by BR Kellie
Recently, when my darling ten-year-old daughter found me floating about the house with my long hair freed from its usual hair tie, she gave me a piece of beauty advice:
"Mum, you look like an old person trying to be a twenty year old."
The girl is brutal. Also, she wasn't wrong. In an effort to embrace my long hair, instead of tying it up in a bun or ponytail I had decided to wear it out, but even I knew something was off. It didn't look right on me anymore. It didn't suit who I'd grown into. (Please note, anyone can wear their hair however they'd like, this isn't a commentary on older women having long hair, I know many who rock it. This is simply about little ol' me having long hair and no longer feeling like it works for me.)
Her words and my inner niggle continued to gnaw away at me, and I began to fantasise about cutting all my hair off. Going for a pixie cut. Or a super short shag. Maybe even reviving the Natalie Imbruglia 'Torn' look that I'd embraced for a hot minute in my very early twenties. But could I? Should I? Would a super short cut suit 43-year-old me? Research ensued.
The internet says there's a short hair cut to suit everyone, you just need the right hairdresser, but I wasn't entirely convinced. Then I fell upon a piece of advice created by hairstylist Giles Robinson. Called the "2.25 inch rule", it states that if you hold a pencil under your chin, and a ruler vertically, and the space between the chin and lower ear is 2.25 inches or less, then you'll suit short hair.
With this newly discovered knowledge spurring me on, I found a ruler and pen and followed the instructions. The result?
According to the ruler I'm easily over the 2.25 rule, more like 2.5, and possibly even a little more as the pen was tucked under my chin rather than sitting flush upon it.
Stubborness kicked in at this point, and I refused to believe a super short hair cut was out of the question, so I downloaded a 'try on different hairstyles' app, then set about plopping all sorts of short hair looks on my face. Reader, the 2.25 rule was not wrong. All the pixie cuts and short shaggy styles I tried just emphasised elements of my face in a way that detracted from rather than emphasised my features. Also, I learned that I do not suit purple hair, green hair, sandy blonde hair, or black hair.
So what did I do?
Bored of to-ing and fro-ing about the situation, I picked up the kitchen scissors (I can hear hair stylists around the world gasping in horror), pulled up a Youtube tutorial and cut my hair into a blunt lob, figuring I could tie it up if it looked terrible or get it fixed when my hairdresser was back in town.
Turns out, it came out all good. I no longer look like a 43-year-old trying to be a 20-year-old, and my toughest critic of all, the blessed child, even said I looked "cute". Proving that there is a short hair style for everyone, but just not the type you might dream of rocking.
That being said, as always, you do you. You want a short hair cut? You get a short hair cut. A rule is a rule and I believe they're made to be broken - just not by me. Not this time.
So, my lovelies... Have you ever tried the 2.25 inch rule? Did it work for you? Do you think this rule should be adhered to or ignored? Or do you believe super short hair can look great on anyone, it really does just need the right hairdresser? Get chatting below!
You're haur looks awesome! We'll done! I've very been brave enough to cut my own hair as it's long straight and this so shows everything. But I have had various bobs and pixie cuts in my teens and early twenties which I loved - but it does take a lot more effort.