By: Luisa Colón
Get ready to take it all off.
Feel free to play with ombre locks or unicorn-colored plaits, but if you’re in the mood for a total hair makeover, there’s nothing like the feeling of cutting off your hair.
“Oh my God, it was the most liberating thing!” exclaimed Emma Watson when she famously and dramatically went pixie-perfect. “The stylist just grabbed the back of my hair and took a whole ponytail of hair out. It felt amazing. I love it.”
But it’s not just the feeling of getting shorn, it’s the way it looks afterwards — gorgeous, gamine, and always on-trend. Personally, I love having my hair short (have you seen me on the “Meet the Team” page?). First, try the hack that tells you if you’d look good with short hair (really)! Then, get ready to take the plunge. Here are 19 reasons why you should.
- Short hair is always in style
Short hair trends may come and go, but the truth is — there’s always a short hair trend. Look back over the years, from Twiggy to Michelle Williams, and ask yourself: has the look ever truly gone out of style? - You have math on your side
Thanks to the 2.25 Inch Rule conceived of by John Frieda, you can now use a ruler and a pencil to determine if short hair would suit you. (And this trick really works!) - Getting cropped feels amazing
As Emma Watson discovered, there is nothing, nothing like the adrenaline rush of telling your stylist to take it all off and then watching as those locks fall to the salon floor. - Short hair is truly transformative
Unlike other beauty trends, cutting your hair short truly transforms your entire look; you don’t need to overhaul your wardrobe or freshen up your makeup collection. Suddenly, everything about you will be different. - And everything else will look different, too
… In fact, you’ll find that suddenly your old striped shirt is the perfect gamine accessory and that classic red lips or smokey eyes make a totally new statement when paired with short hair. - You can do it little by little
If the idea of watching ten years worth of hair growth become null and void in ten minutes makes your stomach churn, keep in mind that you can cut your hair in degrees instead of going for a dramatic chop. “Short hair” encompasses many a style, including lobs, bobs, and pixie cuts. - You’ll get rid of unhealthy hair
If you’re anything like me, your hair has borne witness to a multitude of processes, dyes, and heat styling, as well as harsh products, the sun, pollution in the air, and so on. Imagine just getting rid of that damage! - It’s a chance to start over
Once you’ve chopped off the unhealthy parts, you can hit the reset button with virgin locks untouched by sizzling hair irons and tornado-grade blow drying. - You may rethink long hair completely
Also, is there any chance your hair’s become like a security blanket of sorts? Like “Oh, I’ve had my long hair forever, it’s comfortable, I’m never going to change it, I just put it up in a ponytail and…” Stop. Maybe it’s time to reassess what your hair means to you. - Short hair stands out
If your hair has, in fact, become something of a security blanket, then wouldn’t you like to whip that blanket off and reveal your fab self to the world? No matter how on-trend it is, short hair simply stands out. - It’s not permanent
Your hair will grow back. You know that, right? - There’s tons of styles out there
If you’re worried that the excitement of having short hair may eventually wear off and become boring, keep in mind that there are tons of dreamy styles out there as well as varying degrees of length. - You can still play with your hair
In addition to the myriad styles out there, you can play with your look, going with slicked back and sleek one day, and tousled and beachy the next. - You’ll be in good company
Having short hair always makes for a fresh and unique look, and you’re going to be in good company, whether it’s style icons from the days of yore (hello, Audrey Hepburn) or modern celebrities who are currently kicking ass with their short crops. - Hats will suddenly look a million times cuter
I speak from personal experience when I say that nothing, nothing suits a cute little cap or hat like having a short cut. - Your hair routine will be SO much easier
While it’s true that a short cut does require maintenance, let’s be honest: there’s gonna be a lot less hair to wash, dry, and style. - Short hair is badass
Even if you’re going for face-framing curls or a sweet little pixie crop, there’s something about cutting your hair that just says FTW. - You may decide to change up the color
Less hair in the equation means an easier time playing with color, so maybe there’s a bleached blond short cut à la Katy Perry in the cards for you! - Growing out can be fun
This one might seem unexpected because, hey, you just finally made the leap and cut your hair, right? But as your newly healthy and liberated locks grow, you’ll begin to discover a new frontier in other styling possibilities and lengths.