Thursday, March 5, 2009

The Girl on the Box

So I'm letting my secret out of the bag. I cut and color my own hair. And now that I've said that...please nobody look to close. Truthfully, I'm really fine with cutting it. I know how I like it. I run into trouble around my hair line in the back, but I do a decent enough job on the rest. I've been cutting my own hair for years and years with a few exceptions. I try to get a real hair cut once, sometimes twice, a year. (I know some of you long hair people only cut your hair that often, but short hair needs a trim every 5 weeks or so to keep up a good shape.) But even then, I end up coming home and fixing the parts I don't like.

It's the coloring I really shouldn't attempt on my own...how can we forget the hair dye disaster of '07 when I decided to go platinum and came out cannery yellow. I have not really had a good self hair coloring experience since. I go to the store and the girl on the box always looks so cute and happy about her healthy, shiny hair color. It's way too alluring. Since that fateful disaster two years ago, I've been on a quest to achieve my natural hair color again. It's so much easier to keep up. And sometime last summer/fall I got pretty close and have been wearing it like that ever since.

A couple problems. One. My natural color is a boring mousy brown. Two. With the exception of a few fabulous friends, life in Texas has not been good to me. I am way too prematurely gray for my 27 year old self. Something had to be done. I debated a long time between dying over it a color similar to my natural color or adding highlights. I love, love, LOVE a dark shiny hair color on short hair like mine. But I've tried to go dark a few times and never really been happy with the outcome. My complexion can't take dark hair. And I'm tired of mousy brown. Besides, grays poke through a few weeks after a coloring anyway.

So highlights it was. I think my pale freckly skin looks good with a little brightness around the face. Plus who can really notice the difference between a bleach blonde streak and an unfortunate gray? And truthfully, it solved that problem nicely.



I'm not a pro at the self picture thing. Traci...you're always so good at it. What's your trick? Half of these are in the mirror and half are taken straight on...I didn't just switch my part in the middle of picture taking.

The problem is my color looks outdated. Though the bathroom lighting was not good for an accurate hair color portrayal. I should have included a "before" picture. Genny...you're a hair dresser and you have highlights and your hair always looks fantastic. Advice? Is there a certain kind of highlighting that's in? Chunky highlights have never worked well on short hair for me. I'm highlighting it the exact same way I did ten years ago. There's gotta be a more up to date way to highlight than the thin all over highlights. Any suggestions?

I've been wearing my hair ultra short for over ten years now. It's hard not to get stuck in a rut. No matter how I cut it, it all looks the same two weeks later. And it's hard to move on and not get stuck on what was cool so many years ago. I watched You've Got Mail about 6 weeks ago and I fell in love with Meg Ryan's hair all over again. I realize that that style is way outdated and I wouldn't repeat it, but I love it as much as I did back then. My roommates and I used to watch that movie all the time and be jealous of her cute hair and clothes and I think I'm stuck in that era because I'd do it all over again. Though I have moved past the "duck butt hair cut" as my roommate called it, I think I still occasionally dress like that. I love it.



I never wanted to be the kind of person who can't move past what was cool in my hay day. But I have a favorite pair of CHUNKY black and white wing tip mary-janes (thank you Jeff) that I can't seem to get rid of. I no longer wear them. They're way too chunky to be cool anymore, but I can't bear to throw them. They're still in great shape and I still REALLY love them. In my little mind, this kind of shoe will always be cool. I certainly didn't intend to take this post here.


Since hair is the theme today...Parker talked me into giving him a buzz. I knew it'd be a mistake. My kids look ridiculous with buzz cuts. Reid got one once because of the fits he throws when he gets hair cuts. I swore I'd never do it again. And I did. Parker started naming all his friends who have a buzz. Maybe I'm not going to be a good mother of teenagers if I give in all too easy to the "but all my friends are doing it" excuse. And he's only four. But I want my kids to be their own person. Parker's too old for me to choose his clothes and the way he fixes his hair. If he wants to be a kid with a goofy looking hair cut, then that's his prerogative. And he likes the way it looks. I don't have a picture but I will include this one from Crazy Hair Day at school. Parker designed that look himself. And now it's all gone.

24 comments:

Traci Elizabeth said...

you are so funny. I think the pictures turned out great and your hair looks cute! I can't believe you have grey hairs....You seem way to care free for that!

Genn said...

You give yourself a pretty good haircut Katie. Not bad. It looks so cute on you short like that.

It's hard to highlight your own hair because unless you can put foils in your hair yourself, you don't really have control over the placement of the highlights.

Your color really doesn't look outdated. It is hard to tell about your base color, but it looks like you have a lot of natural red in your hair...I would counteract that a bit by weaving tons of foils of bleach to give you a lot of highlights (not necessarily chunky), and then color the rest of your hair with a natural brown color.

But honestly, for doing it yourself, and saving money, it really does look great.

amelia said...

Wow, your hair looks awesome! I was thinking it would be some hair disaster story...not at all.

amelia said...

(As in the headline made me think it would be a dye disaster...I'm super impressed you cut your own hair! How did you learn to do that?)

Eric said...

You don't know mousy brown until you've seen my natural color (which it is right now since hair coloring is way to expensive). Your natural brown is so pretty. I love your hair, always, and can't believe you do it yourself. You're amazing! I have no great advice since I'm too chicken to go as short as you. And I'm also stuck in that same "You've Got Mail" era too. I guess since I was one of the girls watching it with you over and over in college.

Kelly said...

