"Did you do something different to your hair?"

Way back in the day, I entered a contest. Remember? I had to show pictures of my hair -- the good, the bad, and the everyday -- in a bid to win a hair makeover courtesy of Moosh in Indy and Hair Thursday. So, I mortified myself with old photos of my Senior year in high school, a pouffy triangle of curls with monster bangs, and other hairtrocities. And, unbelievably, I WON!!

Thanks to the generosity of Sarah and Casey, I got bumped up to the head of the line at Hair Thursday, where I received all sorts of excellent advice. I was hoping to go get my hair done in August -- but of course between summer vacation, several weeks of illness, the flurry of getting ready for classes to start, I just got my hair cut this past Tuesday. Here is the whole story of the magical transformation.

First, the obligatory BEFORE photos. My very very long (I wait embarrassingly long between haircuts) hair is usually pulled back in an clip or some other device that makes me look about twelve years old.


Having promised to go along with whatever Sarah and her readers suggested, I was in for a dramatic change -- color and a big big cut. I figured if I was going to lose that much hair, I might as well do something good with it. So I decided to donate it to Locks of Love. My fantastic stylist, Kisten (at Inn Style Salon in Ann Arbor, MI) separated my hair into a series of pony tails, since cutting off a single pony tail leaves hair much shorter in the middle than on the sides.

Then she made me cut off the first one, which, quite honestly, was a little nerve wracking.

At that point there was no turning back. And as you can see, I ended up with a hefty handful of hair to donate.

Then the real fun began. First, she dressed me up in a fancy tinfoil hat perfect for channeling alien communications.

And then, while we were waiting for my head to begin receiving alien transmissions, she launched into my sister's hair. (No this wasn't part of the mooshwhoorly package, but it made for a very fun evening.) As you can see, MIQuilter has been trimming her own bangs. Kisten says, "Just back away slowly from the scissors, sister."


A good stylist (like our lovely Kisten) will give you quick bang trims in between cuts, as needed, so you don't have to torture your own hair (or your friends' eyes) with your homemade versions. If, however, you are genetically predisposed to wait too long between haircuts, all a good stylist can do is patiently wring her hands and wait until this walks through her door.


But then, with very good grace (and much talent), she'll take those shaggy locks and shocking bangs and turn them into this:


Which takes just about enough time for the aliens to finish their work. So she took off my tinfoil hat, washed my hair, and set about cutting.

Unfortunately, I have no photos of the actual scissor action in progress, since it was about this point that my sissy and I discovered our coupons for a free glass of wine courtesy of the bar in the hotel in which this salon is located. So MIQuilter spent most of my haircut fetching us each a glass of white wine and then drinking hers (and, I swear, surreptitiously drinking mine too).

But here's how I looked once Kisten had finished with her scissors and her products and her blow drier. I am thrilled.

If you want Kisten's magic fingers for your very own self (which, seriously, you should if you live anywhere within reasonable driving distance of Ann Arbor, MI), look her up at the Inn Style Salon. And be sure to tell her I sent you; you might even score a referral discount. I have to say, too, that she deserves extra praise (and more clients), since she does Locks of Love cuts for free. So do yourself a favor and check her out.

As for my sister and I, here we are headed out the door to eat a giant sushi dinner, which really is the only way to cap off such a transforming afternoon.

As a follow up, I have to say a public enormous THANK YOU to Casey's generous funding of this hair adventure. I have all sorts of lovely brownish red highlights to hide the gray, and a sassy new haircut to start the semester, and I am so incredibly grateful.

I was intending to post photos of my hair curly, too, but I have discovered that I am more than a little incompetent with the styling of short hair. I look a little fuzzier than I'd like, due to my utter lack of skills with a blow drier. But I have high hopes for the magic of Bumble and Bumble Curl Creme, and with this lovely cut, I have real reason finally to figure this out -- so I promise to post a photo of my hair dried curly in short order. If only to prove to those who know me that I am an utterly transformed woman who will now happily spend more than 3.4 seconds on her hair each morning.