June 11, 2020

No More Messy Bun (my COVID DIY haircut--ugh)


That's how much hair I cut off my head yesterday!

After months of avoiding cutting my hair or coloring over my grays (because I wasn't going out and seeing anyone due to COVID), I finally decided that it was time to cut and dye it. It was actually one of the things on my June checklist of things I needed to do.

Ugh, I am so bummed! I don't know what I was thinking. Instead of doing my usual haircut (a trim, keeping it long but getting rid of the dead ends), I decided to cut it shorter.

To explain, yes--I cut my own hair. Ever since I learned how to do the "ponytail cut" (you put a tight ponytail on the very top of your head and then pull the ponytail straight up and cut off the top of it), I've been doing it for years.

Another way of doing a layered haircut is by using a long clip of some sort--you flip your head upside-down and and brush your hair so that it's going straight down from the top of your head. Then you place it all in a clip and cut across the clip. It literally takes less than three minutes.

I've always been fine with the "ponytail cut". If I was to go to a salon, it's exactly what I would ask for anyways--long layers. Ever since the COVID quarantine, I haven't cut my hair or colored my gray hairs. Since I wasn't seeing anyone, I didn't see the point!

Yesterday, I finally decided that it was time to cut and color my hair. Here is a "before" picture:


Clearly, I need to tweeze my eyebrows, too! Hahaha.

Usually, when I do the ponytail cut, I don't like how long the back of it ends up being, and I end up clipping away at it until it looks how I'd like it to. So yesterday, for some reason, I decided to use a clip instead (I used a "chip clip"--the kind that you typically use for potato chip bags) and I angled it more toward the back of my head rather than straight up (to make the back a little shorter).


Since I wanted to go shorter than usual, I didn't raise the clip as high as I normally would have. I cut across the clip, thinking I had plenty of room (hair) to spare.


When I removed the clip, I felt panicked. I literally almost had a panic attack. I couldn't believe how short it was and especially how short the top layer was! I wasn't sure where I went wrong, but I kept thinking, "Oh, shit!" over and over. This is my "Oh, shit!" face:



I hadn't yet dyed it, so I hoped that covering my gray hairs would help--it would make it look thicker? I don't know. I was just desperately hoping that the color would help!

My hair was a little greasy looking when I cut it (I hadn't washed it ahead of time) so I was betting on it looking thicker after I colored and washed it. I used a different brand of color this time (I always dye it black, which is basically my natural color, only it covers my grays!)

After dyeing it, I still couldn't believe how short it was. I tried putting it into a messy bun (which is my go-to literally EVERY day) and it's too short. I can pull it into a ponytail, but I don't like it like that.

I have no idea what possessed me to cut it shorter in the way that I did (I always think it through before cutting... what exactly will it look like? How long will the sides be? How long will the top be? Etc...)

After cutting and dyeing it, here is what it looks like. Keep in mind, I don't ever "style" my hair--I usually throw it into a messy bun--so this is just mid-air-drying it. I wish I could say I love it, but I don't. I can't wait for it to grow out! (By the way, I tweezed my brows while I was letting the color set.)


It's SO SHORT!

After this, I'm definitely going to stick with my tried-and-true ponytail cut. Or, at the very least, cut a tiny amount off at at time and see what it looks like before cutting more. It feels so weird to have a ponytail instead of a messy bun! Last night, the ponytail holder kept slipping off in the middle of the night--that's how short it is!

I have cut my own hair for YEARS, and I finally made a misjudgment. I'll just blame it on COVID, hahaha ;)

15 comments:

  1. It looks good from the front in the picture. Can you just leave it down more of the time? At least your probably not going out much yet so it has time to grow. Could be at lot worse.

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  2. I was expecting the last picture to be shocking...it was cute. I like it. Doesn't look bad at all. Way to go!

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  3. I think it looks cute! I understand being shocked about the length after having it long for so long, but I bet you'll get used to it!

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  4. AnonymousJune 12, 2020

    I think it looks adorable! I've made this mistake, but mine was MUCH shorter :( Thank goodness hair grows back!

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  5. Your hair looks lovely!

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  6. I think it looks good. The last photo looks quite nice your hair frames your face nicely. It's shorter than you're used to, but it will grow, and in the mean time you will adapt. I think the shock of it looking so different may have made you over-critical of it.

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  7. Not quite as good, but you should still be able to do a half messy bun - https://mystylevita.com/half-top-knot/

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  8. Love it! Just try and embrace the temporary - it will always grow back. I think it looks summery!

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  9. I think it looks great!!!! But I also totally understand about going from long hair to shorter than you want, I have done the same thing with my own hair and cutting it myself.

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  10. I laughed so hard seeing your pics! I'm sorry you hate your hair, but your 'Oh Shit' face was hilarious. If it makes you feel any better, I did the same thing, only my hair is short to begin with and the day before my hair girl came to my house to cut my hair, I chopped the sides of it off on my own because I was tired of messing with it. I went from about my jawline all the way up to around my ears. Now it's so short and I absolutely hate it. But, I won't have to get it cut for at least a couple months, and then it' will only be a quick trim until it grows out again. I think many of us experienced COVID hair and may have gone a little crazy. The videos on Facebook have kept me in stitches!

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  11. Hi, Katie! I love your hair, for me it's not too short. Quizás sólo es cuestión de que te acostumbres a él.

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  12. Agree with the others - it looks great!

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  13. From your photos, it's a good cut! I would love to see how you do your pony tail cut. You make it sound so simple.

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  14. I think it looks cute, but I know it's kind of a shock when you're used to long hair :) I cut my own, too... and have been going with shorter layers lately - figured it was time for a change!

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  15. Aw, I think it looks great! :)

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