Hair

All One Length Hair Girl came to me last night.

"Kite," she said, "Will you cut my hair?"

Now, you must understand, I am not trained in the art of hair cutting. I do keep my own extra short locks under control and have been known for doing little things such as trimming damaged ends, and fixing botched up bangs. I figured that she wanted a trim.

When I came to find her later, she informed me that she wanted it about shoulder length. This was a difference of about four inches. AND she also wanted it in some kind of style.

I think my jaw about hit the floor. This girl has been telling us how terrible layered hair is for most of the year (because when you braid it, ends stick out) and now she wants it layered. I was scared to death. I always get jitters even if I am just trimming someone's ends. I know that if I screw it up, it's my fault and my poor victim will tell all of their friends about how it is my fault that their hair cut sucks. But this girl wanted massive change and it about gave me a heart attack.

It made me think a little more about how society really does define people by their hair. I might say to my Roommate, "You know that guy? The one with the short, red hair?" and she would probably know that I was talking about Unconventional. Hair is one of the things we notice the most about people. When you put a group of girls together, an hour WILL NOT PASS without them talking about their hair, someone else's hair, guys' hair, Kiera Knightly's hair, etc. Our society is a little bit obsessed with hair.

I cut eighteen inches off my hair last June and now sport a funky short-cut which I love. It has been amazing to see how much it has affected people's perception of me. Whether it's making my Best Friend feel as though I look like a lesbian, or making Japanese Guy shower me with compliments because it is so "fresh" (<3). Some people like it, others don't. It's just how life is.

Anydots, I managed to give All One Length Hair Girl a pretty sweet bob cut which made her natural curls a lot more vivacious. I was pretty proud of myself. It looks very nice.

Life, unfortunately, is too often defined by hair.