Do what makes you happy! I really like #2 and #5 on you

For all my feminist beliefs, I keep my hair long partially because DH loves my hair long. I had it short (chin length) for a while at one point, but it grows so fast I had to go in every 4 weeks or so to keep it short. I got tired of the upkeep It does very well with washing it and popping some conditioner on to get the tangles out (but it doesn't really tangle much - for that I am blessed).

Yes, it is hot and heavy. Sometimes, in my frozen WI climate and equal year-round freezing office, that is not such a bad thing.

My hair doesn't know when to stop growing. In college, I decided at one point to see how long I could grow it. I gave up and cut it when it reached the middle of my bottom. I had so much hair, they were able to use it as more than three full donations at Locks for Love. Yeah, ridiculous amount of hair.

I like to cycle between long and short. Short hair *is* power hair and long hair *is* happy homemaker hair (but ironically, not mumsey hair), but whatever. Short hair is way easier to live with, and ohmigosh, my hair makes my back hurt when it's long. However, I want to do braids again. So I'm headed for long at the moment.

Yes, it's all a big whatever.

A lot of magical thinking around hair.

Interesting that lots of people seem to like #5. I was actually wondering if the razored layers look was a little dated, but I guess not. I'm still not sure I want to do that (razoring) to my hair on a regular basis again though. It does screw up the ends and it's hard to grow all the ends out because of the layering. On the other hand, my hair grows fast...

Rachy, it's true. There is a lot of magical thinking around hair... It's funny also that long hair at one point or another seems to be both a symbol of masculinity (think Samson and Delilah) and also of femininity.

Ohmigosh. So I worked as a grocery cashier, and one of our supervisor cashiers was ringing up at the register next to me. A little Sikh boy comes to her register with his mom and she thinks he's a girl. But the worst part is she goes ON AND ON about it. How he has girl hair. She turns to me and says, "HEY! WHAT DO YOU THINK! IS THIS A LITTLE BOY OR GIRL!" Over my shoulder I tell her, "He's a boy." And she says, "HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT!" And I tell her, "Because of his HAIR." OMG. She was really killing me. Shared a nice eye roll with the boy.

Yeah, what is it with guys and long hair.

Anyhow, I like you with short hair, Diana, Looks (and I'm sure feels!) less heavy. The razoring in #5 is really flattering in how it frames your face and lightens the texture of the hair. #6 is really cute too!

I LOVE #5 and #6!

You don't mean shorter - like my hair do you? You mean "bob" short, right.

Yes, Angie, I mean bob short. I guess to me the dividing line between "short" and "long" is whether the majority of it hits the shoulders (#5 is kind of borderline but I think it started out shorter and had grown out a bit when I took that photo). I don't think I could do hair as short as yours. I think my hair is too straight and I'd look like a boy. But what do you think?

Rachy, wow, some people are unbelievable.

Diana, look at your profile pic and compare it to Angie's. Your hair is up but approx the same length as Angie's. Do you look like a boy?

Yeah, but Cathy, if it was actually that short it would have straight ends sticking out everywhere.

Chiming in again to say I really like the layers and the bob in the other pictures, so it was a matter of a less flattering photo (in my opinion, anyways!).

BTW, can't imagine what it feels like to have heavy hair that hurts your neck and back. Mine is so fluffy!

Okay! I vote long layers first, and then shorter bob like #6! That way you can enjoy both worlds

As someone with very long hair, I don't understand how on earth you can think that short hair requires less upkeep than long hair. If you have anything other than long hair, you have to keep going to the hairdresser to get it cut, trimmed, restyled, etc. With my long hair I do nothing other than get someone to cut it straight across the bottom when it needs a trim. By "someone" I mean anyone -- friend, family member, plumber -- *anyone* can trim long hair; the same is not true of short hair. I don't use lots of products: my hair is dead straight and difficult to curl so I rarely bother. I use shampoo, and occasionally some leave-in conditioner on the ends. That's it! I'll bet many short-haired people here use a lot more products than that on their hair. At any rate I certainly spend a lot less time, energy, thought, and money on my hair than my sisters who have short hair spend on theirs. They are always going to the hairdresser. I have not visited a hairdresser since I was 8 years old (41 years ago!). How many short-haired folk can say that?

When I once made the mistake of cutting a fringe, it drove me mad, tickling and irritating my forehead and getting in my eyes, and it kept growing and needing to be cut, and I eventually grew it out so I wouldn't have to keep cutting it and dealing with the tickling. The only way it didn't drive me nuts is if I used lots of mousse and hair spray on it and got it to stick up away from my forehead and eyes. It was far too much time and trouble.

Not that I in any way want to persuade you not to cut your hair. You should cut it if you prefer to. I just thought you might be interested to hear that in my mind part of why I love plain long natural hair is that it is so much less trouble than short hair. (But yes, most men seem to prefer long hair on women too, which I can understand might be annoying or a reason to cut it all off!)

Sarah

Hi Diana, your post made me smile so I had to comment. I vote short! You look super sassy with the short bob.

I for one have mostly short hair. When I had longer hair, I've always layered it significantly to take the weight off.

I've also influced my 6yr old daughter to have short hair, I don't want her to grow up to be one of the girls that HAVE TO have long hair. Right now she has a bob, but asked to cut short like her brothers. She didn't want to look like all the other (Asian) girls with the long hair because "they all look the same"..

Societal expectations about women's hair are ridiculous (long hair is more feminine, every woman needs to cut her hair short at 40, every woman has to colour to avoid grey, etc.). You are equally beautiful and feminine with shorter hair as with longer hair (not that it even matters), but most of all it is YOUR hair and it is on YOUR head. It is yours to do with as you please.

I think you look fabulous in #5, although the bob is nice, too.

Most people have a definite preference for themselves in long or short hair, and neither needs apologies. My mom has always, always worn her hair short, and I have had mine long most of the time. It is just how we feel most comfortable. But I firmly believe there is a short or long hairstyle that will work for everyone, meaning everyone can look great with either long or short hair. Cut it and be YOU.

Love you in those shorter layers Diana - is it easy enough for you to maintain?

What you said. I love my current length, which seems to be what you're aiming for - the only issue is when I DO want to pull it back (hiking, running) and then I have to wear a hat or bandanna. Otherwise, long hair dragged me down and I never ever styled it.

I think when you have the right hairstyle for you, you absolutely know it down in your bones. You don't need to ask for advice or validation. In my experience, it's usually a hairstyle that works with your lifestyle and hair type. You aren't fighting your hair. Whether that's long or short or somewhere in between depends on the woman.

This thread is so interesting! My two cents: I also hate when long hair clogs the drains (I have thick hair and shed a lot). I think the shorter length in the second picture suits you in terms of your style and personality (from what I have seen of it). Rachy is right about hair and magical thinking though.

I think I'm one of those envious non-Asians....

I love having a bob. It takes five minutes to blow dry and then it's neat all day. Very important when I'm at work all day! You've had one before so you know what it's like.

It seems super clear that long hair isn't making you happy right now. Looking forward to seeing your cut!

Being an Asian, I know the pain of long hair ... and when I had my hair short, EVERY ONE UNDER THE SUN nagged me to grow it long. Now when it's long, I hate it!!!

Sometimes it is just a matter of making yourself happy first. They can go and suck it. Or you can send them to me.

I think you look fantastic with a bob! You should definitely do it, it sounds like there's no downside to going shorter. Personally I had my hair at every length from pixie to mid back, but I had never a problem to cut it just off if I felt like it. It' just hair! I never understood why people got so emotional about it when I cut off a lot at once. And I really love the shorter lenght I have now!