Alyssa’s New Life

This is a story based on a person I know and is accurate to the best of my memory:

My name is Alyssa and I am 26 years old. I wear my hair in a short, cropped style and am often asked about it. I figured I would explain it here and let people know why I look the way I do.

I grew up in a quiet suburb outside of Lexington, Kentucky. I guess my family was middle class. I went to public school in a nice neighborhood and led a rather sheltered existence. My mom is a full figured woman who always kept up her appearance. She has thick hair that she usually wears around shoulder length. She always encouraged me to look respectable and spend time on my appearance. Like most girls, I struggled a bit with my weight and skin during puberty, but nothing out of the ordinary. I am 5’2″ and have an average sized build.  I have never been small, but always watched myself so I was not too big either.

Until I was 12, my mom kept my hair long and often braided it or put it up so it was not in my face.  When I entered my teens, I was able to do what I wanted with my hair and seemed to usually keep it between mid-back and shoulder length. I never was one of those girls who was really into spending a lot of time on my hair, so I almost always wore it up and out of my face. There were a couple times when I got it shorter and layered and could not put it all up and absolutely hated it. For that reason, my hair through high school was mostly long and all one length.

Even back then, I found the time I had to spend drying my hair was a chore. That was another reason why I would wear it up even if it was sort of messy. My hair was also thick and wavy, so it always needed to be styled if I wanted it looking decent. Most days I could not be bothered and just had a wavy ponytail. I never cared to dye my hair, even if most of my friends were doing it.

By the time I went to college, my hair was to my bra-strap, all one length and my natural brown color. I was not crazy about it and to me it was just hair.  Unlike some of my friends, I did not consider it to define me and most of the time I just wanted it out of the way.  I would get it trimmed a few times a year and just did not want it to be difficult to wear up. Once I got to college, I probably spent even less time on my hair.  I put on a bit of weight my freshman year and did not obsess about my appearance.

I dated a few guys my freshman year, but there was nothing serious. Midway through my sophomore year I got into a relationship that was fun, but clearly never something that we thought was serious or lasting. Through this time I kept my hair a bit shorter, but still below my shoulders.  I doubt I trimmed it more than two times a year. I still wore it up most of the time.  I spent the summer before my junior year at home and ended up getting blonde highlights that summer.  This was a big deal for me and I felt like the highlights suited me. This got me caring a bit more for my hair and wearing it down more often. I felt like I had to show my hair off a bit after spending money to get the highlights.

Before returning to college, I ended up cutting it right to my shoulders, which was short for me.  I got many compliments and felt good about how I looked when I saw my friends after the summer. In the mid-Fall, I met Ryan. From the first time I saw him, I was attracted and knew he was not like other guys. He was big and tall, muscular and had very short brown hair that was neatly cut. He was already in his senior year and was from a small town in South Dakota. We immediately hit it off and within a few weeks were dating. This was not like anyone I had ever dated before. It was a serious relationship and it took very little time until I felt like he was the one for me.

We spent most of our free time together and it only hit me when I returned home for Thanksgiving how much I missed him. Although it was just a week, I could not stand it. While I was home I got highlights again and I let my hairdresser cut my hair a bit above shoulder length.  This was short for me and I was a bit shocked. When I returned to school and to Ryan, he immediately noticed my hair and said how much he liked it. I thought he was talking about the highlights but it then came up that he liked the length on me. I was surprised, as I grew up thinking that guys prefer long flowing hair on women.

I do not think the topic of my hair came up again until shortly before the Christmas break. He was playing with my hair in bed and he asked if I planned to cut it again when I was back home.  I had not even thought about it until he brought it up.  I told him I did not know, but then thought maybe I should get it trimmed when I am home.  It had not been that long since I last got it cut, but it would be the last time I am home until late February. I was not sure what to do, but decided it would look nice if I got my hair trimmed before Christmas.  I went to my usual stylist and she took it a bit shorter. She left enough length so I could still wear it up with a couple of clips. I was happy with it, but again felt like it was pretty short.

