Thursday, March 05, 2009

What to Do with My Do

When I look at older ladies’ hairstyles, I just do not see me going with the tight perm or ratted poofy look as I grow older. Some people might call this the "helmet head" look. Once again it is that 70’s thing. I missed the bouffant hair of the 60’s and came of age when the flat look was in. The long straight look was just cool. I had the long hair, although I had trouble with the straight hair part of the look. Dippity Do on the bangs with a little tape helped a lot. An ironing board could be used if you were careful. Hand held blow dryers were handy too. Life in a dryer climate like NM was helpful for the straight look, but more humid climates cause curl. Having a hairdresser for a mom was a bit of help, but like the accountant whose taxes are the last to get done, my hair was often the last to be done. If anything, I was a guinea pig for Mom and the new styles she was learning. The thing it taught me was that no matter what hairstyle she gave me, hair will grow back (but you might look odd for a while).

Eventually I did outgrow the 70’s long straight hairstyle. I have had perms, color, short hair, long hair, etc. all thanks to Mom and her beauty shop. The last few years I have sported fairly short hair, but I long for longer hair that can be easily dealt with in warmer weather. Ponytails and French braids beckon me. I consider my age and think, "Maybe I should cut my hair off and have an ‘adult’ style." Then I think about having to curl and do my do and I cringe. Nope, I think as I go into my golden years I shall revert to the 70’s. Maybe I will grow my hair longer and braid it or put it up on my head in a soft French twist (not the West Texas Thelma knot). Maybe I will let it go gray and be a hippie grandmother. Well, maybe not the gray part just yet. I don’t think I am quite ready for that.

7 comments:

Buck said...

Well... this is obviously a gal topic. But... FWIW... I prefer longer hair on women. The last girlfriend had a pixie cut, i.e., extremely short. It was easy for her to care for, keep up, yadda yadda, but left me cold. I don't recall ever running my fingers through her hair, and that's something I REALLY enjoy. There may be a lesson in there. Somewhere.

joyce said...

I fought the gray for years, and finally gave in. It would not grab color, anyway. I like easy--being a basically lazy person. But, the curls on top of my head are back---just like the curls in my baby pictures. what a hoot.

The Friendly Neighborhood Piper said...

i think grannies with long braided hair are cool. You and Toby are gonna be cool old people...of course, i'm SO far behind.

Becky G said...

I have longer hair, and I want to get it all cut off, but like you, I don't want to have to take time to fix it. The long braid down the back is just too easy.

Doc said...

Lou: Be you. Tell you what does it for me: a woman who's happy. Happy in her own skin, including her hair. Long, short, pixie, or shaved. The more natural the better. In 21 years of marriage, I got to see my wife's real hair for not even three whole years. She cut it short after our youngest was born, and let it grow without color or perm for almost three years. It took my breath away just to look at her. Then I came home one day during a visit from my in-laws and the house smelled like Dow chemical. Never forgave my mom-in-law for that. And my ex-wife, will never be, was never, quite so breathtakingly beautiful again. She was the master of throwing away the irreplaceable.

So you do what makes you happy & the you can enjoy what God gave you the better. Curly, straight, wavy, gray, long or short. Be you, Lou.

Catherine MacDermott said...

I just had this very conversation the other night -- I was calculating all the $$ I've spent on coloring/highlighting my hair and thought -- "hmmm, had I not been doing that I could have bought that new car I'm thinkin' about and paid cash for it by now!"

Surely sumpin' to consider (til I see that gray hair start to creep up!). And then..."I'm gonna wash that gray right outta my hair!"

Bag Blog said...

Catherine, I was singing that same song.

Doc, your words are wisdom, yet for women it is difficult to find that "me" hairdo in a world that says you should look a certain way.

Becky, I hear you on the easy braid thing.

Joyce, Your little girl with the curl photo is just pretty cute. I like easy, too.

Piper, And I so want to be cool:) You always encourage me.

Buck, When it comes right down to it, I think most men like longer hair on women. Yet most men keep their hair cut so short they do not even have to blow it dry - go figure!