The Long & the Short of it

So I’m contemplating a change.  A major one. 

I’m thinking of cutting my hair. 

That picture of me above?  It’s about five years out of date.  I don’t think I’ve cut my hair since.  

Here on the left?  This is what it looks like now.  Quite a ponytail, no?

I love my long hair, don’t get me wrong.  I barely have to groom myself.  My only choice in the morning is bun, braid or ponytail.  I’m down to washing it maybe twice a week.  Oily hair takes a braid better.  (That’s my story & I’m sticking to it.)

That said?  I’m getting frumpy.  

I used to do outdoor education when I was right out of college.  I was twenty-one & adorable (aren’t we all at twenty-one?) and remember looking at the older women running our program.  They were grown-up granola girls from the 70s who were still wearing their Birkenstocks & long braids clear into the 90s.  And I thought, “I hope that never happens to me.  I hope I never just give up & stick with what’s comfortable instead of making any effort to stay current.”

Twenty years later, here I am wearing Birkenstocks & a long, greasy braid.  I have no make up on my face, & I’m wearing jeans older than my children.  

Now I’m not going shopping.  (I don’t hate myself *that* much.)  But I’ll admit it:  It might be time for a hair cut.   Not just a trim, either.  I’m talking about a haircut.  A hair style.  A real one.

I should admit, I’ve been down this path before.  I had my hair cut boy-short  right after I came out of that just-had-my-first-baby-haven’t-slept-in-six-months haze.  It wasn’t a great look for me. (Never make big decisions when sleep deprived or hungry.  Trust me.)

My hair’s extremely fine (though there’s a lot of it) and pin straight.  My would-be pixie cut ended up looking vaguely militant.  Not quite what I was aiming for.   So now I’m in the market for something short & stylish but overtly feminine.  

I’ve contemplated Jody Foster’s look from Elysium (up there on the right.)

My mom thinks Lisa Osborn’s new look (up there on the left) would work for me.

I really like Carey Mulligan’s modified pixie (right) and have always thought Winona Ryder (left) was gorgeous with short hair. 

But I’m still having brush-cut flashbacks from last time.  I need guidance.

Help me out here.  What celebrity looks are you a big fan of these days?  Did you ever take a celebrity photo to your stylist & say, “Give me that?”  Which one?   How did it turn out?