When I returned to school, I was a little worried that Ryan would not like it.  I was surprised when he noticed right away and complimented the cut. I asked if he thought it was too short and he just smiled and said he liked shorter hair on me. I did not expect that, even though I realized he liked my hair this way. I was going to ask him if he thought it would look good even shorter, but I chickened out.  I think I was scared of what he would say, whether it was that he liked it longer or shorter. The topic did not come up again.

Our relationship continued to get more serious and I realized that he was probably the one for me.  I hoped he felt the same way and saw myself spending my life with Ryan.  I knew he was likely returning home after this school year and was not sure what would happen.  I did not know how to bring it up and hoped that he would. In February before I returned home for a week, we were talking and Ryan suggested that when the semester ends I come home with him for a bit.  That was a serious step for me and it really made me excited.

When I was home I could not stop thinking about him.  We had known each other for a year now and I missed being around him. It was around that time that I really hoped that he would propose to me.  I went back to get my hair trimmed that week.  It had grown longer and was again close to my shoulders. It was easier to wear up now, but I wanted to have it cleaned up.  I remembered how Ryan seemed to like it shorter, so I decided to go shorter.

I told my stylist that I wanted it shorter and explained that Ryan (who I had told her about) seemed to like the last cut. We talked about different styles and she asked if I wanted to try a short cut.  For me, this was already a short cut.  I asked what she meant and she described certain pixie cuts she did and explained what she thought would suit me.  I thought about it for a bit but could not really see myself with hair that short.  I always felt like long hair is what makes me look like a girl. I was also afraid that Ryan would hate it. In the end my stylist and I decided on a short bob.  She explained that it would be too short to wear up for a while and I agreed that I was ready.

Well she really cut it and went slightly above my chin, almost to my earlobes. I was pretty shocked as she was doing it, but was sort of excited for the change too. I felt a bit badly, as she was cutting out the highlights, but they were growing in anyhow. I wanted to get new highlights, but did not have the money for them at that time.  At the end of the cut, she told me she was going to tidy up the back and I realized that she was using clippers. I had never really felt them on me before and was a bit scared.  I was not sure how much she was going to clip and she saw I was freaked out.

She assured me she was just going to make my neck look clean and remove the hair that stuck out in the back. I was scared as she did it and felt like she was going pretty high up.  In the end, she showed me what it looked like in the mirror and I liked it.  It was a funkier look for me and it was actually buzzed in the back. I saw that she had to do it to keep it looking even and liked how much of my neck showed. It made my neck look longer, which I liked. When I got home, my family liked the cut.

When I spoke to Ryan that night I told him about the cut and he did not say much. I was a bit worried that he would not like it.  When I returned to school I was thinking before I saw him that he would hate it. Well I was wrong.  As soon as he saw me, he looked excited and told me that he loved my hair.  I was incredibly relieved and could tell that he meant it. He felt my neck where it had been clipped and I liked him playing with it. I had never thought that I would like my hair this short, but I was happy with it.  It was also easier in the morning, other than I missed being able to wear it up.

When the school year ended, I was heading home for a week and would then go to South Dakota to see Ryan and meet his family. I decided to get my hair trimmed before my trip to South Dakota.  I knew Ryan liked it so I was more confident this time. I also had enough money to get new highlights.  The cut was the same and this time I was almost excited for her to clip the back. I almost hoped that she would go a bit shorter and was disappointed when she just cut it the same.  To be fair, I did not suggest anything else.

When I got to South Dakota, Ryan picked me up. He complimented my hair but did not show the same enthusiasm as he did last time. I felt like it was quite a change with the new highlights, but it was not all that different to him I guess. We talked about other things heading to his house.  I then met his family and we had an enjoyable night, even though we had to stay in separate rooms.

His parents were kind and welcoming to me and I felt at home from the start. I also met his older brother and his wife. Ryan’s family seemed to be from a more traditional and conservative background, but that was good with me. They treated me like I was family from the start and made me feel like I belonged there. Ryan’s sister in law Kelly was so nice to me and gave me a bit of an introduction to the family and the town that they lived in.

