Many people ask why I chose to cut my hair extremely short, or how I have the confidence to rock short hair. My response every time is: first of all, I chose to cut my hair short because I’m lazy, second, I wanted to try something different, third, I was sick of looking at it, fourth, I had no clue how to style it, and the fifth reason: I was finally ready to embrace it. As far as having the confidence to rock it, that’s up to you. I always say, “do what you want because people are going to judge you no matter what,” and “wear what you like because life is too short.”
Here is a recap about my hair journey: I was five years old when my mom first touched my hair with a chemical hair treatment. I remember sitting on the bathroom toilet seat every three months while she lathered hair relaxer over every inch of my curly hair. The process of washing and rinsing, blow-drying, and then straightening…it was the longest process of any five-year-old’s Sunday afternoons. Once I reached elementary and middle school, having relaxed hair (straight) was popular among the black community, just as having permed hair (curly) was popular among the white community. Fast-forward to junior year in high school, I started to notice a lot of younger adult women wearing their hair natural and setting their curls free. Finally working up enough courage to become a trendsetter in my school, I set a hair appointment and the results were official at the beginning of summer.
Here is a scene during the process at the beginning of summer: I make eye contact with my hairdresser as she holds my relaxed hair in one hand and a pair of scissors in the other. “Are you sure you want me to cut it, Paige?” My response was simple: “I’m as ready as I’ll ever be, now just cut it!” It was then that the shiny scissors split open and cradled my dark brown lock inside, and then SNIP. It was done. The first section of many more to come was gone. Once I realized what I had done, I already had a TWA – a.k.a Teeny Weenie Afro.
To finish up my hair biography I want to share that if you ever feel like doing something drastic to your hair, please DO IT!
P.S. a breakup did not occur during this time.