Saturday 7 April 2012

My fabulous new haircut and why I can't bring myself to like it

I got my hair cut today. It's quite a rare occurrence for me since I'm usually either too lazy to book an appointment or too skint to go. But this morning I awoke to the greasiest most uneven mop of lank locks dangling uninspiringly from my scalp and decided that today had to be the day.

I tried my usual salon but they had no available appointments until the end of next week (a sure sign that it's a good salon but didn't help me in my impulsive hour of need), so I found a salon in the student quarter which had a cancellation I could take. I explained to the stylist what I was after - a tidy up of the style but one which takes no maintenance. Now when I say no maintenance I MEAN no maintenance. If it involves anything more than pointing a hairdryer in its general direction for more than 10 minutes it's too much effort. I don't want to put any product on it and I don't want to have to faff about with brushes and straighteners, I just want to wash it and dry it - end of story.

The stylist seemed to understand what I was after and did it - no blunt lines, heavily layered, fringe just short enough to skim my eyebrows - job's a good 'un. I thanked her and reluctantly handed over the £30 for the privilege of her mad skillz (my usual salon is less than £20, how does a salon in the student quarter get away with charging 50% more?).

Now that I'm home I'm checking it in every mirror I walk past and just can't quite bring myself to love it. It's exactly what I ask for in a style and everyone will probably think it looks great but somehow I just can't love it myself.

I put this inability to love it down to the fact that I'm incapable of thinking I look good full stop. No matter what I wear, no matter how my hair looks, no matter whether I've been to a professional stylist or make-up artist and have been glammed up for a photo shoot (never happened) I will still never think I look good. It's just the way I am.

I want to love my haircut, I want to swoosh it about in front of the mirror and flash myself a winning smile knowing that I look like a presentable member of the society in which I live. But I can't at the minute. I'm overweight and underfit and it's dragging down every ounce of confidence Gordon has helped me gain in the 5 years we've been together.

On Wednesday I start something new - I take up running. I'm joining a beginners running group organised by Active Newcastle in the desperate hope that it will change my opinion of myself. I don't want to have to put more effort into my hair, I don't want to have to start wearing make-up, I don't want to suddenly start forcing myself to wear dresses and heels every day to make me feel more confident because that's just not me. I'm not really interested in changing the things about me that everyone else sees (although shedding a few stone would be more than welcomed), I just want to not think all day every day about how much of a mess I look. I want to be more interested in doing something which takes my mind so far away from what I look like and makes me feel great for a completely different reason.

I want to go to my usual salon, only pay £20 for a haircut then not think about it for the rest of the day. Wish me luck.

1 comment:

  1. Ive been feeling lots better since ive been going to the gym. i havent lost any weight but i feel better. you need to come and see me for a day - i will make you feel great I promise :)

    ReplyDelete