worrying about haircuts. Unless you could maintain it yourself, you’ll have to find places to have it cut to maintain it. On our RTW trip, I only got mine trimmed twice whereas my husband had to have his short hair cut all of the time. While getting his hair cut was always an interesting cultural experience, the cuts themselves varied widely, even when he managed to communicate the general style he wanted. I would have loved short hair for things like scuba diving. Plus I had to be careful on how I pulled mine back; mine started breaking after pulling it back daily. But overall I found having long hair to be easiest and I got used to air drying my hair. (I did use product in it for awhile; it conveniently ran out around the same time we got to Asia’s humidity and I stopped caring). I say leave it long and get it cut short when you come home (or on the road if you change your mind).
Solid advice! Thanks for giving me some things to think about.
For me personally I find having long hair easier b/c it doesn’t frizz out so much and I can just put it up in a ponytail. I do occasionally toy with the idea of chopping it off but that dreaded in between- growing out- needs some sort of style- phase seems like it would be a bitch on the road.
Yes! I hate that in-between phase. Actually, the worst would probably be when it’s longer than a pixie cut but still nowhere near long enough to put up. Eek!