Kelly had been married to Ryan’s brother for a couple years and had moved to the town where they were from in South Dakota.  She commented on my hair and told me how much she liked the short bob. I told her that this was short for me and her support made me feel good.  Her hair was a short style that was sort of a longish pixie, with several inches of length on top and shorter sides and tapered in the back. It was a more mature style that suited her well.  I told her that I really liked her hair and wished I was brave enough to go that short. She said that it is easier and she cannot understand why she bothered with long hair for many years. I told her that I had been tempted to try shorter hair but had chickened out.  She said that she was the same way until she was married and then took the plunge.

Near the end of the week, Ryan proposed to me and I accepted right away.  I had been hoping he would do it and felt incredible when he did. I could not stop thinking about being his wife.  Before long, we decided that we would get married next summer soon after I finished college. As he already found a job in his town, we decided that we would start off there. Everything about it excited me. I knew it would be a hard year being separated from Ryan, but the thought of being his wife kept me going.

We tried to see each other as much as possible over the summer and discussed our wedding and arrangements.

While I was there his mother mentioned that she liked my hair and how so many young women today just leave it long and unruly. This made me feel good, as I was always less than confident.  I told her that I recently went shorter and liked how easy it was. She agreed and told me that she has not had long hair since her wedding. She showed me her wedding photo on her wall and explained that she had not missed long hair since. It made me wonder if I would end up with short hair and if Ryan would like it. I considered asking Ryan after, but it never came up at that time.

Since Ryan proposed I did not even trim my hair as I wanted more length for the wedding. I was not sure what to do with my hair, but wanted to keep my options open. I guess like most women, I would have long flowing hair for my wedding day even if I sort of liked having my hair shorter. When I saw Ryan in November he did not say anything about my hair at first, but after a few days he mentioned it when we were kissing.  It was kind of in my face and he brushed it aside with his hand and smiled. He mentioned that my hair had gotten long and I told him I wanted it longer for the wedding.

He said that he knows so many women do that and then cut their hair after the big day. He then said that it will probably be a relief for me to cut my hair after the wedding. I was surprised as he just sort of assumed that I would cut my hair after the wedding. I was curious to hear what he thought as he rarely said much about my hair or how I looked. I asked what he thought I should do and he said he thought short hair would suit me. I said I was glad that he liked the way my hair looked short and was not sure when I first cut it. He smiled and said that the cut that I had is not really what he considers short. I asked what short is to him, and he said short enough that it will not get in the way when we kissed. He then continued kissing me and that discussion ended.

The next time we discussed my hair at all was a bit before Christmas when it was driving me nuts and I wanted to at least trim it. I mentioned to him that I wanted to at least trim it and he asked who I would go to to get it cut. I was not sure and he suggested that I could get it done when I visit him before the holidays. I said I did not know anyone there and he suggested that I ask his sister in law Kelly as her hair always looks great. As I did not really have a regular stylist at school, I figured it was not a bad idea. This also confirmed to me that he liked short styles.

Our plan was to spend a bit over a week in South Dakota and then leave Christmas Day to spend the rest of the holidays with my parents. When I came to visit before Christmas I had still not trimmed my hair. I saw Kelly the second day and complimented her hair, which was now even shorter. She said she was still getting used to it but found it super easy. I asked about her hairdresser and mentioned that I was thinking to get my hair trimmed. She said that I would love her stylist (Claire), but warned me that she is a bit scissor happy and I should be a bit careful if I want to have hair to wear up at the wedding. I asked what she meant and she explained that for Claire, a trim is a few inches and if I say I want it cut I will come out looking like her. I just smiled and said I would be careful, but I liked her hair.

I made the appointment with Claire the next day and she had to squeeze me in as it was a busy time right before Christmas. I told her who I was and she said I might have to wait a bit but she will get me in. I really did not have much to do, so I was good with that. I told Ryan my plan and he asked what I was planning on doing. I joked and said I was going to ask her to go really short and I would leave it up to her. He smiled knowing I was kidding and said that I should wait until after the wedding if I want to do that. The thought crossed my mind to actually go short and be a short-haired bride, but I knew I was not that brave.

