The Significance of a Haircut.

Hello ATS. I just wanted to bring up an issue that I found to be very interesting.

I just got a haircut. Let me rephrase that. I sucessfully cut my own hair for the first time in my life.

Last night was a humid night, and my hair, which at that time was down to my shoulders basically, with massive sidebangs in the front, was causing me some discomfort. I felt trapped in my hair. It got to the point where I would have to brush it out of my eyes like every 20 seconds. It was unbearable. I was attempting to grow out my hair forever, which is why it had gotten to this length.

That's when I decided it. I got a mirror and a pair of scissors and told myself I was gonna trim the hair hedge( that sounds vaugely like I'm talking about pubic hair, but no, this specific story is about the mane I had grown on my head.

So at this point, with scissors in hand, I thought back to the mishap that had happened 2 years prior. In 2008, I decided to try trim my hair without a mirror. No good. I learned from my haircutting mistake from back then, and I proceeded to cut my hair. With a mirror and a lot of patience, one can be quite sucessful with cutting one's own hair. Clip, clip clip, snip snip snip... a pile of hair began to form
and I had a place to catch it all. Throughout the night and this morning, I spent time cutting my hair, taking it slowly with breaks in between. At last, about 3 hours ago, I looked at my work. I did good. I was no longer obscured by my hair. I could clearly see my eyebrows and eyes for once without having to flip my hair out of the way. I still retained my favorite parts of my hairstyle, such as bangs, albiet shorter. Overall, its the same look, just a whole lot less shaggier and truthfully better.

I feel the difference now. I feel like my scalp can breathe. I feel lighter. It feels really damn good, especially since the temperatures are starting to rise.

So I decided to take this haircut on a test run to the food court. The usual workers were working there, and they noticed my haircut. One was saying how good it looked, and when I told her I cut it myself, she was pretty shocked. I was stoked. People commented on how nice it looked. I was very proud that I accomplished it myself and didn't have to pay $15 for a haircut.

Alright, enough talking about myself. It's just I wanted to discuss how big of a role hair plays in our day to day lives. It makes a difference in one's physical appearance, and it can definitely change how people act towards you.

So now, I open up the mic to you all. Has there been a time in your life where a haircut affected your life in a positive or negative way?

I also did this like ... the day before yesterday. My hair was down to like ... the middle of my back. Now it is shoulder-length and I feel way better than before.

Too damn hot to be having so much hair.

once i had ordered some clothes online because i can simply never find anything i like or that fits me the way i want it to and i suck at sewing. they arrived and i looked at them and i was just like... who cares? what's the big deal? i just went into the bathroom and shaved my head. i was just sick of thinking about how i came off--it really didn't matter.

shaving my head was really humbling, and alleviating. to remove your ego and no longer think about it, it really does feel like a huge weight off your shoulders, and let's your real heart of hearts come through.

"One was saying how good it looked, and when I told her I cut it myself, she was pretty shocked"

Good for you Man! there is now one less thing you need others to help you with, maybe you could open up a self-service hairdressers. The shop would practically run itself....

How brave are you!! Kudos to you for having the nerve, although I have attempted to do this myself ( to try and save a few quid ) a few times, I always end up having it fixed.

Being female I often get bored with my hair and frequently turn up at my hairdressers ( she also happens to be a friend of mine ) asking for a cut,colour etc.

It always makes me feel rejuvenated like I have a fresh burst of energy and confidence - sounds silly but thats what it does for me. In fact Im looking to have mine cut again soon - its kind of addictive!

Good for you and even better that people noticed and complimented you, any chance you could have a go on mine?........

I suggest going bald. Shaving one's head feels fantastic.

Originally posted by Beauty_HairyBeast
Good for you and even better that people noticed and complimented you, any chance you could have a go on mine?........

Okay, just putting this out there. I'm a dude. I'm a dude who got bored one night and decided to cut his own hair. I would not trust myself cutting someone else's hair. sorry. hahha

Seriously though. As this thread progresses, I will share my horror story of when I attempted to cut my hair 2 years ago. It was bad.

Very recently in a negative way! I totally butchered my hair. I used to be able to cut my hair no problem. I'd cut a little, walk away, come back and analyze, then clip whatever needed to go, but for just shy of a year now I've developed a sort of obsessive hair-cutting frenzy. Finally I broke down and paid someone to at least shape it so it can grow out nicely.

It is very liberating cutting your own hair though, when it turns out right. To do those things that everyone thinks they need an "expert" to perform lifts your confidence and creativity.

Originally posted by dragonsmusic
I suggest going bald. Shaving one's head feels fantastic.

agreed! keeping your temple clear, of ego and self-projection is so alleviating and self-actualizing.

not to take anything from cutting your own hair, that's pretty sweet you got it to look exactly how you wanted and enjoy it so much.

Originally posted by SolarE-Souljah

Originally posted by Beauty_HairyBeast
Good for you and even better that people noticed and complimented you, any chance you could have a go on mine?........

