I put pictures of myself all over the internet every single day. I am the first person clients and customers see when they walk through the doors of my office. I am a young mother of three still trying to convince people I have it all together. Andplusalso? I like to look good.
So last week, I took off early from work (earned!) on a Friday, drove downtown, paid a ridiculous fee for parking (seriously, Windsor? $3.50 and I got 2 hours? Ridic.) and waited to get my hair done. For real done, by a trained professional. Want to know a secret? The last time I got my hair cut professionally was 11 months ago. The last time I paid for professional highlights? I literally can’t remember. It’s been all at home from-the-box colouring and cross-your-fingers trimming into the bathroom sink for me in the hairstyle department. So, ever frugal/cheap, I waited for a Groupon to come around with a great deal and snagged it- cut and highlights for $45. I’ll take it!
As I sat in the little waiting room flicking through my Twitter stream, wrapping my split ends around my finger and glanced around, I started to get this incredibly odd feeling of everyone staring at me. No one was, but I couldn’t shake it. I’m not a self-conscious person so this was odd for me. There was a squat man in what looked like jean capris blowing out some lady’s overprocessed frizz hair in the corner. A flamboyant young lady chatting up a storm about her “super-fun-oh-mah-gah-girls-night” to my right. I rolled my eyes and then it hit me…
Here I was, working mother, in practically the middle of the day, not a child in sight doing something frivolous for myself. It felt rebellious. How dumb. Trust me, my life is not so boring so as to make a salon the ultimate outing for the month, but somehow not keeping up with my routine had thrown me for a loop. A good loop. I like rebellion. Suddenly I giggled out loud (ok so then people were really staring) and took another sip of my Coke. I confessed to the hairdresser how long it had been since I’d sat in a stylists chair, snagged that “before” shot in the mirror that every razzle-dazzle girl gets to put up on Instagram and settled into the dryer, enjoying the hum and my digital copy of The Hunger Games.
::do not reveal your excitement, grasshopper::
I’m not too fussy with my hair and kind of made a wild last-minute decision to go with copper highlights instead of the safe deep brown colour…who’s the rebel now? Wha-BAM! (oh quiet, it felt incredibly decadent and you would have laughed at me. Trust.) When the hairdresser asked me about the special occasion I was getting all dolled up for was, I laughed out loud and said: it’s frozen pizza night. Take that oh-mah-gah-girls-night-chick!
And that’s just what I did. I walked to my car, flipping my new pretty hair over my shoulder, feeling really good about my choice to wear my red heels, and then walked in my front door to my fashion-forward six year old saying: “Wow Mom. Niiiice hair. It’s…awesome!” And it was.
Doesn’t that feel good? Man, we are definitely on a “me time” kick this week! Go us!
Shannon recently posted..Wordless Wednesday: Mommy’s Little Helper
Oh if I could bottle that feeling I got walking out of the salon down the street, the government would ban it as an illegal substance. Fo real. Probably:)
mrshiggison recently posted..Rebellion…or something like it- LWM
Twitter: mrshiggison
I LOVE IT! And I’m so right there with you. It feels good to have a little reminder of what life was like… before. Though I’m the classy chick who got a snazzy new cut post-baby and proceeded to feel SO gorgeous, that while looking at myself in the glass of a nearby restaurant facade, I tripped on a crack in the sidewalk and busted ass in front of half of Savannah. I don’t do pretty really well… but you? You look GORGEOUS! Good on ya!
Law Momma recently posted..Putting Down Roots
bwahahahahaha, snort!
Awesomely epic visual, I just got there:)
Thank you, lovely!
mrshiggison recently posted..Rebellion…or something like it- LWM
Twitter: mrshiggison
I feel so redundant every time I read your posts and just go “man i love that girl”. You are too adorable. I splurge on myself all the time. I mean not ALL the time but i have a standing 6-8 week appt for hair cuts (longer for color). I love it. I go on my lunch break so I can go back and be like BAM!
