Okay, so here they are: pics of my new do. I broke down, made the earliest appointment I could, and dove in.
These photos are after dancing for 3 hours at class, so it is a little less "joujed" and coiffed as I would have had it.
I did it yesterday afternoon, and it took 4 hours, all said and done. The color took about 2 hours, and the rest was consultation and cut. The color she was a particular peach with! She didn't want me to have to strip my hair, and go through painful scalp scalding that comes with it. Instead we did three colors, two in foils. The blonde streaks (which becamse mostly pink in no time, sadly) and the funky red were in foils, then an allover more natural bright red went kind of "every other line of hair". So it was a line of foil, line of natural red and so on. This made it so the foils didn't have to go right up to my scalp (no burning), when it fades it won't fade pink but instead toward the red I had underneath it, and the roots won't be as obvious when they start coming in again (and I could do some home color on top if I didn't have the moolah to fill in the roots regularly--not ideal, but an option in a pinch)
The good news is that the blonde and funky red damage my hair a bit. I have been told before by stylists that my hair is too healthy. I know that sounds silly, but it's true--my hair was always so soft and healthy, that pretty much all it would do is hang there. Styling was near impossible, and anything done to it would fall out within a couple hours. So Denise (the stylist) was happy that I was choosing to do this color process, as it would aid in getting the style I wanted out of the cut.
She fussed and fussed and fussed over the cut. Not that I am complaining, because I wanted it done right, and clearly she made a point to do it right right right. It was hard to know where the longer pieces would look the best, when the rest of my hair was still so long it was kind of getting in the way of "mocking" it up. She kept combing it this way and that, hacking on chunks here and there and then recombing and arranging...I gotta say, though I was about ready to pass out from hunger (And Nay, too, who had come along for moral support--neither of us had eaten, and we didn't get done until 5pm), I was glad she took the time she did to really mess with it and get the result I wanted. I especially loved that she took the shape of my *head* (not just my face) into account when styling it. To get some of the fullness that the gal in the photo had, she had to shape the cut appropriately. And baboom...there I was staring at a totally different me!
I was excited and scared and excited and...excited. Frankly, it doesn't feel that different on my head. What I mean is, like, when I got my hair cut from mid-back up to a chin length bob, I was hyper aware of it. My neck was exposed and I could feel the curled ends brushing against my cheek or neck ina different way. This cut doesn't feel different in that way. I can *see* it, though--the little end pieces hang in my vision (not in an annoying way, at least not yet ;) are a total trip. I not only have some long bangs, but I have MINI BANGS (those teensy little guys right there in the middle front).
After the appointment (and paying the equivalent of a high end new cell phone *gag* but worth it), Renee and I dashed into the Beach Cafe for a quick eat. We were running against the clock, as I had class at 7pm, and we still needed to get back across the bridge, drop Renee off, get home to print out my sign-in sheets, change, and rush back out again...all in rush hour traffic. I was worried when the bridge was slow, but thank gawd there was NOTHING on I-5, and I got home with 5 minutes to change, print, and dash. Oh, and put a little more gunk in my hair, because I wanted it more piece-y. :)
Off to class...and my ROCK STAR DEBUT! My face hurt from smiling and accepting effusive compliments all night. I was just stunned at the overwhelmingly positive response. I hoped for kind words and that sort of "Hey cool new hair, Sharon." But I go "OH MY GAWD YOU ARE SO HOT!" "I LOVE YOUR HAIR! I CAN'T STOP LOOKING AT IT!" "YOUR HAIR IS SO SASSY! IT'S SO *YOU*!"
*inner cartwheels* I was thrilled to find that what I had HOPED would be so "me" ended up being "me but better", and everyone's compliments sent me to Cloud 9. I really felt like some kind of celebrity, which was good. Because if you think it's hard to do something this drastic and walk around the next day getting used to it, imagine getting it done mere hours before teaching 3 hours of classes in front of about 60+ women, in front of a MIRROR no less. I kept catching sight of myself and stopping up short--my gut would wrench a little, not because it was bad, but because for a brief moment my brain really could not reconcile what it was seeing, and the disconnect was a tiny electric shock.
