Flashback Friday...HAIR

Growing up I always had long hair.  I mean long!  Every time I mentioned that I might want to cut it, my Papa would very seriously tell me he didn't want me to cut my hair.  He was quite attached to it, and well since he didn't have much hair of his own, I obliged.  So my hair grew quite long.  I used to part it right down the middle and somehow the boys at school decided I looked like Alanis Morset.  Whenever I walked by they'd sing "Isn't it Ironic?"  Personally I didn't see the similarities.  

I mean really:

That's me on the left. (yes my hair is in pigtails, I'm wearing a tweety bird back pack and I'm making a crazy face. I was "unique" as my family called it)  Oh and this is a pic of me in high school, but that's a minor detail.

And here's Alanis (just for reference):

Personally I think I have a much stronger stage presence than her. ;)

The first haircut (other than trims) I remember getting was when I was 11 or 12.  My family was in Mesa, AZ on a temple trip over spring break.  I think my Papa was out of town somewhere else on a business trip.  I had finally decided that it was time to cut my hair, so my mom, sister and I went to the mall while my brothers stayed back at the hotel room.  Once we got to the salon I asked for hair like Rachel from Friends.  I didn't even watch Friends, but I knew everyone wanted her hair.  

So that's what the hairstylist gave me.  I remember my mom saying she didn't think I was going to like it, but I was insistent, so that's what I got.  Looking back my mom probably knew I hadn't a clue how to style my hair like Rachel's.  Thanks for trying mom!  Here's the best picture I can find of my hair from that time period.  Did I mention I love climbing trees?

Years went by and I grew my hair out again, cut it again and grew it out again. And by this point I was attached to my hair. It was part of how I identified myself.  Everyone knew the short Robyn with long hair.  Junior year of high school I auditioned for the musical "Oliver".  During the audition I was asked if I would be willing to cut my hair if I was offered one of the supporting rolls.  I emphatically said NO!  So instead I wore my hair up in a hat and yelled out my two lines, which I can't even remember anymore.

 By the time I was a senior in high school my hair was really long.  See?

Just a few weeks into my senior year my parents called a family counsel.  My Papa had been offered a position as plant manager in Manilla, Philippines and they wanted him to start Jan 2nd.  As our family prayed about it, we all knew that this would be a good change for our family.  My parents were very supportive and understanding that this move would affect me the most.  They gave me many options but eventually we decided that we would move to the Philippines over Christmas break so we'd all be together when my Papa started work.  Suddenly the idea of having lots of long hair wasn't appealing.  So I decided to chop it off.  So I went over to my best friend Janalee's house and we chopped it off.  

We put it in a ponytail, hacked it off and then decided to go to a salon to get it fixed up since it was really a hack job.  I donated the hair to locks of love and felt pretty good about helping someone.

Then my family moved to the Philippines and I was so glad I had shorter hair.

This is my senior picture from the Philippines.

The summer after I graduated high school I went to live with my Grandmommy and Granddaddy in Virginia.  I worked at a retreat for artists and writers in the middle of nowhere during the week and then went to my grandparents house on the weekends for church.  My aunt Holly (who is only 6 years older than me) convinced me on one of the weekend visits that I should let her cut my hair. I should mention that Holly had never been to beauty school and I'm not entirely sure she had ever cut anyone's hair before.  But I looked up to her so I thought I'd let her do it.  The haircut took forever with her saying "I just can't quite get it even" and my hair kept getting shorter and shorter.  Suddenly I had chin length hair.  :)  I went to college soon after and I actually loved exploring the new me.  :)  

Here's a picture of me with my roommate and next door neighbor.  I should mention that I did not wear makeup until I went to college and I hadn't a clue on how to wear it.  Looking back I don't know why I didn't ask my roommates for help.

Anyways, this post is incredibly long as it is, but essentially I have had hair shorter than my shoulders ever since college.  I LOVE short hair. I've had everything from bobs to pixie cuts and I even shaved my head last September (read about that here).  So I can literally say I've had my hair every length between my scalp and my chin.

And soon a new hair adventure will take place.  Last December I won a set of clip in extensions via a blog giveaway.  The extensions came in the mail today.  My hair is still too short to get away with using the extensions, but you will definitely see pictures when I feel comfortable using them.  :)

Hooray for Hair!  :)