You could have no hair and look beautiful! I love the cut, style and color! Kudos to you for doing it all on your own! I have to pay way too much to get this look, and it cant' be that hard to do!
I think you did a great job on the self portraits, too!

Brooke said...

I have been back and forth between keeping it short and growing it out. The last time I got my hair cut I decided to grow it out. So I got it styled cute and the next morning when I was getting ready I finally decided that I love my hair short. Now I just have to find a cute cut that won't require to much.

Lauri said...

I'm so sorry about the gray hair...you got that from me. I too started noticing grays when I was 27.

I also have to admit that I've gone back to coloring myself in-between professional coloring. Because my hair is so gray, I have to color it every 5-6 weeks too expensive! So I get it done one time and 6 weeks later, I touch up the roots, then in 6 weeks, I get an all over highlight done. My hairdresser taught me how to do it. I told her I couldn't afford to pay her that much that often so she told me how to touch it up myself in between. Thank goodness!!!!!

Anyway you look cute and I hope you're feeling better.

Kris said...

Katie, you told your secret, and you didn't have to, because NO ONE would have ever known you cut your own hair. You do a fantastic job. My darling daughter gets very mad at me when I cut my own hair in between hair cuts. I like to think I am pretty darn good at it, but she will tell you otherwise.
Anyway.,.,,kudos to you!

Sam and Becky said...

Your hair looks so great! You have always had great style.... I would rock those mary-janes.. they are awesome.

:)

Kim said...

I am impressed. I think your hair looks great. I don't think it looks outdated at all, that my opinion anyway.

jeanine said...

I can't believe you cut your own hair... it looks great!
And I still love Meg Ryan in You've Got Mail too... she's so adorable!

J, E, S & L said...

Ok, first of all I kind of have a little crush on Meg Ryan. I don't know why she has to look so dang fantastic all the time!?! Why didn't I get in on some of that??? I totally should have been friends with her in the pre-existence, maybe her style would have rubbed off on me a little.
On another note, I totally get the out of date issue. I don't show people my closet for fear they will discover just how out of date I am! It's embarrassing, but there are some things you just can't get rid of!
As far as gray hair goes I'm totally with you, I get comments all the time on my gray hair. I hate it but I'm much too lazy to get it colored! Maybe next time you do your hair you can do mine too!
In other news your hair looks fabulous, always! You're my hero! I'll see you tonight!

Kelly said...

I think it looks great! and i also love meg ryans haie in that movie! i always love ger hair!!

Autumn said...

I cannot believe you have gray hair?!! That's insane. I LOVE your hair in these pictures. Absolutely positively love it. Short hair looks so good on you. And I love your part. I hate taking self pix too but sometimes its a necessity. I've been thinking of ways to trim the fat (financially) and I keep thinking I should opt for self highlighting (or have Jake do it anyway). I am nervous but after going without it since the fall, I'm willing to take the risk-after I get them done in the spring. :) I have plans and can't handle it going awry with a bad self-job. I wish I had the guts to cut my own hair. I simply don't trust myeslf enough. Especially with the back-SO impressive! I know what you mean about certain shoes-those look like Docs to me. I hadn't worn mine in years but eventually forced myself to wear them. They look eternally in good condition. I can't wait for a picture of Parker's buzz!

Sheryl said...

YOu are so fab! No one could ever say anything but....Keep the shoes, cuz ya know someone will want them for a 90's party if nothing else! Your crazy is worthy of his name!!

The Cochran Family said...

I think I remeber the canary yellow. I did not remember that you did it yourslef! :) It's funny beacuse for the past 7 months I have been dying my hair too! Hair is just too expensive to keep up as you well now, esp blond. So man it is A LOT of trial and error and my hair has defin. paid the price!! No I don't have grey hairs yet, but my hair does like to fall out lately in large portions and I had to cut bangs becasue my fried hair was about that short in front! But alas, I finally have figured it out, so it was all worth it in the end! Now I can do my hair for $5 every time instead of $100!!! Yah, our husbands really should give us major props for what we are saving them!!!

Unknown said...

You make me laugh girl!! I just love the way you tell even the simplest of stories! I think your hair looks great..always does! I wish I could get Meg Ryan hair..my hair just makes me crazy..gray ones and all!! Yeah, I had them at 27 too..what is happening to us?? Good thing you look great no matter what your hair color!

Megan said...

I think your hair is darling. I envy those who can pull off the short short hair, not me.

I had to set my blog to private, if you want to keep following it send me an email at meganstohl@yahoo.com and I'll send you an invite.

It's been so fun to get to know you and your family better through the bloging world.

Amanda B. said...

You look awesome! Love the do and the color! :) And, good for you for letting parker try the buzz cut. I don't think my kids look the best with them either.

Yep, I am thinking about getting my annual hair cut this week.... :)

Crystal said...

I think you did an awesome job on your hair!!! You have so many talents.

Danielle said...

I think your hair is adorable! Talk about having the same hairstyle? My hair has been the very same since eighth grade...that's right never changed i except for some highlights. I hope my curls will hold up until I am old and grey and then I am sure I will have set some sort of record for longest time in the same hairstyle...=)

Abbey said...

Your hair looks great wish I could do my own but i would end up bald. Oh yeah I still have that one pair of chunky shoes too. I still put them on and think well maybe but then I soon take them off. Love parkers hair too.

Nicole said...

I love your hair! It's adorable! I understand what it's like to hold on to the familiar. Last year I finally chopped my long hair off and I love it so much. Sure miss long hair sometimes though.