When I got to Claire it was a few days before Christmas and the salon was very busy. Claire was more or less what I imagined. She was a middle aged woman probably in her late 40s. She had dark brown hair which she wore in a short bob.

There were only two stylists who worked there and there must have been five or six clients waiting. Beside me was a mother with a pixie that was a bit longer than what my sister in law had and her daughter, who looked like she was around 11 and had a shaggy style that was a bit shorter than the bottom of her ears. She was just finishing a woman in her 40s with a neat bob. The style was not too short and suited her. I saw how Claire was trimming her neck neatly and it kind of made me miss my shorter hair. After she was done with her, Claire greeted me and apologized for being so behind. Claire  said she had two clients ahead of me but promised she would be fast. I said I was in no rush and was good to wait.

She then had the mother beside me get into her chair and she started spraying her hair. Claire asked if they were doing the same thing and the woman said yes, but she did not want it too short. I thought it was already pretty short before she got in the chair, so I wondered what she would do.  Claire got out her scissors and comb and just started cutting away. I was shocked at how quickly she worked as she cut her hair on top. She used the comb and scissors on the back and sides and it seemed like her hair was pretty much done in about 10 minutes. While she was cutting, they discussed her daughter’s hair and said that she needed a good cut so it is neat for the holidays. The mother mentioned that it is getting long and she does not take great care of it. Claire just said, “leave it to me” and that was it.

I thought Claire was finished cutting the mother’s hair when she took out the clippers and tidied up the sides and back. I was surprised at how quickly she did it and liked how she tapered it in the back. It was very short and neat in the back, but still looked very feminine and stylish. She then blew her hair out in under 5 minutes. The mom then left the chair and Claire had her daughter get into the chair. The mother sat down near me and I told her that I really liked the cut. She thanked me and said if you do not want to spend much time blowing your hair dry, it is a great style. Looking at her it sort of made me think about going very short eventually.

As I waited, I watched her work on the girl who was now in the chair. Within a couple of minutes, she had cut off most of her hair on the sides and back, reduced to under an inch and cut rather unevenly. I was trying not to stare, but was surprised by what she was doing.  When she had cut most of the length, she took out the clippers and started reducing the length to what looked like under a half inch in the back and on the sides. The girl in the chair did not seem thrilled, but did not seem shocked either as the clippers went over her nape and above her ears. It seemed like this went on for quite some time until the hair was even.  The stylist then unclipped her hair on top, brushed it out and started cutting it to a length above her ears into what was a short wedge/mushroom cut.

I commented to her mother how well behaved she was as her hair was being cut that short and her mom said that she is used to it. She said that she has not had her hair cut since the summer and needed to get it tidied up. The mother then explained that moms who go to Claire are generally not ones who think long fancy hair makes sense for young girls. She said that Claire also knows how to cut hair without making much of a fuss. After another five minutes, the girl’s hair was blown dry and she definitely had a neat style as she got out of the chair. It was now my turn.

As I got in the chair I introduced myself and let her know I was Kelly’s future sister in law. Claire asked when I was getting married and I told her I still had seven months to go. I told her I had been growing my hair for the wedding and did not want to take off too much length. She understood and said that it was common for young ladies like me. She suggested just taking off an inch or so and evening it out.  I was good with that and let her get to work. In the end I think more than an inch came off and my hair was even and a bit above my shoulders. As she was blowing it dry, I sort of regretted that I did not have her go any shorter. For the first time I sort of missed having my hair shorter. I figured it is worth waiting until after the wedding to cut much.

When I got back to Ryan’s place he said that he liked the cut and asked if I was happy with it. I said I was happy with Claire and that I thought she would go shorter so I told her to just trim it. When Kelly saw me she also liked the cut and was relieved when I said I was happy with it. She asked if I was going to use her to style my hair for the wedding and I realized that I needed someone to do it but had not yet thought about it. I said that I would without giving it much thought. 