Okay, just putting this out there. I'm a dude. I'm a dude who got bored one night and decided to cut his own hair. I would not trust myself cutting someone else's hair. sorry. hahha

Seriously though. As this thread progresses, I will share my horror story of when I attempted to cut my hair 2 years ago. It was bad.

I gathered that!

I can actually cut hair believe it or not, I do my girls hair but doing it on yourself is another story.

Please share your hair horror - My hubby allowed me after much persuasion a few years back to trim his and my oh my did I butcher it.....he was mortified - walking to the local barber with one side short and the rest as it was! Mr tufty...lol Cutting a blokes hair is something else.

I have grown out my hair quite a bit but i'm not going to cut it off anytime soon.

But i do get this refreshing feeling when i grow out a grizzly adams beard and shave it all off. I feel clean!

Interesting thread. I think we've all probably had a bad experience or two or more along the way and it does have an affect - thankfully - it's generally short term as hair does grow back, if that's what you want it to do.

There are historical and religious and spiritual and emotional significance to hair and it can be seen and/or represented in some way, across cultures. I always hated the Line "it's just hair" because while true, it is, it can mean a lot more depending on one's associations.




*Well done on the cut.

Originally posted by shagreen heart
agreed! keeping your temple clear, of ego and self-projection is so alleviating and self-actualizing.

It's really true. Even though I did not shave my head bald, the amount of hair I cut off was kind of a lot. I feel more like myself. Now that the hair is out of my eyes and off my neck, I feel wonderful. I can noticeably feel the difference as we speak. Definitely a liberating feeling.

I was actually debating whether or not to shave it all off, but nahhh.

i was letting my hair grow when i was teenager. It was half way down the back on my bangs came down past the chin. Normally i had in ponytail and cap, but one year it was so hot in the summer, I shaved it.

I have never looked back. The time i save NEVER having to brush or comb the hair. I miss the long hair sometimes, but then I think better. I dont care what people think about my looks. Im clean, i wear clean clothers, i dont really care if someone likes my look or not, Im a decent human being regardless.

Good job on cutting your hair, and thanks for sharing

my ex-girlfriend shaved my head and then broke up with me the next day...i kid you not. her idea to shave it, i'm like okay if you think it'll look good...she made me ugly as one of those hairless cats and then dumped me!
we got back together, for a short time after about two months of hair growth...lol. i was such a sap!

Originally posted by SentientBeyondDesign
I also did this like ... the day before yesterday. My hair was down to like ... the middle of my back. Now it is shoulder-length and I feel way better than before.

Too damn hot to be having so much hair.

Yes and sometimes its just as simple as just being practical

2nd line

[edit on 1-6-2010 by Beauty_HairyBeast]

Originally posted by Beauty_HairyBeast
Please share your hair horror -

It really pains me to bring it up, but I will, in hopes that people use a mirror and take it slow when they try to cut their own hair.

(2 years ago)
So, it all started with a bad haircut at the hair salon. I went home, took a look in the mirror and was disappointed. I decided for the first time in my life, I would try and trim my own hair. So I grabbed a pair of scissors, and without looking in a mirror, started snippin away. SNIP. Oh crap! that one felt really close!!! I go to the mirror and I stare at my hair in horror! I had long hair at this time, and that close cut was really close. Basically imagine a guy you know with the shaggy look with bangs. So that is what my hair looked like, except with this one pretty big chunk of super short hair from where I cut it!!! I was mortified. There was no way to fix this except to wait for that short patch to regrow. It was a terrible 2 months. It was really obvious, plus I still had the bad haircut from before I tried to fix it. It really sucked.

2 months went by, and I went to a different hair salon to try get it fixed. She cut my hair, and evened it out nicely. I was so thankful that the nightmare was over.

From that point, I never touched scissors to my hair again. That is, until I got really brave last night and cut my hair successfully for the first time ever. That is why this good hair cutting experience is even sweeter, is because it was like my hair karma came full circle. haha. yeah.

I just wanted to say, I am loving the stories everyone!

This is a very interesting, hilarious, and intriguing thread!

[edit on 1-6-2010 by SolarE-Souljah]

Once upon a time I had hair. I attracted party girls looking for frat boys.

At the ripe age of 21 I was becoming noticeably bald in the crown. I shaved my head and the next day I was a man. Seriously, it was life altering. People treated me like a seasoned and experienced man even though I was an immature boy. I'm 29 now and have been shaving my head ever since.

Most importantly, my wife digs it!

Originally posted by Protostellar
I shaved my head and the next day I was a man.

I can definitely appreciate the look of a bald head. Some men are made for the look and it would be hard to imagine them with hair.

I am only 19, so I am not ready to shave my head yet. But in the future, I could definitely see myself shaving my head. It would be really fun to go live like a monk up in the mountains.

[edit on 1-6-2010 by SolarE-Souljah]