How long do you go?
Once I bumped into a friend and she said, "Your hair is getting so long!" And I said in reply, "So is yours!"
I tend to go a looooooooonng time between hair cuts. I probably get a hair cut every 9 months or so. I just can't justify the time, the 30-60 minutes away from the family, just to get my "hair done". Sure, I take plenty of 30-60 minute chunks of time away from the the family, but there are other things that are high up on my priority list, among the higher up things-to-do include running or going to the supermarket alone (so I can control those bills & comparison shop!). When I finally make it to a hair cut, I am ready for a change, a real new do. I got one of those go-all-out chop-it-all-off cuts just before the new year, and it was great for the first couple of months. Six months later, I'm no longer enamoured with the cut, but I'm probably going to wait a few more months until I really can't take it anymore. Or, maybe I'll get it cut sooner rather than later, and break this cycle of denying myself the hair cut because I can't justify the time/money commitment more frequently than once in a 9 month period!
How long do you go between cuts? Do you wait and push the envelope until you just. can't. take. it. anymore? Do you go at more regularly in shorter intervals? Does getting your hair cut fall in the higher or the lower end of the priority spectrum for you?
And in case this whole conversation gets you jazzed to get out for a new cut, be sure to check out previous recommendations on where to go.
I'm not the kind to pay a ton of money for a haircut, and I've found that the folks at Supercuts can cut my ultra-simple 'do just fine.
But! I also wait a really long time between cuts. Like you, I've got better things to do and I hate to spend my precious free hours on getting my hair cut. It's just not a priority until the day I look in the mirror and see my eyes peering out from Chewbacca-like bangs.
Posted by: Zinemama | May 16, 2008 at 09:39 AM
I dont consider myself all that high maintenance but there are a few things that I splurge on a few times a year and a good haircut and highlights usually fall into that category. Pre-babies, I had my haircut every 6 weeks to the day, and highlights 3-4 times per year. Now, I'm lucky if I get color once a year and a haircut every quarter. Last time I got my haircut was probably 3 months ago and I wanted a change...so I took the plunge and had her cut some bangs. They are great, and I like them, but they do require maintenance so I'm going in sooner than maybe I would have otherwise. I spend so little time on myself compared to my pre-baby days, that nowadays, a pair of great jeans and a good highlight and haircut go a long way in making me feel somewhat fresh, sexy and stylish.
Posted by: Leah | May 16, 2008 at 10:21 AM
The last time I cut my hair (I can't even remember when it was), I donated about 11 inches of hair to Locks of Love. I'm at the point now where I could cut about the same amount to donate, but honestly can not make it a priority to spend the money or time. Does anyone know of a stylist who supports hair donation programs and might be willing to give me a cut for free? If I weren't spending any money, it might be easier for me to carve out some time.
Posted by: cc | May 16, 2008 at 11:09 AM
I got my hair cut last weekend. It had been so long I don't even remember the last time. Before baby. 10 mo? Went to Avada school. Slow, but looks fine & was $13. Felt more 'special' then my usual Super cut experience, but probably won't go again as it is far from home. I've never been good about keeping up on this & having a baby might make me worse.
Posted by: cg | May 16, 2008 at 06:35 PM
Post baby, I sometimes needed something like a good haircut to feel normal/human/attractive again. But now I am tired of all the maintenance of medium short hair, and have decided to try long again. We'll see how long that lasts!
Posted by: KathyT | May 16, 2008 at 09:13 PM
I admit it. I get my hair cut every 7 or 8 weeks (gasp!) and I look forward to it so much. My hair stylist has wine (I do evenings after DH is home) and magazines and I. Love. It. It's one of the few occasions I get some adult time where I'M the client, not the caregiver, and it is precious. So even if it's not kosher, there's no way I'd give it up. Plus a good cut makes the time it takes in the morning to get ready a lot shorter, so that's a bonus. And a good cut also makes me feel good even on my frumpiest days. I'm not a very self-indulgent person, most the time, but this is one of my selfish splurges. Didn't know this was such a rarity here! :)
Posted by: Jill | May 17, 2008 at 06:48 AM
I'm with Jill. When I keep up with cutting my hair, it's easier to style and makes me feel like I've still got it going on. Even if some of the rest of me droops more than it used to, my hair looks great. And the luxury of being taken care of every eight weeks is something I just can't bring myself to give up.