While I was still staying with Ryan in South Dakota, we were spending time together and he was running his fingers through my hair. I always liked when he played with it. He told me he was happy that I liked Claire and was not sure if she would be a good fit for me. I asked why and he said that she was more of a traditional hairdresser, who had clients who were working women and moms. I smiled and asked as a joke if he was worried she would have given me a short pixie like Kelly. He then surprised me and said that would not be so bad. He said that it is my hair and my decision, but he did not want me to think that I had to keep my hair long just to make him happy.

I told Ryan that I was relieved to hear him say this, as I knew so many guys just liked long hair on women. I also sort of liked the idea of a change and always liked having hair that is easy to manage. I then told him about the woman I saw when I went to Claire and described her cut. He asked me if that was a cut I could see myself with and I really did not know what to say. I had never thought of myself having that little hair, but was sort of intrigued by the idea. I knew I was not ready for such a big change, but thought it might be an exciting thing to do after the wedding. Especially if Ryan liked the idea.

The next few months went by really fast as I was getting ready for the wedding and finishing school.  I went a while without seeing Ryan and missed him.  I could not wait until we lived together and I would see him everyday. I loved the idea of waking up every morning and being near him. I gave a lot of thought to the wedding and my life once I was married.  I let my hair grow over that time and have to admit that I got annoyed with it.  I considered trimming it just to tidy it up, but figured I should just grow it until the wedding, which was not too far away. I had it in my head that I was cutting it after the wedding.

Ryan came to visit me in the early spring and I was so happy to see him.  We only had a few days together but they were very special. We planned more of the wedding and decided we would take a one week honeymoon in California.  Prices were pretty high, so we decided to wait a few weeks after the wedding before going away. I was excited for my new life and just wanted the next few months to go by quickly.

We talked about my hair for the wedding and Ryan was good with whatever I did.  I did not want it too fancy and told him I would just straighten it and keep it natural. He asked if that is why I was not cutting it and I was surprised he even noticed that it was longer. I told him I was not sure whether to trim it and wanted enough length for the wedding. He did not say much more about it. It was hard saying bye to him, as I knew I would not see him until school ended for me.  

I graduated from college by early May and went home for a few weeks.  My plan was to head to South Dakota about 10 days before the wedding and live at Ryan’s parents’ place. Unlike most couples today, we thought it was best to only move in together after the wedding. Ryan drove to my place so I could move my stuff. The whole process was super exciting.  I already had my dress and most of the arrangements for the wedding were set. 

In the days leading up to the wedding I spent time with Ryan’s family and got closer with Kelly. She was in my wedding party and was helping me out with things before the big day. Her hair was a little longer when I saw her, but still a pixie style. She said she wanted a bit more volume for the wedding so she held off on getting it cut. She showed me these cute clips that she got for the wedding and I thought they were adorable. She said that clips are perfect for when you want your hair a bit fancier and still out of the way. 

She then asked me about my hair for the wedding and I told her that I was planning to keep it simple and straight. She asked if I was going to keep the length and I said I might have Claire even it up again, but I think I wanted it long for the wedding. Kelly understood and asked if I was planning to keep it long after. I told her I was thinking about a change and was tempted to get it cut much shorter. I just said I was worried that it would not look good and Ryan would hate it. Kelly asked why I thought that and I explained that he liked my hair when it was a bit shorter but was worried that he would not like it very short. 

She asked again why I thought that and I said I just thought most guys like long hair. I wanted to be careful what I said, as I knew Kelly had kept her hair short for a long time. Kelly explained that she used to think that as well but realized that it was more that guys liked that really long hair for “girls” and it was not so much what they liked in their wives. She said that many men prefer more of a married look for their wives.  I realized that Ryan had used a similar expression with me when we discussed hair months ago. That sort of got me wondering so I asked Kelly to tell me what she meant by that.

Kelly said that most men are happy to have their wives look a bit more modest and not trying to get the same attention. They also realize what is easier and more practical for a married woman. I asked Kelly if she thought Ryan would think that way and she said if he was like his brother he would. I thought about things Ryan had said to me about hair in the past and I sort of realized that he might like the idea of short short hair. The idea made me nervous, but I decided I would try to ask what he thought.

