What a difference a hair cut makes!

[Millymollymandy]

I had pretty much the same short hair style for more than 20 years, got bored and decided to grow my hair. Well really it didn't work out as my hair is rather thin and fine and I ended up with a load of dry old bleached hair at the ends. I got really fed up with all this (hair flapping round my face and whipping in my eyes in the wind and driving me mad).

Found a photo of a hair style I liked on the internet and although the finished hair do is slightly different (hairdresser said my hair is a bit fine to have exactly the same style) but what she's done is fabulous and I feel like a new woman! It's not as short as it used to be in the past but is somewhere between the longer and shorter lengths and with some volume at long last instead of long and lanky!

I was so down what with the flu and cold and feeling like crap but now I feel like I've got a new lease of life and I am happy to be seen outside the house without a bag over my head now!

How a new hair do can cheer you up, it's quite amazing. I feel/look 10 years younger (well, 5 years anyway).

(Interestingly, if you read the French forums 90% of women bemoan French hairdressers but I've been to many and I've never had a bad cut and they always blow dry my hair perfectly. In England I had many a bad cut and could never bear to go home afterwards because the blow dry was always so AWFUL I had to skulk home hoping I wouldn't see anyone I knew......then wash it all out and blow dry it again myself the moment I got home!). Vive la France!

[Green Aura]

It's amazing isn't it, glad it gave you a lift.

I know what you mean about English hairdressers (I haven't been to them all so probably shouldn't generalise) - I'm bordering on phobic.

I have the opposite problem to you MMM - I have tons of hair, which when it gets too long gives me a headache. So when I shut the shop for the winter I shaved my head - not a bonehead - with OHs clippers.

The relief - I'm sure I lost a stone in weight instantly, felt about two inches taller and I don't have to cut it again until next October - perfect! Even if I look a bugger - I live in hippy central so no-one cares, including me! It's only when I venture out I feel like I need to wear a hat

[Graye]

I agree!

I've had long hair for absolutely years and it's thick and curly. The real advantage is that I can do all sorts with it. But if it was at that in-between stage I'm sure I would be tempted all the time to go for a serious chop.

Every time we venture into our nearest city (Perigueux) I'm always impressed by the hairstyles I see. And our nearet little town has three hairdressers so French ladies obviously take their hair seriously.

Glad you are pleased. It's a real confidence boost, isn't it?

[JulieSherris]

My hair has been different lengths of shortness since I was 13 & had it chopped right short... in the morning, I could sit on it - after school... gone! My mum was slightly cross..... haha!

I'm trying to grow it out a little now, but I know what you mean about the fine wispy bits whipping you in the face
It's now long enough for me to get it back & tie it, so I shall carry on until I have a trim... the only problem is that when I do go for a trim, I know I shall tell the girl to 'chop it, just chop it all off!'

Well done though - I bet you look FAB

[Thomzo]

Good for you Mandy. I bet it looks lovely.

I have not been inside a hairdressers for over a year now and my hair has never looked better. When I used to get it cut every eight weeks it was a right mess. My hair is long, extremely thick and VERY curly. After it had been to the hairdresser it would be very battered and damaged and would just go really frizzy. They really used to yank at it. In the last year I have just trimmed the ends once. Not one split end in site and it falls into lovely ringlets. Although I think Fee's hair soap has really helped.

Cheers
Zoe

[TheLancsLass]

Yup it can make you feel fab!

Although, my hair is so thick that no matter how I have my hair cut, it will eventually fall into the same style it has been in for years, does my head in lol

[Millymollymandy]

I envy all you people with thick hair. It's funny, cos when my hair was growing out (for about 2 years btw and I could put it all up in a pony tail) both my husband AND my hairdresser (!!!) said they were surprised how fine my hair was because when it was short they'd always thought I'd got thick hair!

Anyway it still looks OK even straight out of bed! It looks a bit shaggy Meg Ryanish but without her face.

[Shirley]

Where's the photo ;-)

[Millymollymandy]

No way!

These are the photos I took to the hairdressers with me, but my cut is a little shorter and I've got more of a fringe.

http://www.thecuttingchair.com/componen ... texture,4/

[the.fee.fairy]

I haven't been to a hairdresser for probably 6 year now...

I have long thick, dead straight hair. It hovers around wasit legnth, and i'm aiming for tailbone length. Last time i went to a hardresser, they cut it from wait to shoulder and said 'its still long'.

The 'date' has long hair too, but he's thinking of cutting it all off for work He hasn't been to a hairdresser in years either - mainly because they always want to cut it all off!

[JulieSherris]

No way!

These are the photos I took to the hairdressers with me, but my cut is a little shorter and I've got more of a fringe.

http://www.thecuttingchair.com/componen ... texture,4/

So.... that's not you in those pics then?

[Millymollymandy]

Oh I looked just like that only a few years ago.

[Mrs Moustoir]

Glad your new "do" has perked you up MMM. I know you've been quite poorly - been reading your posts here and elsewhere!

I've always had pretty good experiences with French hairdressers. They cut and colour really well whereas in the UK, I could find one that cut well but wasn't so hot on the highlights!! The lady I go to now is lovely. She listens to me and I tend to get what I've asked for! My hair is very thick and naturally curly and believe me, I've had some SCAREcuts in the UK...

I think a lot of the Brits hereabouts are just not confident enough with the language to go to a French hairdresser. Now I'm a "regular" in the salon, I get to listen to the gossip that is flung about and have heard some interesting snippets. There are always a couple of old ladies under the dryers in our little salon and the blue/purple rinse is still popular in Brittany.

[Millymollymandy]

Thanks Mrs M - I am finally on the mend now!

I wish I'd had my hair cut a couple of months ago cos I've just realised that having just renewed my passport I'm stuck with a hideous photo of the old hair 'do' - even worse because I had to brush my fringe off my face! Still it's sod's law that we all look horrendous in passport photos so I guess I'm not the only one!

I can't join in the gossip at my salon because I have such a problem understanding my hairdresser - a French friend who goes there (who I do understand) tells me her accent is 'campagnarde' which I suppose explains it. Still she seems to understand me which is probably more important! The worst thing is when she talks to me over the hair dryer and I just can't even HEAR her let alone understand her accent! All the women who work there have dreadful multi coloured streaks on bad hair dos though - why do hairdressers often have naff hair themselves?

[Mrs Moustoir]

There are a lot of bright purple and blue streaks (as well as the blue rinses) in this neck of the woods at the moment...must have been on special offer at the wholesalers before Christmas.

I know what you mean about the accents. Our neighbour is in his late 80s and his first language is Breton. I cannot understand much of what he says but we have long and involved conversations about the weather, the garden, the maire - at least I think we do...

And - nobody actually looks like their passport photo - do they??