Before and After

I was sooooo excited.

The big change...a new do.  Chopping off my tresses.  Going drastic.  Severing of about a 12 inches of hair.

Yes.  That's right.  A. FOOT. OF. HAIR.

Here is the... BEFORE

Does this or does this not look like I was taking my own mug shot?

But there are the long locks that really needed some assistance.  I had become a mommy, lost the layers I previously had and became a retro throwback to a generation before my time.

The AFTER

This was the night I got it cut. 

Still not sure how I feel about it.  Seriously. I mean, this amazingly skilled stylist sat me in the chair for 2 hours and schooled me on the horrific products I was using that are NOT good for my hair (woops) and then taught me how to style my hair detail by detail. 

I was so excited when I got home! I was going to be able to make these follicles look FABULOUS!

So the next day I ran on the treadmill and produced more than a healthy glow.  Let's just call it what it is...I had an odiferous sweat going on. I showered and the moment of truth came when I wet the masterpiece that she had created by putting my head under the shower. 

But no worries, I told myself.  I was now equipped with new KNOWLEDGE.  She was my beauty Yoda and I was her young skywalker-esque novice in hair-ology.

I go to do my hair like she said and realized I was not listening totally forgot what she told me.

I DID NOT REMEMBER THE BEAUTY FORCE!

What on earth is up with my Star Wars references? Go with it, Jess.  Just go with it.

So I did the best I could and here is what I did. All by myself. Really. No help.

 

Kinda big, right?  

I think I began mingling different hair eras together and got confused.

Then I began mulling over the fact that I cut off like a foot of hair.  I mean, I can't even put the thing in my messy pile I would always have on the top of my head.  So what can I do with it? I decided to experiment and here are some of my hair creations I tried...

We have the cute little pig tail look.  

Cute but more appropriate for a run on the hamster wheel or movie night with the family. I mean I am thirty...ish.

I thought of more justification for the pigtails since I am digging the fact that I could actually put it up in some way.  This works for the gym that I never go to, the beach, or even grocery shopping.

This is just wrong. 

Don't I look like two different decades of SNL with the church lady look & Mango's hair?

OK.  Sassy little clip is working for me here.

It is looking better but this is still a work in progress. I am having a tough time getting used to such a drastic change and if I could do it over again I might have done long layers (like I used to have) and then go drastic the next time.  She kind of cut it shorter than what I wanted but it is an excellent cut.  So I am having fun with it and just trying to figure it out. And by the grace of God almighty...

Hair grows.