So y'all knew from my initial post that Chris wasn't going to know about this. And I mean it. He didn't know I was even going to a hair appointment. He thought I was having another troupe meeting with Renee to sew or plan a set or something. And I resisted the mighty urge to send him a photograph in a text message, or let on in any way. I talked to him on the phone on my drive to class and avoided alluding to it even a little. But on the way home, I let a teensy hint out. I had gotten a home-made apple pie from Erika in thanks for helping her on her class project, and when I called Chris I said, "So I am bringing you pie and a surprise!"
"Pie *AND* a surprise? I would've thought pie would be surprise enough. Well well..."
"Yep, pie AND a surprise. See you soon..."
I walked in the door and he was doing dishes with his back to me. I walked up, pie in my hands: "Here's your pie!"
He turned around and did a complete double take. Then started to walk away from the sink with his hands still covered in soapy water. "Wow! Oh wow! Wait! My hands haven't caught up with my brain yet! Let me rinse off!" Which he did and the proceeded to say wow about 15 more times, and then enumerate on exactly what wow meant--all the things he loved about it. Then he made out with me. Yes, later, like the the rock star I am, I did get some nookie from my roadie. LOL
He kept talking about it, and wanting to touch it. And even woke me up this morning to passionately kiss me goodbye. "Have a good day, my new rock star girlfriend." *beam*
Now maintenance is the key, and learning how to style it different ways...or at all. LOL I will shampoo tomorrow night for the first time, and then see what I can do with it "raw" (rather than building on the initial style Denise gave me at the salon)
I am off to buy product! I went from no product to many. Volumizer, pomade (which Chris already has and works great, I just need to get a second jar to travel with), and aerosol strong hold hairspray. Not to mention some new shampoo, because my most recent purchase was not color-safe, and I am nearly out of my "Red" shampoo.
I am now officially high maintenance.
But I have a hairdo that is me...FINALLY. Only took 31 years...
These photos are after dancing for 3 hours at class, so it is a little less "joujed" and coiffed as I would have had it.
I did it yesterday afternoon, and it took 4 hours, all said and done. The color took about 2 hours, and the rest was consultation and cut. The color she was a particular peach with! She didn't want me to have to strip my hair, and go through painful scalp scalding that comes with it. Instead we did three colors, two in foils. The blonde streaks (which becamse mostly pink in no time, sadly) and the funky red were in foils, then an allover more natural bright red went kind of "every other line of hair". So it was a line of foil, line of natural red and so on. This made it so the foils didn't have to go right up to my scalp (no burning), when it fades it won't fade pink but instead toward the red I had underneath it, and the roots won't be as obvious when they start coming in again (and I could do some home color on top if I didn't have the moolah to fill in the roots regularly--not ideal, but an option in a pinch)
The good news is that the blonde and funky red damage my hair a bit. I have been told before by stylists that my hair is too healthy. I know that sounds silly, but it's true--my hair was always so soft and healthy, that pretty much all it would do is hang there. Styling was near impossible, and anything done to it would fall out within a couple hours. So Denise (the stylist) was happy that I was choosing to do this color process, as it would aid in getting the style I wanted out of the cut.
She fussed and fussed and fussed over the cut. Not that I am complaining, because I wanted it done right, and clearly she made a point to do it right right right. It was hard to know where the longer pieces would look the best, when the rest of my hair was still so long it was kind of getting in the way of "mocking" it up. She kept combing it this way and that, hacking on chunks here and there and then recombing and arranging...I gotta say, though I was about ready to pass out from hunger (And Nay, too, who had come along for moral support--neither of us had eaten, and we didn't get done until 5pm), I was glad she took the time she did to really mess with it and get the result I wanted. I especially loved that she took the shape of my *head* (not just my face) into account when styling it. To get some of the fullness that the gal in the photo had, she had to shape the cut appropriately. And baboom...there I was staring at a totally different me!
