Friday, December 30, 2011

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

Hair.

Our relationship with it can be complicated and sometimes treacherous, despite the fact that it's "just hair" and (often) "grows back".  I have thick, coarse, curly/wavy hair that I used to pray would turn into sleek, black Asian hair.  It never did.  I literally have to talk myself out of touching that sort of hair when I encounter it on the subway.  Hair that doesn't frizz?   Hair that feels like silk instead of Brillo? Hair that is STRAIGHT?  Hair so shiny one can nearly see a reflection in it?  Ah, that is my ideal hair.  But it isn't mine.

I've grown mine so long that I could sit on it, and then rashly cut it pixied (this shot from 14 years ago), a look I loved and, if I didn't want to be an old lady with long hair, I'd go for again.

I've had my share of bad haircuts, such as my decision to chop my butt-length hair into Amelie's banged-out-'do in 2001 after falling in love with the movie.  I have a tiny forehead.  Me and bangs?  Not so much. This misguided decision was one of my many post-break-up haircuts.  Have you done that, too?

@Allison Tyler 2011
My hair is currently to my waist (in the back) and below my nipples in the front, having just had seven inches of it chopped off by the fabulous Lawrence Deluz (if you're anywhere near NYC, I highly recommend him) in what has come to be known as The Best Haircut Of My Life.  Thank you, Lawrence!  This is a self-portrait I took for one of Erica The Artist's projects.  She currently has gorgeous peacock-colored hair.  Check her out!

I am fascinated by women's journeys with their hair, from ordinary women like me, to these beauties who suffered hair loss as the result of chemotherapy, to those who give up their hair by choice, like the radiant Tara Wagner's tale of shaving off her nearly-4-year-old dreadlocks, beautifully documented by Tiffini of FreePlayLife.

Oh yes, hair, or the lack of it, can be yummy indeed.

Update 1.4.12 - Tiffini shaved her head, too!


2 comments:

Jamie said...

Today I looked in my rear-view mirror at the mess on my head and I almost cried. Age, stress, and medications have robbed me of half of my hair over the last few years. My long, glorious, wild, curly mane is gone. Who does this thin, frizzy hair belong to?

Hello. said...

Jamie - I understand and it sucks and I'm sorry. What I didn't write above was that during my illness last year I lost handfuls of hair. When we got my meds at proper dosage, the loss stopped, but my hair volume is much, much thinner than it was and doesn't appear to be coming back...sigh...

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