Hello, 2009 me!
In 2009, I was just about to start a new job in a new part of the country, and I wanted a change. I’d had long blonde hair all my life, and although I’d dabbled in fringes and layers, I’d never gone for a drastically different look.
So I chopped it all off. Well, my hairdresser did.
I went for a short blonde crop with long, sweepy fringe and ADORED it. I have very fine, baby soft hair so this style gave it so much body and bounce. It was a revelation and I thought I’d never go long again.
Fast forward to 2010 and I’d grown it a little longer, gone blonder and added a blunt fringe. Between the two styles I’d started blogging and was getting more adventurous with my hair… and bored of the blonde. Blonde is my natural colour but I was tempted by the dark side…
So it was a brunette, texturised pixie crop for me in 2011! I kept this style for a while, revelling in the fact I didn’t have to do anything to make it look good. This is probably the best cut for my fine hair and no-nonsense approach to styling, as it’s so easy to maintain – I even trimmed the front and sides myself!
A hairstyle for life, then? Well…
I got bored. Again. So in summer 2011, I started my ‘growing out’ process. This was my Mullet Stage – the back was getting longer than the front and sides, creating an unfortunate 80s look that I pinned up to avoid stares and jeers.
It took me a long time to get past the Mullet Stage. I couldn’t bear the back looking scruffy, so had it trimmed regularly which meant to took ages to build up any length. But my hair started to inch its way down…
… and in 2012, I was here. I’d had a subtle ombré colour applied and was wearing my hair parted in the centre with lots of layers. With a bit of length at the back, this style was great for growing out and I left it to do its thing for quite a while… until boredom struck once again, and I fell foul to the dip-dye effect.
A disastrous visit to the hairdressers (one I’ve never stepped foot in again!) left me with a two-tone style and seriously damaged my hair. It looked awful and I was devastated that all my cultivation had been ruined. But, onwards and upwards – I found a new hairdresser and she put things right.
In August 2012, Amelia at Russell Eaton gave me this cute, blunt bob. She chopped the ombré ends off and gave me a lighter, summery makeover with a thick fringe to add volume. A beauty of a cut that allowed my hair to grow without losing too much shape. But a step backwards in the hair growing process…
With long hair seeming further away than ever, I tried something I never thought I would – hair extensions. In December 2012 I was sent a set by Bobby Glam and wore them constantly. Mermaid locks are hugely addictive and I even found myself putting them in for an early morning flight.
Eventually though, the extensions took toll on my natural hair and I decided it was best to retire them through fear of impending baldness. I still think they’re a great option for a special occasion or night out, but maybe too much for the day-to-day.
Happily though, my own hair had been growing away under all that, and after a bit of TLC my growing process is back on track…
Today, my hair is touching my collarbone and looks longer than it has in years, since that first chop back in 2009. I’ve put it through the wringer over the last 12 months so it needs plenty of love and affection, but I’m generally pretty pleased with it.
I’m toying with a few ideas for my next step – bonded extensions which are much kinder than the clip ins, growing out the fringe, adding some blonde back in… but overall, I’m happy. It’s been a back-and-forth journey of epic proportions but I’ve learnt a lot – here are my tips for growing out a pixie crop:
– Be patient. Seriously. Don’t give in at the Mullet Stage, just ride it out. It’ll get there, eventually.
– Use less heat. I’m a slave to my hairdryer but I notice a big difference in rate of growth when I turn down the temperature on my tools.
– Become Master of the Kirby Grip. Use them to clip up straggly back bits, pin overgrown fringes and help create your first ponytail (a great achievement).
– Have regular trims. The back of your hair will grow quicker than the front and sides as it usually sees the least styling, so it’s really important to get trims to keep your hair at one length and minimise the Mullet Stage. Plus trimming hair boosts its growth, too.
Have you grown out a pixie crop? Any tips or advice to share? And what do you think of 2009 me – youthful, right?!
