Yesterday, I got my hair cut short and styled in a bob.
This may not sound like a huge deal to you if you don't know me IRL. But prior to cutting 11 inches off for Locks of Love, I had long hair for over 20 years.
I was the girl with the long (usually brown) hair.
It was part of my identity, that long, wavy hair of mine that I could make curly or straight. It was the hair I wanted growing up, the hair I loved once I had it, the hair I will again have in the future. But not just yet.
Afterall, I've spent the last 20 some years seeing cute hair styles for short hair, yet never getting them. So as long as my hair is short-ish, I want to take advantage of it. And it's super cute, in a chin-to-shoulder length bob with chunky layers. I can hardly believe it's me in the mirror!
Is there something about being a mom that makes us want to cut off our hair? Do you fathers out there go through the same thing? I can't imagine having this short and styled hair is easier than my long hair which I could so easily put in a ponytail, bun or braid. There are so many natural changes that come with becoming a parent. But there also seem to be some choices we make as parents to change our appearance.
Which is why this week's question of the week is:
What changes have you made to your appearance now that you are a parent?
In addition to being the girl/woman with the long, brown hair, I was also the one with a belly ring since I was a sophmore in college. I WAS, as in I am no longer. My belly ring hole closed after having my second child. And I just let it go.
When I was pregnant with the Pumpkin, I kept my belly ring in as long as I could, but it had been over ten years since I'd had it done that I figured it would stay open. After having the Pumpkin, I put the ring back in only a few weeks post-partum because I wanted to make sure it didn't close. I debated back then whether or not I should let it go now that I was a mom, but I wasn't ready. And Londo encouraged me to keep it.
But my belly popped out sooner with this last pregnancy. And after having the Pookie, I hadn't even thought about putting my belly ring back in until months later. And then, one day, I noticed it had closed. Was actually in the process of closing--a process I probably could have stopped, but didn't.
What about you? In what ways have you changed your appearance? Do you think it's because you are a parent now or just cause you are older (and possibly wiser)?
11 comments:
I have terrible allergies to most makeup, I have finally stopped wearing it. I can't believe I actually used it for as long as I did.
I hardly ever wear earrings anymore, and half of my earrings won't go in now. I could fix it, but I don't. I don't know why.
And yeah, I keep looking at my hair (still longish) and wondering if I should get it cut short. But I just keep braiding it. I'm undecided on what to do with it long term.
I have had the same hairstyle forever (straight, just past shoulder-length w/ slight layering). There is going to come a day when I have to start coloring, so I am trying to keep it simple for as long as possible.
I've worn the same makeup forever, too. Just eyebrow pencil and undereye concealer with Cherry chapstick - all of which is enough to make me look semi-well-rested.
Since motherhood, I don't dress as fashionably (not that I was ever particularly stylish) - I just used to care a lot more. Now I'm not sure what will actually fit from one day to the next, so I don't want to invest in anything new.
I don't think that I don't do thing because i am a parent.. I just think for me a lot of things I have let go is because my brain can't hold everything in and it's easier to let go off my stuff than to find something else to drop.
I wear my hair in a pony or wrap more often because my son likes to pull and eat my hair when I used to always have it down and done.
I had to take out my tongue piercing because it would swell uncontrollably when I first got pregnant and I just never thought to put it back in.
I now care more about the latest coupons rather then the latest bar openings and to go along with that since having my son I now get awful hangovers so I don't drink like I used to and when I do I keep it within reason.
:]
oh geez. I was a slob before parenthood, so I really haven't changed at all :)
Always had short hair, always never any makeup, practical clothes... If it weren't for my bubbly sunny personality I would look booooring (hee hee).
One thing I did finally do about 2 months ago was get dark honey-colored highlights. I have dark brown hair and don't really like anyone in Italy messing with the color because they want everyone to be blond and I don't look good blond.
When I was in college each year I would dye my hair a different funky color. It came in handy because looking at old pix I can say "oh that's sophomore year!" because I'm blond or "senior year" b/c it's plum colored (still my fave color).
So I just felt reckless this time around and thought let them finally get their way and put highlights in my hair. Though i had to insist blond would suck. It feels nice trying to be all Hollywood :)
actually, no.
Looks-wise, parenthood hasn't changed my fashion-sense. It's always been...er...lacking.
@Marianne - I would hate to have allergies to makeup! It must have been so hard to figure out which ones you could actually wear. Probably best to just stop wearing it, eh?
@Cloud - When pregnant and for a while post-partum, I barely wear any jewerly. Now I'm back to wearing my jewerly, but my ears have become even more sensitive than they used to be, so I can't wear any cheaper earrings. As for my hair, I will definitely grow it out long again, cause I miss braids. Unlike the Pumpkin, my boy doesn't play with my hair, he GRABS AND YANKS! So I've kept him away from it, and my requirement for length was that I'd still be able to put it in a ponytail to keep it away from him.
@hush - Sounds like you know what works for you in the hair and makeup areas! I hear ya on the clothing fitting. I won't buy any new clothes for the same reason, although I did have to buy a new bathing suit--but that's another post.
@z - What a great way to think of it! And not just my brain, but my time in the morning is limited so there are some things I just have to let go. Way easier to drop my own things than the kids' things.
@Babes Mami - Awful hangovers since having your son? That. Must. Suck! I haven't tested that out myself, but now I'm afraid of the same. And what is it about babies/kids trying to eat hair? Don't they know it is unpleasant coming out the other end?
@geeks in rome - Ha! I doubt you were a slob, and your bubbly sunny personality definitely keeps me entertains! I'll bet the honey highlights look great. I was just thinking about highlights, myself. In high school and college, I also would color my hair. Because it was long and there wasn't much to do with it style-wise, I would change the color. The bright red was my favorite (think Clare Danes dyed hair in My So-Called Life), but I also thought the purple and black looked good on me. I tried blonde prior to getting pregnant with the Pumpkin, and it did NOT look good with my coloring.
@Becoming Mommy - Fashion isn't everything, right? I'm sure you have your own style. :-)
I chopped off my hair and went from blonde to dark brown mid pregnancy. Clearly mad hormones at work. It had been growing out ever since and was down past the middle of my back when I went and got it all chopped off again last week. Had nothing to do with being a parent though. Tate just always wants me to move it out of his way so he can nuzzle his face on my neck. Is it weird that he still loves to do this at 2 and a half?
I wear a lot less skirts than I used to pre-baby. It is such a pain to get another person in and out of a car in a skirt and heels. I like dressing up, I just don't like dressing up and having to worry about protecting my clothes from a sticky toddler. (He's always sticky I swear) So I choose jeans and t-shirts whenever possible.
Glasses! After No. 2 my eyesight deteriated so much that I now have to wear glasses all the time.
Yes it does! We have monthly 'date nights' where Babe spends the night with a friend and my husband wants to go for drinks and I get scared to even attempt!
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