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As much as I enjoy cutting hair and making young women look better with short hair, I do not always encourage short hair cuts.  There are several situations where I do whatever I can to avoid them.  The reason is simple, if the cut is at the wrong time or unappealing it will discourage future cuts from the customer and likely her friends as well.  Lets face it, if the cut does not look good it does not help the cause.  On the other hand, cuts at the right time are the best way to get young women hooked on short hair.

The situations where I avoid short hair cuts are: (1) Post break-up cuts (no reason to have short hair associated with feeling lousy about yourself); (2)  cuts on customers who do not suit short hair (notably those with masculine features); and (3) cuts when clients are going through trouble with their appearance (such as weight gain, skin issues, etc.).  It is very ofter that cuts in the situations above are requested and my job is to talk my client out of the cut, even when I feel like chopping. 

On the other hand, my favorite time to have clients go short is when it coincides with positive experiences.  That creates a positive association with short hair for both the client and those around her.  It is also the time when the young woman is most confident, so her looks also improve naturally, but it is the great haircut that gets the credit. 

In my experience, one of the most frequent and successful of these "positive experience cuts" is what I call the coming of age cut, but what others my call the "I got a serious boyfriend cut" or, more explicitly the "I finally did it cut".  These cuts happen naturally, as many of my clients ask for drastic changes at times like these without my even having to prompting them.  Of course, I am always happy to provide the encouragement necessary to make it happen.

A good and recent example is Kathy.  Kathy started coming to me about year or so ago when she was 16.  She was a pretty girl coming out of a bit of an awkward stage due to modest weight issues that are common at this age.  She was a little shy at first, but loved to open up when she got into the chair.  She would talk about her family, guys she liked and everything else.  She had a beautiful face with great features and amazing skin (that is a great companion to short hair).  Her body was a little roundish (but by no means overweight) with big boobs and a good size butt.  You can tell she was a little conscious of her body.

When Kathy started coming to me her hair was a natural dark brown, around her bra strap in length and was a grown out perm.  She was pretty scared of the scissors and I did not push it with her.  The first two or three cuts were trims and after about seven months she wanted it short for the beginning of the summer.  By short she meant shoulder length.  She was even afraid of layers.  I did not push it, as I have learned from experience they all come around at the right time.  I gave her the cut she wanted and told her that it looked great shorter.  She loved it as well. While cutting I joked about short cuts to gauge her reaction.  I could tell she was scared, but somewhat intrigued.  I always make a few comments to test the waters.

Kathy left and I did not see her again until mid-July.  For that cut she wanted the same thing again.  I suggested some subtle layers and she agreed.  During the cut she started telling me about this guys she met.  She said it was just casual, but I could tell by the way she could not stop taking about him that she was really in to him.  By the end of the cut, I knew the not-so-exciting details - they had kissed and she took her top off for him in the dark.  I had to act surprised and a little shocked, as it is part of my job.  I could tell she was very proud and this was the first time she had gone this far.  She could have talked about this all day.

It was not until after school started that Kathy returned.  She looked a little different.  She was dressed in a way that showed off her body a little more and she was wearing make-up.  I complimented her new look.  She asked for more layers, as she told me she got so many compliments.  I suggested that we thin it a little and she agreed, but asked that I do not go too short.  I asked, "why, because your boyfriend will not like it".  She blushed and immediately jumped in to say that he liked the layers and loved playing with her hair after the cut.  I told her that this means he likes short hair.  She just replied by saying, "I do not know, but I like it"  I asked if she wants to try something a little more daring and she said she was scared.  I left it at "maybe next time".

The rest of the cut was spent discussing her new love.  It took about three minutes for her to start opening up.  After about 10 minutes I had heard enough (I do get a little tired of hearing about these stories all day - they really are not that exciting).  She had now gone farther than many of her friends and was talking about going all the way.  I kept my mouth shut and listened. In these cases, saying nothing is the best advice.  By the end of the cut her hair was off her shoulders, quite layered and looking pretty good.  Her hair had a bit of a natural wave and the perm had now grown out.  She also had our girl do some waxing that included her brows.  They looked great the way she thinned them out.  She looked the best I had seen her look.

It was around Thanksgiving that Kathy came back.  This time I could see as she walked in the door that she had "come of age".  Her posture alone gave it away.  Her facial expression was also different. If that was not enough to give it away, she dressed in a way that showed off a bit of confidence.  She was wearing clothes that showed a bit of pride in her full features and her top was tighter than I had ever seen her wear.  I knew that this was the time for a change in hair style and I did what I usually do in cases like these - take it slowly.

We started by washing her hair, which I commented had grown a great deal.  She agreed and said it was starting to annoy her.  I asked how she liked the cut and she told me it was great and everyone commented.  I asked about her boyfriend liking the cut and she immediately started opening up about the two of them (as if I could not already tell just by looking at her).  We went over to the chair and I started brushing.  Without me having to even say a word she suggested that she was ready for something different.  I let her ramble for a bit and then gave a few options.