Brandy recently posted..Being Spontaneous as a Working Mom
Twitter: mannlymama
(the feeling is entirely mutual)
I need to be better at keeping this appointment with myself. It’s amazing how much a little pep in my look can carry over to my self-confidence for days.
::inputs hair reschedule in iPhone calendar::
mrshiggison recently posted..Rebellion…or something like it- LWM
Twitter: mrshiggison
And this is reminding me that it’s been months since I got my hairs cut. And I’m dying for something new. Perhaps an appointment is going to be in the works for me. ALSO…you crack me up! I love your writing and humor!
Twitter: wa_tracy
Thank you lady!
DO IT! Do it noooooooooowwwwww! I waited so long, I mean really…the hairdresser said to me “are you trimming your bangs yourself?” which I took to mean: “are you solely responsible for this entire head butcher job?”
mrshiggison recently posted..Rebellion…or something like it- LWM
Twitter: mrshiggison
It’s the little things, to! And you look great!!
Twitter: Erinasmommy
Well thank ya:) I FEEL like I got a makeover…and really I just got glossed up a little!
mrshiggison recently posted..Rebellion…or something like it- LWM
Twitter: mrshiggison
Awesome! Only now I realize it’s been about 2 yrs since I have even had a haircut. Maybe I’ll play hooky in the next couple weeks, too.
cayley rice recently posted..Week of March 11: Guest Post!!!
DO IT!
Seriously, so much goodness from like 2 hours of my day and a few extra dollars out of my wallet. I was scared to do the Groupon thing for a haircut, truth. But it turned out well for me, whew!
mrshiggison recently posted..Rebellion…or something like it- LWM
Twitter: mrshiggison
I hear ya. I can’t take 10 minutes for an eyebrow wax without feeling like I’m robbing someone of time somewhere (mainly my son).
But I have to say…. $3.50 for parking in a garage/lot? In NYC it costs you that much just to pull in. LOL
Candice recently posted..Question Time
Yes! I totally get you on this…I felt like I should be like answering an email or completing the banking or SOMETHING while I sat there in my hoity-toity chair:)
(I’m so spoiled in our dinky big-city-small-town place. I almost never have to pay for parking, so I’m personally offended when I have to! hah!)
mrshiggison recently posted..Rebellion…or something like it- LWM
Twitter: mrshiggison
I love your new hair. This is definitely something I would also feel rebellious about and I totally understand. I hope I feel better about things like this next year when I have abut more time.
. It’s time for me to start coloring regularly…
Twitter: Jamieweitl
The colouring is a big thing for me…I only do at-home colour (two reasons: time & dollars) but the highlights I KNOW I can’t do myself! But the haircut I really never really thought of being a big deal. Dumb. Then I looked around and was coveting all these women with totally awesome hair & thought…well this would be pretty easy if I just did something for myself for once. Which took me another 6 weeks to actually accomplish:) LOL
mrshiggison recently posted..Rebellion…or something like it- LWM
Twitter: mrshiggison
I can totally relate to this! I am a lawyer and mom to 3 (twins age 3 and a 16 month old) and I sometimes I feel like the frumpy mom that always wears her hair in a pony tail! Now I feel out of place in the hair salon.
Stacey recently posted..We’re Not in Kansas Anymore Toto
Well I’m gonna say if anyone deserves some cute hair and a seat while someone pampers you: it sounds like that person is YOU!
GO! Go now!
…and then report back:)
mrshiggison recently posted..Rebellion…or something like it- LWM
Twitter: mrshiggison
Ha ha! I will just have to do that! I could use a little change!
I have short hair so keeping it trim is a must – I see the hairdresser about once every 7 weeks. I treasure that time. I loooove it. I also think of it this way – I tell myself, self, you work full time and you need to look good. It’s OKAY to get your hair cut! In the grand scheme of things the cost of my haircut is nothing. The confidence it brings is priceless!
P.S. you’re totally cute.