Posted by: RM | May 17, 2008 at 09:12 AM
historically i cut/color about twice a year. my slow growing hair makes it not too bad to wait that long. BUT i just had it done about a month ago, and the color is such that it needs upkeep about every 2-3 months. i did that intentionally. since the baby was born 8 months ago i never feel like a girl, and getting a head massage and steam towel while the color processes is awesome. and also, having a real hairstyle makes it look like i'm trying to take care of my looks some of the time.
Posted by: Breanna | May 17, 2008 at 09:43 AM
I'm also a 6-8 week hair cut lady. I LOVE getting my hair cut, having me time and feeling good about myself. I spend time every morning blow drying my hair and putting a bunch of product in it. It is one thing that I will-not-give-up.
Posted by: Melissa MM | May 17, 2008 at 07:25 PM
I'm one of those that never gets around to it. I think I've grown 10-12 inches for Locks of Love three times in the past few years, with only a touch up with my own scissors in between. cc, I think almost anywhere will cut it free if you donate (ask ahead) but you have to mail it to Locks of Love yourself with instructions from the website.
Now it's hot and I'm ready to chop it off again, but I want a new style, not a bob, when it's cut. What's a good style for someone who doesn't wash it every morning, doesn't own a hair dryer, likes to spend about 2 minutes a day on upkeep?
Posted by: Jennifer | May 17, 2008 at 07:32 PM
I'm one of the ones who waits forever....I just don't enjoy dealing with hair. Funny how today a friend commented that my husband & I have the same ponytail and that we just chopped off our girls' hair. It's easier to deal with mine long and theirs when it's short (does anybody know how to make a 21 month old keep her ponytails in? because this little girl is about to get a REALLY short haircut because there's no way to keep her hair out of her face/food/snot).
BTW my husband was just telling me about a place up on Halsey, around 110th, across from El Indio restaurant that donates hair to local charities (I guess that there's a national service but very few wigs actually make it back to Portland, or so DH says...). And, my favorite hairdresser is a lady named Amy (or Annie) in a tiny little cottage next to H&R Block on Foster (and 82nd). She's quick, the girls love her and she's cheap (and way better than Supercuts!).
Posted by: capell | May 17, 2008 at 11:17 PM
Since kids, I've been going about every 8-10 months. But, I'm getting a bit sick of always looking so blah, so I've been trying to go every 4 months or so. I do splurge on nice shampoo & conditioner. I'm willing to spend the money since I don't color or highlight my hair.
Posted by: jill | May 18, 2008 at 02:33 PM
Apparently I go too long for my mother's taste, since she just asked me bluntly a couple weeks ago if I'd stopped coloring my hair! But to her credit, for my birthday this weekend, she gifted me the cut and color I'd been putting off due to time and money constraints, and the baby sitting to boot (thanks mom!). I can go a long time between haircuts since mine is just long and plain, but I really don't like my natural hair color (even more now that so many of those gray hairs have started to stand straight up in my part!), so highlights are something I do about 3-4 times a year.
Posted by: andrea | May 18, 2008 at 09:03 PM
I go every 6 weeks and if she can't fit me in at that 6 week mark I go in at 5 weeks. My hair is too fine to look good long so I have to keep it short. For me, I can handle just about any other beauty challenge but I am seriously demoralized if my hair is shaggy and looks bad. I had a cut and color done Saturday. It took two hours (and a chunk of change). Kid 1 was at a playdate and kid 2 was napping and no one missed me while I was gone. And my hair looks fabulous. Time and money well spent.
Posted by: Kat | May 18, 2008 at 11:04 PM
Yes, my husband and I both wait forever now that we're parents -- we bought a razor for buzzing his head twice a year, and then once a year he sees the hairdresser. Our hairdresser has actually started coming to us, we pick an afternoon she has off, she shows up, and in a little less than two hours we have three haircuts (yes, she does The Princess as well. Since it's only once or twice a year it's worth it.) She charges the same as we pay in her shop, but she gets to keep all the money, and we get all beautiful at the same time! Now if I could just remember to schedule the photographer to come out the following weekend, we'd have archival proof!
Even before parenthood (B.P.) I tended to go three months or more before getting a cut, but now it's typically 6 months. I'm looking BAAAAADD (and not in a good way) right now, and hoping for a fix soon.
Posted by: Kristi | May 21, 2008 at 11:03 AM