Surviving a Bad Haircut . . . It's Just Hair . . .Right?

I was so excited to get my long hair cut short for a cool new do for Summer. My hair was mid back length and I wanted something that just touched my shoulders with some layers added in.

In trying to save a little money, I decided I would go to MasterCuts to get a trim. So they are not a "high end salon". How bad could they mess up my hair right? They would just be shortening it up a bit anyway. Why spend $40+ to get a trim? What could go wrong?

To put it lightly, last night I could have died. We've all had it happen. A haircut gone horribly, horribly wrong and it's a living nightmare. What makes this an earth-shattering event is that you can't do a thing about it, and for women especially, a bad hair day can throw the universe out of whack.

If it was a bad poodle perm you could have the hairdresser relax the curl. If it was a bad dye job you could try to dye it again. But once those scissors have sliced through your hair - even crazy glue can't re-attach it (After an uneven cut last night, trust me, I've tried.).

Now, OK, it isn't THAT bad. I will even share a picture with you to prove it.
 

My longest length is the length I wanted it to be, right at my shoulders/collar bone. My problem is the layers that frame my face are uneven. On the left, my shortest layer is even with my mouth. On the right, my shortest layer is more so even with my nose.

OK, was the hairdresser who was working on my hair that was supposedly "their best" drunk? How does that happen?!

A little tuck behind my ear and no one is the wiser, but I HATE how the fabulous feeling of looking great with your new do was left on the salon floor with the four inches of my locks.

So what to do? I've turned to my fabulous hubby who thinks I just look adorable. He's so supportive, bless his heart. I've turned to my friends who are very supportive and feel my pain; understanding my displeasure.

Here are some tips for dealing with a new (unwanted and unflattering) 'do that I loved from, wait for it KidzWorld (One of the best articles I found when Googling bad haircuts).

Hate it - Say It

If you went in for a trim and ended up with less hair than Mr. Clean or you wanted a body wave and ended up with a fro Justin Timberlake would envy, say something. The worse thing you can do is smile, nod and pay for it without so much as a whimper. If you don't tell them you are unhappy they don't know. Most hairdressers don't want you to be unhappy - they'll lose your business. They should be more than willing to discount you or fix the situation, if possible.

See here is my problem. As she was cutting it, it looked fine, I didn't truly realize the horror until I was home, showered and drying my hair. That's when the OMG moment happened. Too late to say something and I would be even more unhappy if she cut the longer side to match.

Go Home and Get a Grip

Okay, when it first happens you can cry, scream and feel sorry for yourself all you want, but then you need to get over it. Your hair's gone and tears and pity-parties will not make it grow back any faster. The first thing you need to do is wash it and style it yourself. Sometimes the cut isn't as heinous as you think, it's just the way your hairdresser styled it that makes it look wonky. Give it a good wash, get out your fave styling product and go to work.

And my added "get a grip" instruction; remind yourself "I Look Good Today!"

Accessorize

If it still looks like you lost a wrestling match with a lawn mower, take yourself on an shopping spree. Buy some cute little barrettes, headbands, even glittery hair gel. With a little luck you can turn the "massacre" into a funky, edgy style.

This is my saving grace. I am all set to go on a headband/cute hair accessory spree.

Smile

When all else fails - smile. Don't let it ruin your life. If you walk around with a scowl on your face, it's not gonna help you look (or feel) any better. Why turn an ugly haircut into an ugly personality? Smiling always looks good on a person - and who knows, maybe the glare from your pearly whites will blind people to that not-so-hot hairdo.

So what about you? Do you feel my pain? Have you had this happen to you? And what do you think of my new do? Once it is grown out a little, I think it will be just fine.