The Ballet Student and the Magic Haircut
For as long as I can remember, I've wanted really long hair.
And I've had it, for the most part. When I arrived in New York three weeks ago, my hair reached my mid to low back, and it made for a large bun when I put it up for class. However, this past weekend, after dealing with ponytails that were too heavy to support themselves, hair that stayed wet from a shower at 8pm until morning routine at 7:30am, and a daily style that was a high ponytail since I had neither the skill nor the energy to do anything fun with my locks, I went to a salon on Sunday morning and had it cut off.
Only about seven inches. I can still make a ponytail, and now it's light enough to stay in place during a work out. The high ponytail and wrap of hair that I used to do for a bun doesn't quite work anymore. If I tilt my head back while looking in the mirror, it's still long enough that it goes behind my shoulders and makes me look like I still have those seven inches. That sort of length.
I know that there's some quote about women who are changing their hair are changing their lives, and I guess it's somewhat true. I rolled my new lob into a little feathery bun for Monday class and I felt more "on" than I have so far in class since--well, maybe since July. I know that it's very silly to think that leaving a little more than half a foot of hair on the floor of an Upper West Side salon will change my ballet technique, but I think the mindset of a change definitely helped me.
I suppose that this means a lot to me, because I sort of always subscribed to the notion that "the longer my hair grows the more powerful I become," and the idea of cutting that much off (as a ballet student, no less) was weirdly very difficult for me in a way that is utterly silly but still very real. And I learned that little changes are no big deal and might actually make things better.
Also I can leave my hair down and have it not get caught in my backpack straps.
And I've had it, for the most part. When I arrived in New York three weeks ago, my hair reached my mid to low back, and it made for a large bun when I put it up for class. However, this past weekend, after dealing with ponytails that were too heavy to support themselves, hair that stayed wet from a shower at 8pm until morning routine at 7:30am, and a daily style that was a high ponytail since I had neither the skill nor the energy to do anything fun with my locks, I went to a salon on Sunday morning and had it cut off.
Only about seven inches. I can still make a ponytail, and now it's light enough to stay in place during a work out. The high ponytail and wrap of hair that I used to do for a bun doesn't quite work anymore. If I tilt my head back while looking in the mirror, it's still long enough that it goes behind my shoulders and makes me look like I still have those seven inches. That sort of length.
I know that there's some quote about women who are changing their hair are changing their lives, and I guess it's somewhat true. I rolled my new lob into a little feathery bun for Monday class and I felt more "on" than I have so far in class since--well, maybe since July. I know that it's very silly to think that leaving a little more than half a foot of hair on the floor of an Upper West Side salon will change my ballet technique, but I think the mindset of a change definitely helped me.
I suppose that this means a lot to me, because I sort of always subscribed to the notion that "the longer my hair grows the more powerful I become," and the idea of cutting that much off (as a ballet student, no less) was weirdly very difficult for me in a way that is utterly silly but still very real. And I learned that little changes are no big deal and might actually make things better.
Also I can leave my hair down and have it not get caught in my backpack straps.
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