To cut or not to cut?

After an extended absence, I have returned with a totally superficial topic: my hair.

I’m thinking of cutting it all off.

For the first 12 years of my life, my hair was short. So short, everyone who didn’t know me thought I was a boy. This was supremely annoying to me, but of course being me, I never expressed how much I hated having short hair when all the other girls had long hair.

Then from 12-24, I had a bob. Loved that hair cut. Loved. It. I grew it out a little when I lived in Spain from 1994-95, but it annoyed me and I bobbed it again. Then I cut it REALLY short in 1996. Then back to a bob.

From 24 on, I started growing it out again and it’s been long ever since. Last year in April, I got 50 cm. extensions, which I kept all through winter until I had them removed in October. Loved. Them. I always wanted really long hair, so it was perfect. And I’ve been waiting for the weather to finally cool off so I can get them again.

Then last week I read a blog entry from this American living here in Buenos Aires and I started thinking about cutting my hair off. I think I may have come to the end in the third hair cycle of my life. I appear to make major changes every 12 years, which curiously coincide with the Year of the Ox. Hm. (BTW, how are all the oxen out there? It’s been kind of a tough year so far, at least for me. Fret not, it’s supposed to get better in October. Hang in there.)

And then, if you’ve read my FB status from last night, you know that I watched Amélie yet again last night, and now I’m REALLY obsessed with cutting my hair. Apparently that movie inspired a lot of haircuts around the world. The good thing is, there are a lot of photos on the internet to serve as examples. Still, my hairdresser will go into shock when I tell her.

Second question: bangs, or no bangs?

I’m fully aware that cutting my hair will require MORE maintenance, rather than less. Currently, I get out of the shower at the gym, towel dry, add some Potion 9 to my hair, and brush it. It air dries on the way to the office, and finishes up drying somewhere within my first hour or so at work. That’s low maintenance. A short cut requires blowing it dry every day, even if no bangs are involved.

Third question: am I too old for this haircut?

I ask, because I totally associate a bob with my 12-24 years of age, and of course I’ll be 36 this July. First I got all excited about a major haircut, then I started thinking about all the men in this country that hit 50-ish and grow their hair out, probably thinking it will make them look younger. It doesn’t. It just makes them look like they’re trapped in the 80′s.

And I don’t want to look like I’m trapped in the 80′s or the 90′s, or that I’m trying to look younger than I actually am. Basically, I don’t want to look ridiculous.

And I’m also a little freaked out about losing so much hair.