My Hairstyle Through The Years

I was known as the little girl with the mushroom haircut.  Perfectly pin straight hair that reached just about to my ears.  For years, I rocked the mushroom cut but I no longer sport that style because thankfully I’ve been introduced to a blow dryer, a round brush, and volumizing hair products.  But these days, I still like my short hair, but that was not always the case.  Over the years I went from the mushroom cut, to long flowing hair, to taking a risk and cutting off 14 inches to a pixie cut, and now I’m somewhere in the middle sporting a bob.  It’s funny to think that my hair has a history of its own.  I’ve never been one to stick to one hairstyle because I get bored easily and like to switch it up.  After all, life is too short to be boring. So keep reading to see my hairstyle through the years.

Elementary School: Flashback to those days I would skip down the hallways with my short hair blowing in the wind while wearing my maroon plaid school uniform, which was practically down to my ankles.  Of course, nothing completed the look better than a white-collared shirt buttoned all the way to my chin (Ha Ha).  Up until the fourth grade, short hair and the oh so famous “mushroom cut” was all I knew. I don’t blame my parents for the style because who wanted to deal with the knotty hair of a child who liked to get into messy situations (yep, that was me).  Looking back at some of these photos, I have to admit that I rocked the mushroom cut.  It was cute, especially for a five year old.  Who would have thought that my mushroom cut would have inspired me down the road?

Middle School: When I was in middle school no girl dared to have short hair.  It was all about long, stringy hair with a lot of dead ends from all the damage of running through it with the flat iron.  I was guilty of this and even though I have pin straight hair, I insisted on waking up a few minutes early every morning to crank-up the flat iron to 400 degrees and burn the heck out of my hair.  Middle school was all about fitting in, so long, straight hair was the only choice.  When I think back, long hair never really suited me. I always felt so plain, but even though it didn’t express my funky side, I still kept it as my style of choice.

High School: You couldn’t pay me to go back to high school.  High school was just a drag.  It was all about who was popular, who was prettier, who had all the attention from the boys.  But I will say that is was during high school that I really began to discover who I am and what I wanted to be.  I discovered what my talents are and what drives me.  I wasn’t afraid to express myself or challenge the norm.  It was in high school that after mustering the courage, I cut off 14 inches of hair (well I didn’t cut it myself, I went to an awesome salon where I still get my hair done today).  I said to myself, “you know Liv it’s only hair. It will always grow back”.  Walking down the halls the next day at school was terrifying, but I began to notice how different I looked from the rest of the pack and that my short hair made me really me stand out in the crowd.  It made me feel unique and I began to feel really comfortable with the new look.  To my surprise, all of my classmates admired my bravery and my fashion-forward style.

After a few months of sporting the long bob (lob) style, I spent one Friday night on Pinterest (obviously) looking for more short hairstyles.  I found a picture of Frankie Sandford, a member of the girl band The Saturday’s, and I immediately fell in love with her asymmetrical short doo.  It was razor shaved on one side and longer on the other.  I always wanted to try a pixie cut, so I thought this style would make for a perfect transition.  Again, to my surprise, all of my classmates loved it because the the super short side made the hairstyle edgy and chic.

College: After graduating from high school, I have never felt so free.  I was starting a new school filled with new people, so of course I wanted a new hairstyle.  I finally was bold enough to get a pixie cut. After seeing pictures of Emma Watson and Halle Berry, I knew the pixie cut was just for me.  Again, going from the asymmetrical look to a pixie cut was not that big of a transition, but there were many days I wasn’t confident in the look the style conveyed.  But once I saw other celebrities take the risk and heard people compliment my fashion-forward doo, I knew it was worth it.  Some days I would blow dry my short layers for a softer look or other days I would use gobs of gel and spike my hair for a rock star look. After a couple of weeks experimenting with my new style, I started to love the versatility of the pixie cut. I didn’t miss the days of ponytails or having to remember to carry a hair tie with me and being in the minority on campus with a pixie cut, I felt pretty cool.

Today: My hair has taken on a life of its own.  It is certainly longer than a pixie cut, not as long as a lob, and of course not nearly as long as my middle school hairstyle.  More than ever, people have been asking me if I am growing my hair out and thinking about going super long again.  It’s a tough question for which I really have no answer.  I like my look today.  It’s short enough to distinguish myself from the crowd, but a long enough if I want to experiment with a curling wand.  I’m not sure if I will ever grow out my hair really long.  I guess if I want to try a longer look again, I can always get extensions rather than waiting for my hair grow on its own.  For now, short hair is me.  Nothing is better than having to use only a pea sized amount of shampoo and conditioner, spending less than 5 minutes blow drying your hair, running your finger through your hair with volumizing gel and emphasizing those short layers.

Right now, I am pleased with my hair length, but who knows what the future has in store.  I am always looking for ways to challenge my look and nothing is better than making a statement with your hair.  For those who are still hesitant about a dramatic change in hairstyle, be brave.  I guarantee after a few days of getting used to it you will completely fall in love with your new look.  I hope you enjoyed reading about my hairstyles through the years. Continue the discussion below.  I would love to read all about your hair.