I was excited and scared and excited and...excited. Frankly, it doesn't feel that different on my head. What I mean is, like, when I got my hair cut from mid-back up to a chin length bob, I was hyper aware of it. My neck was exposed and I could feel the curled ends brushing against my cheek or neck ina different way. This cut doesn't feel different in that way. I can *see* it, though--the little end pieces hang in my vision (not in an annoying way, at least not yet ;) are a total trip. I not only have some long bangs, but I have MINI BANGS (those teensy little guys right there in the middle front).
After the appointment (and paying the equivalent of a high end new cell phone *gag* but worth it), Renee and I dashed into the Beach Cafe for a quick eat. We were running against the clock, as I had class at 7pm, and we still needed to get back across the bridge, drop Renee off, get home to print out my sign-in sheets, change, and rush back out again...all in rush hour traffic. I was worried when the bridge was slow, but thank gawd there was NOTHING on I-5, and I got home with 5 minutes to change, print, and dash. Oh, and put a little more gunk in my hair, because I wanted it more piece-y. :)
Off to class...and my ROCK STAR DEBUT! My face hurt from smiling and accepting effusive compliments all night. I was just stunned at the overwhelmingly positive response. I hoped for kind words and that sort of "Hey cool new hair, Sharon." But I go "OH MY GAWD YOU ARE SO HOT!" "I LOVE YOUR HAIR! I CAN'T STOP LOOKING AT IT!" "YOUR HAIR IS SO SASSY! IT'S SO *YOU*!"
*inner cartwheels* I was thrilled to find that what I had HOPED would be so "me" ended up being "me but better", and everyone's compliments sent me to Cloud 9. I really felt like some kind of celebrity, which was good. Because if you think it's hard to do something this drastic and walk around the next day getting used to it, imagine getting it done mere hours before teaching 3 hours of classes in front of about 60+ women, in front of a MIRROR no less. I kept catching sight of myself and stopping up short--my gut would wrench a little, not because it was bad, but because for a brief moment my brain really could not reconcile what it was seeing, and the disconnect was a tiny electric shock.
So y'all knew from my initial post that Chris wasn't going to know about this. And I mean it. He didn't know I was even going to a hair appointment. He thought I was having another troupe meeting with Renee to sew or plan a set or something. And I resisted the mighty urge to send him a photograph in a text message, or let on in any way. I talked to him on the phone on my drive to class and avoided alluding to it even a little. But on the way home, I let a teensy hint out. I had gotten a home-made apple pie from Erika in thanks for helping her on her class project, and when I called Chris I said, "So I am bringing you pie and a surprise!"
"Pie *AND* a surprise? I would've thought pie would be surprise enough. Well well..."
"Yep, pie AND a surprise. See you soon..."
I walked in the door and he was doing dishes with his back to me. I walked up, pie in my hands: "Here's your pie!"
He turned around and did a complete double take. Then started to walk away from the sink with his hands still covered in soapy water. "Wow! Oh wow! Wait! My hands haven't caught up with my brain yet! Let me rinse off!" Which he did and the proceeded to say wow about 15 more times, and then enumerate on exactly what wow meant--all the things he loved about it. Then he made out with me. Yes, later, like the the rock star I am, I did get some nookie from my roadie. LOL
He kept talking about it, and wanting to touch it. And even woke me up this morning to passionately kiss me goodbye. "Have a good day, my new rock star girlfriend." *beam*
Now maintenance is the key, and learning how to style it different ways...or at all. LOL I will shampoo tomorrow night for the first time, and then see what I can do with it "raw" (rather than building on the initial style Denise gave me at the salon)
I am off to buy product! I went from no product to many. Volumizer, pomade (which Chris already has and works great, I just need to get a second jar to travel with), and aerosol strong hold hairspray. Not to mention some new shampoo, because my most recent purchase was not color-safe, and I am nearly out of my "Red" shampoo.
I am now officially high maintenance.
But I have a hairdo that is me...FINALLY. Only took 31 years...