I was not sure how to bring the idea of short hair up with Ryan and did not just want to come right out and ask. A few days later I was telling him the style I wanted for the wedding and he seemed supportive. He did not say much about it and was sort of the typical male. I then asked him whether he thought I should try short hair after the wedding. He said he liked my hair short and I should do what I want. I found the answer sort of non-committal and was not sure what he meant by short hair. I decided to get up the nerve to ask a direct question and then asked how short. He did not know what I meant, so I spelled it out for him. I asked on a scale of 1 to 10 how short I should go with 1 being a trim from what I have now and 10 being me asking Claire to cut it as short as she could.

I got nervous just asking that question and was not sure how Ryan would react. He was quiet and thought about it for a bit. He then said 9, but I should do whatever I want. I was shocked, as I expected him to say 4 or maybe 5 at most. I did not know what to say and was sort of scared to ask anymore. It did not seem like a big deal to Ryan and he just started talking about something else.

For the next few days I kept thinking about my hair and looking at women with shorter styles. I also kept wondering what a “9” would be. I also struggled with the idea of having very short hair and how it would look on me. I wanted to ask Kelly again and tell her about my talk with Ryan, but I did not know how to bring it up again. It was a bit embarrassing even to talk about it. I looked at styles online and felt like I changed my mind about what I wanted several times a day.

The week went by fast and I had a lot on my mind.  Although I am talking about my hair here, there was a lot more going on during the last week of my single life. My family and friends came in soon after and things just got very busy. I was tempted at times to bring up the idea of my hair with friends, but it just did not happen. I was not sure how to bring it up and was afraid that they would say things to complicate my decision more. In the end, I stayed silent and focused on the wedding.

The day of the wedding was exciting and went by so fast. I will not go into the full details of the big day, as that would be a much longer story. I will stay focused on my hair.

I went to Claire the morning of the wedding. We came to her salon early and before it opened. She helped with a few of the bridesmaids including Kelly. Although she did not cut Kelly’s hair she used clippers to clean up the back and shape her hairline and sideburns. I watched pretty intently and saw that it did not even phase Kelly when she was doing it. Calire asked Kelly if she was planning to keep it a bit longer and Kelly said she wanted a bit more length for this wedding and planned to cut it after that. Kelly said that even at this length it gets annoying. When I heard Kelly say that, I wondered if I would be that way in a few years and think of a grown out pixie as being too long.  

It was then time for her to do my hair. I told her what I wanted and Claire trimmed the ends and did a straight style that still had some volume. She knew I wanted to keep it simple and she gave me exactly what I had in mind. When she was trimming my hair I told her that I was planning a serious cut next time. Part of me was hoping that Claire would ask me more or give me suggestions about what to do. Claire just smiled and did not even seem surprised. She said I will love having it easier and asked if I was going away after the wedding. I told her that we were waiting for a couple weeks and she suggested that I return to her before the trip. 

Claire said she often has her clients do a good cut before the honeymoon so they can start married life with their new style. She said that it helps with husbands who need to get used to the new cut. I did not really know what she meant and I asked. She then bluntly said that many husbands are not all that warm to the ideal of wives with short hair at first. When that is the case, she suggests a real chop before the honeymoon. Claire then explained that most husbands get used to it over that intimate time and by the time the trip is over, they are used to their wives having hair that is a good style for the future. I said that Ryan seemed good with me going shorter.

When we were leaving, Claire asked if I wanted to book an appointment before I went away. I agreed and decided to make one next week so I could get my hair cut before going away. I did it without thinking too much and probably would have chickened out or delayed if I gave it more thought. I had other things on my mind the day of my wedding.

The wedding was pretty close to perfect for us.  It was what I expected and I could not wait to start my life with Ryan. I liked my hair on the wedding day and felt like it looked right for me. Not too fancy and very natural for me. I did not want my hair to look like something I would never do for that day and it worked out very well.

