Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Going Against the Cowlick

Last week I went to get my haircut.  It hadn't been that long since my last cut, only 10 months or so.  After all nothing says adventurous like seeing how many "awkward phases" your hair can go through before you finally relent.  I have really thick hair so thick that I was forced to totally sit out the banana clip fad in elementary school, so as my hair grows, it also expands.  And eventually the awkwardness reaches a point where I can either put it in a ponytail or join a freak show

Every time I broke another hair elastic, I would grumble that next time I would go short enough to not deal with hair accessories for a while.  After I finally ran out of elastics, I found a style I liked and called the hairstylist.  In case you're wondering, short hair carries a known risk for me.  Let me show you.

... Run upstairs to search for that picture.  Realize the light is out and run down for new bulb.  Dig through the pile of pictures, realize it is in a scrapbook downstairs, run down, find it and scan.  Wait a minute, why would I want to publish this photo of me?  Who am I kidding, I tell stories about losing my skirt in public and publish photos of myself wearing aluminum hats and making faces.  I must enjoy public humiliation.  

Look closer at picture and realize it isn't as bad as I remember.  Was that really only 10 years ago?  Wow, I was young...



So yes, short was risky, but the hope of less work and forced hair appointments won out and I gave it a shot.  After asking if I realized the picture I gave her was a lot shorter than my normal cut, the stylist cut away.

Then she styled it for me,

and she switched my part.

You see I have a cowlick right at the frontiest part of my hairline.  Which has always meant my hair parts backwards from the majority of people.  Most people go right and my hair has always stubbornly gone left.  But the stylist blew it dry opposite from normal.  And it actually stayed!  I was really surprised it looked decent  (even if I looked transposed) and didn't jump back to the left side.

That night my hair migrated back into the normal direction, but a quick brush and spray in the morning brought it back.  So far I've lived with my opposite part for 4 days and am actually getting better at making it go that way.  And that got me thinking, how often do I accept something as inherent and unchangeable about myself when really all it takes is a little extra work to change?

Maybe I don't have to be so timid in social situations.  Maybe I don't have to procrastinate things I get nervous about.  Maybe all I need is a little tweak in my attitude (one most people wouldn't even notice) to change my outlook.  Maybe I've been relying on my personality cowlicks a little to often.


Of course I offer no promise on keeping my hair opposite the cowlick.  I am rather lazy when it comes to my hair.  But I have learned that feeling a little off kilter for a few days won't kill me.  And that I can get used to things pretty fast.  And that I should never assume a hair stylist will notice a huge cowlick right on the hairline.  Better to point those things out.

24 comments:

  1. I LOVE the haircut. I wish I was as bold as you. My hair is my crutch. Well not literally because hair would make an awful crutch. But if gravity keeps kicking in I have other body parts that can double as crutches.

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  2. Give yourself credit for more than just retraining your cowlick, Charlotte - you have BLOWDRYED and STYLED your hair for four days in a row with six kids in the house. Am I right?

    Of course, I go to my stylist and she does whatever she wants to my hair and by the next morning I've bungled the whole thing up.

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  3. cute cute cute!!!
    I'm at that age where my hairstyle is mostly an afterthought.
    I used to primp in front of the mirror much longer...trying my hair this way and that.
    Now, I wash it, dry it, and forget about it. I wodner if there'll come a day when I'll look like the older sisters in Relief Society...you know the ones who have it all put together, wear scarves with little broaches, and shades of lavendar you've never seen before--but it looks great with their grey/white hair? Yeah, they have time to do that stuff now. OKay, I'm babbling. S' what I get for being up at 5:35am. happy day!

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  4. I can't believe you have your hair parted on the other side! That would make me crazy I think. You are right, it does seem such an unchangeable! It looks great though ... and are you sure that picture doesn't look as bad as you remember? Just kidding!

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  5. I love the new haircut. I also love a little public humiliation as long as it gets a laugh. So your saying that all I need to change a few of my bad habits is some hairspray and a blow dryer? Well I can do that! If I ever had to change my part I would be standing in front of the mirror with my hands up and poised but frozen as if backwards and not knowing what to do.
    Again, fabulous do. You pull off any hairstyle very nicely with your luscious thickness.

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  6. Wait I part my hair to the left. I thought normal people did that. I don't think I could change the way my hair parts it would probably drive me crazy. We will see how long yours lasts. I do love the hair cut and color though. I think the first picture of your short hair is nice too. You are just cute no matter what.

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  7. Cute haircut! I too had to wait out that banana clip fad, I was so jealous of my friends!

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  8. Your hair looks great! I don't think I could go against my cowlick, even though it's in the back. It just feels so . . . so wrong.

    I am in a really awkward growing-out phase, and trying to be patient. I figure this is my last chance to try to have long hair before I give up forever. If I had any curl/body at all, I would totally go for a cut like yours!

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  9. I agree with Tucker Mom ... my has always parted to the left!! Maybe it's something to do with our family geans.

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  10. Cute hair! I totally hear ya on the bad hair. Once my hair grows past a certain point, I have to resign myself to looking like a mushroom until all the stars and planets align and I can actually get to the salon for a haircut.

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  11. My hair decides on it's own where it will part for the day. Sometimes it's on the right, or the left, and sometimes right in the middle (then I look like the wicked witch of the west, and my husband calls it the butt cut). Anyway, I digress. The analogy you made is great.

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  12. Love the hair style! I have the same type of hair, it would not fit in a banana clip, or any other clip for that matter, when it was long. And if I wore it in a pony tail for more than 30 minutes, I ended up with the worse headache.

    Is your shorter hair easier to manage?

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  13. Very cute! And I'm totally a cowlick girl. I have the everywhere. I change my part all the time, though, for kicks and giggles.

    Great analogy!

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  14. I think it looks really great! Love how the bangs are styled. Keep at it! I cannot believe how young you look in that pic!

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  15. Great new do! I also love your line about personality cowlicks...a ripe topic for more discussion.

    Your post also reminds me that I, queen of the ponytail, haven't gotten my hair cut in a year. Hmm, maybe I should do something about that.

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  16. Going against the cowlicks in life can be hard. Like you, once I allow myself to settle into the change, I feel so much better an willing to take on the challenge.

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  17. Yea, you did it! I love the short 'do. Maybe you could put up a picture with your new cut parted on the old left and we can vote on which looks better. And I do agree with your sister that you look younger with the cut.

    Do you really find it easier to manage? I had hoped short hair would save me time, but alas, I spend more time on it because it's so fun! I can go sleek, ruffled, curly (and it holds the curl!), or Relief Society-esque; add accessories and there is no end to the variety. I've come up with more styles for my short hair than I ever did with long hair. Back then I was stuck with in a pony, in a bun, or straight down. :op

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  18. Great 'do! Short is the only way to go. I will never ever have long hair again. You look terrific!

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  19. Nice cut! I always love getting a new 'do but my hair never looked as good as that short!

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  20. I think your new hair style looks great!

    I've fought with my cowlick for years and finally just gave in. (sigh)

    PS: Drats, I'd forgotten all about banana clips! I would love to show that fad to my daughters!!

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  21. Love the new cut! You have given me a shove as I am at that point - either cut or go home and complain. How long can I complain? LOL!

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  22. Cute. Reminds me that I've needed a new cut for weeks now. I'm past a trim. So many weeks that I no longer only need a new cut alone. I need a color and cut. Sigh. I hope I actually can check it off my to do list this week!

    Are you actually talented enough to read the comment above mine?! I'd be in trouble...

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