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| Mercedes my hair dresser A few weeks before the latest "short" cut. |
The photo to the right is my previous haircut and blow-dried look done by hair dresser Mercedes Cruz. She is an amazing artist and has been working magic with my hair for about two years. She was one of the stylists in my salon where I had my hair cut about every four weeks. In between, if I had an important meeting/interview, I would go in for a shampoos and blow-dry. Michael was my regular stylist and Mercedes my backup. Michael has since moved and that made it easy for me to start using Mercedes.
I stopped with the wigs about 11 years ago at the time I started working in a large museum in a department of eight women. The wigs on a daily basis just looked "wiggy" and unnatural even though expensive. It was hot and uncomfortable all day. Also the employee parking area was not close to the office entrance and the Florida heat and weather made the wig problematic.
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| Last Year |
I learned that few noticed and if they did they did not care. So little by little I started letting it get longer and more feminine. A lot of trial and error occurred. Finally about a year ago I had it to near shoulder-length. I love it when Michael/Mercedes styles my hair. I could keep it looking that way for a few days by doing careful sleeping and showers. Not having grown up taking care of long hair (anything but), I never learned the in/outs of setting, blow-drying that the teens practiced and learned early. As my hair got longer I was lost.
A few weeks back I spent an entire morning washing, rolling/setting and drying my hair. It looked awful when I was done. I had finally grown my hair to style/length beyond what I could maintain.
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| One week after the cut - More on this event later. |
I know today it's a bit short, although I am getting compliments and getting used to it being so short. I will now let it grow from this point and see what I like best along the way. I do know that long stringy white (grey) hair can age you so I do think the short cut is more youthful. I will likely end up with my hair in a soft bob - full on the sides, stacked in the back and with a somewhat asymmetrical part sweeping to the side (maybe over one eye).
I love playing with my hair. I use hot rollers while I am putting on my makeup and just adore the whole process of getting myself ready for an escape. It never gets old.
What do you think of the new cut? Too short? Not feminine enough?
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| Hair Role Models |
Gorgeous!
ReplyDelete-Juliet
I like the one week post cut photo the best. It fits, it works and it brings out the best in you.
ReplyDeleteThanks Pat!
DeleteThe shorter cut looks great on you! So much so, that I would suggest you reconsider your gradual growing out plan. I think you should keep it short for awhile to see how it might be easier to maintain the style. Even if you enjoy the process of playing with your hair, the in-between stages of growing it out could prove to be frustrating...or so I've been told. It's not that I'd say my genes are bad (except for the underdeveloped second X chromosome), but I am forced to have to literally wear my hair.:-( I do have one wig that is very much like your shorter style, though, and even the wig is easier to keep looking good day in and day out.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment Connie. Your hair in the little snapshot photo looks very natural. You look great!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rhonda. I try to do my best with what I have (or don't have) to work with. At least I don't have the heat and humidity to contend with, as you alluded to. This time of year, in Seattle, the rain and wind are definitely not conducive to keeping a wig natural-looking, though.
DeleteJust a side note: I once was told by a trans woman that it would be impossible for me to transition because I would have to wear a wig - which would make me no better than a professional cross dresser. That's so wrong, for so many reasons, but it shows how hair is important for women, cis and trans, alike. By the way, I responded to that remark with the Serenity Prayer: Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And wisdom to know the difference. I've always thought that it applied to trans people as much as it does to those in AA.
What a cruel thing for someone to say. I worked with a woman that had Alopecia - She wore a wig. Another woman I worked with had a very high forehead - she wore a wig. Women undergo chemo and wear a wig. Wigs are not manufactured for just the transgender community. A medical condition or fashion consideration for wearing a wig, would not make a woman, not a woman. It is your internal self. You look great and wearing a wig does not diminish you being a woman. You go girl!
DeleteI really believe she said that because she thought it to be true, not necessarily thinking it to be a cruel thing to say. Of course, that said much more about who she was than anything about me. I told her the same thing about women wearing wigs, including my wife who endured chemo and my mother who wore wigs most of the time (my mother's wigs were of great help to me when I was a kid, too). I refrained from telling this trans woman that I looked better in my wig than she did with her own long and natural locks - and I think I did - but I've never thought of myself being in a competition. Besides, she was obviously too ugly on the inside to ever be a pretty woman.
DeleteYour new 'short bob' really rocks!
ReplyDeleteand remember:
SILVER IS THE NEW BLONDE!
Velma
PS Perhaps you could place your new photo into the 'You look like' app (compares your image to those images of Hollywood celebs....
The new cut is becoming. I am a real fan of a bit longer bob, say between chin and shoulder length, which is where mine is right now.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this post, I have been dying to know a bit more about your hair story for quite awhile.
But I'm still wondering what others think when you are in guy mode (and wondering how often that is anymore, as you seem so naturally resident in your fem mode these days...)
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ReplyDelete