I don’t even think I mentioned scheduling my next appointment to Ryan until a few days after the wedding. We were talking about our trip and what to pack. I mentioned that I do not know if I would even need a hairdryer. Ryan was surprised as he knew I use one most mornings if I wash my hair. He asked with a bit of surprise if I was planning to just keep my hair natural when we were away. I told him that I was planning to cut it before the trip. He said that sounds like a good idea, which was encouraging. Looking for support I asked him why he thought that and he said if it is coming off eventually anyhow I might as well have it easier for the trip. Even that support made me feel good. 

Well the day of my appointment came. It was a lazy day and Ryan and I just stayed in bed talking. He knew I had the appointment that day and asked what time it was for. I told him and again asked if he was okay if I really cut it. He could tell that I was unsure and just said that I could do whatever I want and he will love it. I felt silly for being so nervous.

I made the appointment for the late morning and did not even bother styling my hair before I came in. It was a wavy mess and I was really ready for a change. When I came in Claire was finishing a cut of a woman who looked to be in her 40s. Claire was using clippers on her nape and it got my attention. The woman did not even seem phased by it and the short style suited her well.  I think Claire noticed me staring at her cut and I then tried to look away. I was the only other customer in the salon that day, as it was a Tuesday morning. This made me feel a bit more comfortable, but I was still totally unsure what to expect. I had promised myself that I was not going to back out of the cut at this time, but was still so unsure.

It took Claire less than five minutes to blow out and style her client’s hair. Her client paid and Claire then told me she was ready.  I sat in the chair and she started brushing out my hair and commenting on the length. She then looked at me and asked if I was ready for a new look. I said I was ready for a change and had wanted my hair shorter since I started the grow out for the wedding. I mentioned that I had been gradually going shorter before Ryan proposed, but then did the wedding grow out. She asked if I had liked it a bit shorter and I told her I did and probably would have continued to cut it if not for the wedding. 

She could tell I was nervous and asked if I had ever had short hair before. I said I guess it depends on what you call short and Claire said for her short is above ears. I told her that my hair had always been longer. I said I was ready for a style that was easy and a new look for my married life. She understood and said that my hair will be much easier and no longer in the way.. She asked if I had talked to Ryan about going shorter. I told her I did and he seemed good with it. Claire told me many husbands need time to get used to wives who have shorter hair. I told her he is fine with it and maybe seeing Kelly had worked him in. She asked what we had discussed and I mentioned Ryan’s comment about “9” on the shortness scale. As soon as the words came out of my mouth, I thought that maybe I should not have said this.

Claire said that it was great that Ryan was supportive and said that she had a perfect style in mind that would be neat, wash and wear and perfect for the honeymoon. I wanted to ask a million questions but stopped myself. The words wash and wear frightened me and I did not want to walk out of the salon looking like a guy. I just said that I was okay trying it short but still wanted a cut that was feminine. She explained that she knew exactly what I meant and said I will still look feminine. She explained that she would taper the sides and back in a way that was still girly and raise the hairline in the back to make my neck look longer. She said would leave some volume on top and shape my sideburns in a feminine way. I really had no idea what she meant by all of this, but I told her I was ready. 

She had already sprayed my hair and just started cutting from the back with a comb and scissors. I could feel chunks coming off and saw them from the side of my eyes. I felt the scissors cutting near my scalp, so I knew there was no turning back.  As she was working from the back, I could not really tell how much hair she was leaving. She was totally unphased by all of this and was asking me all about the wedding. I was trying to make conversation and not look like I was scared as hair seemed to be falling to the floor rapidly.

It was only a minute before I was able to see her scissors and comb in the mirror as she was working towards the sides. By then I could see that she was pretty much just chopping it all off pretty much as close as she could. I wanted to say something but did not want to seem rude. She just kept cutting the length above my ears until there was barely any hair left. She was also taking the length off the hair on top as she cut. She could tell I was in shock at this stage and told me not to worry. She said she was just getting rid of the volume and will then tidy it up with a neat taper. By that time, I realized that it was going to be very short and there was little to say. I just let her keep cutting.