I said maybe a shorter bob that is popular with a lot of young women, maybe a cut with more layers or if she felt daring perhaps a more mature cut that would make her stand out.  She jumped at option three and asked what I was thinking.  Before I could even begin to describe the cut, she jumped in and said she was hoping for something shorter and more mature.  I suggested a cut above the ears on the sides with longish sideburns to keep a bit of length.  I wanted to take off some length in the back and keep a few good inches of length on the top.  A longish pixie cut with sort features and a cut that would grow out quickly if short hair was not for her.

To my surprise, she asked if that was short enough.  I told her lets try this and then if she likes it she can go shorter next time.  She told me to go for it.  I then started and she started telling me more about her man.  The cut must have taken 45 minutes and I barely got in five words.  I started by pinning up the back and reducing the length to a little over an inch.  I asked if she wanted it short and clean right at the hair line in the back.  She agreed.  I explained that this is a great way to tell if her boyfriend really likes short hair, as he will not be able to keep his hands of this area.  She responded with a relatively vulgar comment that impressed me coming from this formerly prudish girl.

I tapered it very short at the hair-line and increased the length up the nape.  I could tell she Kathy was enjoying the cut.  I left the sides a little longer than necessary, but I like doing this at first, as the sides grow out fast and it makes the client want a shorter cut next time.  I did bring the length above the ears, but left it longer in front.  I explained that this could be brushed back if she wanted it off her face.  I kept decent length on top and left bangs almost to her eye brows.  I suggested that she keeps her brow thin and she told me she planned to and her boyfriend really liked them thin.

I do not think the cut really sunk in until I started to style it.  She kept looking at herself (which is the usual reaction).  She was smiling and I could tell she liked it and was surprised, but not shocked.  I know two of her friends have short hair, so she was not being all that daring.  The cut looked amazing on her.  It totally brought out her features and gave her a more mature but still very youthful look.  It also totally showed off her perfect skin.  I asked her what she thought and her response was that it was just what she was looking for.  I asked her what her boyfriend would think and she smiled and said we will see.

It was not until the new year that Kathy returned.  She still looked great. She now had a tiny nose stud and was again wearing a tight shirt.  Her hair was pretty grown in and was pulled back in a hairband.  It was a little puffy on the sides and the back was showing some length.  She still had the glow so I knew she was still with her guy.  She immediately went into telling me how badly she needs her hair cut and how it is driving her crazy.  Knowing the answer I asked if she was trying to grow it out.  She responded that she loved it short and got so many compliments that she almost got sick of hearing them. 

As one of my standard questions, I asked how her boyfriend liked her hair and she said he was a little shy about it at first and did not say much.  She could not tell his reaction until they had some alone time.  Innocently I asked what happened then.  She responded, "he definitely likes short hair on me".  I will save the rest of the details, but it was clear that he certainly liked Kathy with short hair.  She told me he has started to play with her hair more and she loves the way that feels.  I realized I had done good.  I also realized I do not have to provide any more encouragement to get her to go shorter.

After washing her hair, I asked what she was thinking of doing this time. She paused and then said, "do you think we can go shorter without looking like a dude".  I explained that short hair does not make girls look like guys.  It is the wrong cut that is masculine or it is when girls who have masculine features go too short.  In many cases it is a combination of both, where girls go to the wrong stylist who has no clue how to cut short hair and has no idea when a client is not suited to have short hair.  I assured Kathy that she had incredibly feminine features, both face and body. I also promised her that I can go as short as she wants and I will never give her anything but a feminine style.

That was all she needed to hear.  She asked me how short I think she should go.  I recommended a pixie that is a little shorter than what I gave her last time, with more length taken off the back and the sides with the top thinned out quite a bit, but leaving some decent length on top.  She asked if it would be really short in the back like I did near the hairline last cut.  I told her that would be a great idea.

I started the cut and could tell that she wanted me to chop.  I did not get carried away, as I would rather take it slowly then give a cut that causes regret after.  I cleaned up the back first and left a bit of length, except near the bottom where I made it pretty neat.  I took the sides down to a little over an inch and then really thinned out the top, which totally suited Kathy.  I left some length in the bangs, but took them at least an inch shorter than last time.

When I was doing the top we started on the topic of hair maintenance and Kathy was telling me how much she loved how low maintenance her hair was for the first few weeks after I cut it.  She could not believe the way it felt when she first washed it and said that her boyfriend loved it the first time he got to wash it for her in the shower.  She also loved how she could actually sleep in longer.  I asked if it became harder to maintain as it grew out.  Kathy said it did and she wished it could stay that easy.  I told her that the shorter cut I am giving her will last longer and will be even lower maintenance. 

Kathy was thrilled to hear that and asked if I could do anything to make it last longer.  I said that would involve reducing the length and explained that I could do that an keep the style, but she would have to brace herself for some short hair.  Without hesitation she told me to do it.  The top was already pretty thinned out, but I shortened the bangs.  I also went to town on the back, taking off most of the length and leaving it neat.  I shortened the sides to less than an inch, but left enough that it could be brushed.  I then put in a bit of gel and did not have to blow it dry.

I could tell Kathy loved it.  I told her to make sure she returns in six weeks or sooner.  I asked what her boyfriend would say and she just said, "we shall see".  I watched her walking to the front counter and I thought back to the slightly awkward girl who came to me just a year or so before and I thought, this girl has come of age.

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