Let me see some hands. Who decided to just let their hair keep growing, after no haircut for three months? I might be the only one foolish enough.
During my 30s, I grew my hair out from a very short cut to bun length. Then about 15 years ago, I found the most amazing haircutter, and adored my short, easy-care cut. But recently I looked in the mirror after getting out of bed and realized, if I don’t have 20 minutes, water and a brush, I have the coiffure of a poorly groomed cat during a Santa Ana.
It is time to go back to the bun. The style is not sassy or cute, nor does it make me look younger, but it takes about 60 seconds to look presentable. Becoming swiftly presentable is my top priority these days.
Any woman will tell you, growing out your hair is the worst. It was OK for the first couple of months, as the terrific haircut I had kept its shape. Then I had to resort to a permanent wave to give it some oomph. Then it hit that hideous stage where it wasn’t long enough to go up or short enough to leave down. I was about to put a bag over my head.
Then finally, finally, today I found if I slap on enough gel, hairspray and barrettes, I can get it up out of my face. This is a major victory. The downside is that I have to use a few curlers to give the still-too-short back some shape. I rather hoped I would never encounter a prickly, time-consuming curler again. They remain the nightmare of my teenage years.
But at least I am over that horrible hump and think I can stick with it. How do I know I won’t be tempted to run back to my miracle-working haircutter? Because, to my horror, she retired during quarantine. It was not easy to process this news, even though I was shooting toward longer hair. I did see it as a pretty solid sign I am bunward bound.
Seeing almost no one during quarantine certainly made it easier, but having my hairstyle change every week remains an exercise in patience, which I hate but can always use. Surely by 2021, I will manage a graceful, Audrey Hepburn French roll. At the very least, I will look like Alice on “The Brady Bunch.” Really, either will do.
Jean Gillette is a freelance writer who is definitely no relation to Rapunzel. Contact her at [email protected].