Within another minute or two she was working on the other side and I saw that she left maybe two inches on top and the sides were pretty much as short as one could cut with scissors and a comb. I felt like I was bald on the sides and wondered if the back was also that short. This whole time she just kept cutting away and making small talk with me. Before I knew it, she stopped cutting and asked if I liked how I looked with short hair. I looked in the mirror with fear and saw me with barely any hair left. The top was uneven and under 2 inches, but looked long in contrast to the sides. I did not really like what I saw in the mirror, but smiled. She then told me that she would texture the hair on my crown and started cutting more.  She now was not cutting much length and just evening it up. I hoped that she would not take off much more length, as there really was not much hair left.

As she was cutting away, Claire explained that this will give my hair on the crown body and a feminine look. She also explained that it will be very easy to manage as it will be thinner and sit nicely. By that time, I just hoped that she would leave me enough hair to brush. She said that my hair was perfect for this cut and kept cutting. I kept thinking she was done, but she just seemed to keep cutting more.

When she was done she said that she was going to even out and taper the sides and back. I felt like it was already short enough but was not really sure what to say at this point. I spoke up and just said that it is already pretty short. She smiled and said that she is not taking it any shorter but just cleaning it up and making the hairline look neat. I was in a bit of shock and just nodded my head. She then took out her clippers, put on a guard and started going over my hair with them. She started in the back and I assumed she was just going to use them near the hairline. I then felt her going higher and higher, almost to the crown of my head. I was not sure what to do and just let her continue as she started moving to the sides of my head.

By this time, Claire’s next customer had arrived and was waiting nearby. I saw her in the mirror as Claire was clipping away and I saw her looking at what she was doing. She was in her late 30s and had shoulder length hair. When we made eye contact in the mirror, she smiled and made some comment about there being a lot more of my hair on the floor than on my head. I then looked down and saw how much hair was on the floor under me. I just smiled back and Claire told her that I just got married. She then said that I must have been ready for a change, I said that I was ready for my hair to be easier and was ready to try a new look. She answered that I sure came to the right place if I wanted easy hair.

It felt like ages before she finally turned the clippers off. She then ran her hands over what was left of the hair on my nape and sides to wipe off the little clippings of hair. As she did this I could feel that the hair that was left was short enough to almost feel prickly. I realized by the feel that this was much shorter than I had expected, but figured there was little I could do now. By this point, I was just hoping that she was done.

Claire then asked how I wanted the hairline in the back shaped. She explained that I could have her keep it straight and even, make a bit of a “V” shape or have her round it at the sides. I was really not sure and asked what she thought. She said that rounded is more feminine and would make my neck look longer. I agreed and she got out the little clippers that did not have a guard and started using them on my neck.  I felt her trimming my neck and going higher to shape the hairline. It tickled and almost hurt a bit. I could not see what Claire was doing but figured at this point it was well beyond my control.

When she was finished, she used a mirror to show me the back and it was very neat.  The hairline was higher than I thought and the length was just long enough to not show my scalp. I kind of expected it after all that clipping but was still surprised. Claire then blew it out for less than a minute and it was all dry. She then put a bit of gel on top to weigh it down and mentioned that this is all I have to do to keep it looking perfect. I said that I guess it will be pretty easy and Claire agreed.

She said it will take less than a minute to style each day. She suggested that I clean up the back every two weeks to keep it neat and not look like I have neck stubble. I asked if I should do it myself and Claire said that most of her clients just have their husbands tidy it up. It was then that I thought about what Ryan would think and worried that he would hate it this short. I knew he liked my hair shorter in the past, but this was way shorter than even his hair. I was not sure if he would like the idea of a wife with such short hair and having to shave my neck. I figured it would always grow back.

As I left the chair, I felt self conscious and almost naked not having much hair left. Claire could tell I was unsure and tried to reassure me that I would love it. She said that Kelly will be jealous and Ryan will like it if he is a fan of short hair. I said that he might be shocked by it being so short. Claire said that this would not be unusual and even if he needs time to get used to this length, he will learn to like it this way. She said that many of her clients have husbands who are not sure about short hair at first but over time like the “married look”. I remembered Kelly using this same term with me and it got me thinking that this might just be a good look for me and my new life with Ryan.

To be continued…