I like to think I started a trend way back in January of 2013 when I called my girlfriend Amber and said, “Chop it off.” At that I had tresses down to the middle of my back and a four month old who loved to pull, rub, twist, and puke all up in it. On a good day, I had smoothed back into a pony tail; on most days, it was piled into a hideous bun-- I’m using that term loosely-- that was always wet because I never had time (or interest) in blowdrying it before I knotted it on the top of my head. Not the most confidence-instilling look for a new mom.
It was pretty down, but it was never down.
I needed a new ‘do and I needed it badly, but I didn’t want to go for a “mom” cut. I’ve never really been afraid of risks when it comes to my looks, and after popping out a baby, I was feeling pretty dang risky. I scoured Pinterest for cute cuts (check out my Hairy Situation board here for inspiration) and decided a sassy little pixie was the way to go.
Yep, that's one sassy mama.
Amber came over to my house and lopped off about a foot of hair starting from the base of my neck, which we donated. If I wanted to stop, now was the time-- she could have transformed it into a bob, but that wasn’t ballsy enough for me. I was on winter break from school and really wanted to shock everyone when I came back to work, because just that’s just how I like it. Atticus watched the whole thing go down from his jumper chair with a look of bemusement. Amber later confessed she was really nervous the whole time she was cutting because she didn’t want me to hate her if I didn’t like it, but she did a phenomenal job, as usual.
That's a foot of hair and the rubber band only fit around twice. All of that was hanging from my head guys!
It’s been a year since I cut my hair off, and I still love it. And while I can’t take full credit for starting a trend, it is a trendy look. So many celebs and gorgeous regular people have gone for it. Girls with pixies are confident, cute, and sexy all at once-- and I’m not just saying that because I’m part of the Pixie Gang.
It's true, though-- the Pixie Gang is adorable.
If you’re contemplating a pixie, there are a few things to know before you go for it:
1. There is no hiding with a pixie--and that’s a good thing. That might feel scary, especially if you’re not feeling your most confident. But in general, if you like how you look with your hair in a ponytail, you can like how you look in a pixie. Just know that if you are extremely self-conscious about a facial feature, it might feel more prominent to you after you cut your hair off. I’m not saying that’s a reason to shy away from a pixie. Au contraire, one of my life rules is to never shy away. Learn to love your face now, or prepare to love it after you chop your locks off.
2. Know your hair. Not just “Oh, I have thin hair” or “It’s kind of curly some days.” Really figure out your hair’s texture, thickness, density. Do you have cowlicks? I have two. Are your individual hairs thick? Do you have many of them on your head? Do you have curl, kink, wave, or other texture in your hair, and is that texture consistent all over your head? What does your hair do in humidity? Air dry versus blow dry? I think you get the picture. If you can’t answer these questions, ask someone, or several people, or your stylist. Just find out.
3. Research, research, research. As I said, had a ton of ideas lined up to bring to Amber. Not only look for styles you like, but look for people with faces with similar shapes or features as yours, versatile styles that you can switch up so you don’t feel bored with your look, and hair accessories in case you want dress up or down. Trust me, this is some of the most fun research you’ll ever do.
4. Find a stylist you love. Amber knows my attitude and knows my hair so I wasn’t nervous at all to put my head in her hands. If you don’t have a stylist you trust and enjoy already, find one. Find someone who has a great haircut-- note, I did not say great hair, but great cut-- and ask them questions. Don’t worry, most normal human women will be happy to talk about their hair. It’s a huge compliment for a stranger to say they like your look and ask for guidance. I don’t care if that sounds sexist because it’s totally true.
5. You will wake up with what I like to call “toddler hair.” You know what I’m talking about-- it’s sticking up everywhere it shouldn’t and makes you look a little bit like an asylum escapee. You’ll need to do your hair every single day, but the good news is that “doing” your pixie will usually mean wetting down the crazy parts and running some pomade, wax, or dry shampoo through your roots before you move on. When all else fails, there’s always a headband or clip-- but if the cut is good, your morning routine will actually be much shorter.
This is what Sean wakes up to every day. He's a lucky man.
6. Do your make-up. I’m all for a girl feeling confident enough to leave the house without a stitch, but with a pixie, you run the risk of looking like a little boy if you don’t play up your features. Unless you have abnormally thick, long, black eyelashes, at least rub on some liner or swipe some mascara on before you step out of the door.
7. You’ll need more trims. Short hair runs the risk of looking like a bad Bieber cut or mullet if you don’t keep it in check every 4-6 weeks. Keep it fresh, gals.
A pixie might not be for everyone, but I do think it’s great for most women. If you want it, go for it! Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
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