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Why Do Brides Cut Their Hair After Their Weddings?

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Constance View Drop Down
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    Posted: April 14 2003 at 1:35pm
Jennifer Aniston did it and Gwen Stefani did it. Many of my friends have also done it. Why is it that women seem to have the need to chop off their hair right after their weddings? Is it an image thing or is it a freedom thing or just to eliminate taking care of longer hair?
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uzma View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote uzma Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 14 2003 at 1:47pm
I'm also curious about this.

Speaking to my friend who have done this, they say that they want to "look like princesses" on their wedding day but after that the fantasy is over and it's down to practicality: work, children, etc are just not compatible (they say) with long hair.

I argue that they spend more time styling and managing short hair than they would long hair. Logically they agree, but I detect from deeper conversations that there is an element of marking a rite of passage involves with the cutting of hair after the wedding. Just as a lot of women cut their hair off after a relationship is over.

New beginnings, new life, new haircut?
Uzi

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Isla Q. View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Isla Q. Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 14 2003 at 2:00pm
Interesting... I noticed that too. Not necessarily with brides, but with women in long term relationships in general. And with young mothers, of course.

You could of course say that women feel free to do whatever they want with their hair at that point. They've got their man, he's a keeper, so they have no need to keep the long hair they subconciously think got them the guy. Just a theory though, I'm sure many of you disagree. I'm not sure I do myself.

And yes, I absolutely believe short hair often takes more time to style than long hair, so women who cut their hair because of convenience are kidding themselves in my opinion. Doesn't go for all short styles of course.
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SuperGrover View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SuperGrover Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 14 2003 at 3:06pm
People also sometimes get haircuts to make themselves feel better.

For example, some brides could say "Oh, I looked forward to that wedding all my life, and I planned it for a year and I was so excited and now it's all over. Whatever will I do. I guess I'll go get a haircut/makeover." You know, the Bridezilla types.

Or, similarly: "Why did I get married? What was I thinking? I don't know what to do. I guess I'll get a haircut/makeover. Take it all off!"

Who knows. Your idea is as good as mine.
I was married 2 years ago, and I'm still growing my hair out. PrincessMonica was married recently, too. And she's still on the grow.

Traci
"Hair is a part of you. It is not a part of me, because I am a frog." - Kermit the Frog on Sesame Street1b/N/ii ~ ??"/27"/32"
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lady Maria Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 14 2003 at 4:04pm
I'm getting married on Sat. May 24th so it is interesting that this topic comes up(at least for me).

I agree with much of what has been said.
Newlywed women often get their hair cut short early in their marriage.
Women also often go and get a short haircut after ending a relationship, a new beginning of sorts as uzma mentioned.
And short hair can be just as much work as long hair depending on the style, although my hair is cut so short it really isn't much work.

I got my haircut short, oh it must be close to a year and a half ago now, and it was after I broke up with a guy and I felt a little broke up and emotional. He liked me with long hair but after the relationship ended I went from waist length hair to a bob cut and then a few weeks later went back to the beauty salon and got a short pixie cut and then a few weeks later an even shorter pixie cut, the length I wear it now. it was like I couldn't quit cutting my hair! From 30 inches of hair to eventually 1 to 1 1/2 inches of hair in a two month period!

A few weeks after I got my hair cut very short, a little over a year ago, I met the guy I'm with now. Unlike the previous guy, my fiancee loves me in my short hair so the hairstyle change worked out. Plus I love this guy and he is much easier to get along with and more understanding of me, and we love each other, so it worked out for the best.

Getting a short hair style or changing the color of your hair, I think more than anything else, suggests wanting a new start or a fresh start.
Also it's just a fashion change and women love fashion.
Lady Maria
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Melba View Drop Down
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Congratulations on your marriage Maria!!!!!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote princessmonica Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 14 2003 at 5:10pm
Originally posted by SuperGrover SuperGrover wrote:

Who knows. Your idea is as good as mine.
I was married 2 years ago, and I'm still growing my hair out. PrincessMonica was married recently, too. And she's still on the grow.

Traci


i will be married for a year on the 26th this month. as supergrover said i'm still growing my hair. it's all most to my waist when it's curls on it's own. if i get it flat iron it's a little past my waist. i have no intention on cutting it. except for my trims to keep it healthy. i like my hair long
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Karen Shelton View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Karen Shelton Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 14 2003 at 5:47pm
Hi all,

Congrats to Maria on your upcoming wedding. And congrats to the rest of you for your recent weddings.

I have watched this phenomena not only with newlyweds but with new moms. I think it is something to do with image and comfort zones. Before a woman is married she may feel that she is still in the courting zone and trying to look differently as a result and willing to take more time growing her hair. After the wedding she may feel like she is changing her image from single to married lady and may feel that a hair change will accomplish this. Think about how the various talk shows use a radical haircut to symbolize a major life change or a makeover. So I think there is that societal undertone about making hair changes after big events like marriage, divorce, babies, new jobs...etc etc. It definitely seems to happen a lot though.

Great topic.

Best wishes,
Karen
That which doesn't kill you makes you stronger or drives you totally insane. :-)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lady Maria Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 14 2003 at 7:16pm
Thank you Karen!
Lady Maria
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lady Maria Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 14 2003 at 7:17pm
And thank you too Melba!
Lady Maria
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ssjockey Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 15 2003 at 12:57am
About 4 weeks after my wife and I were married, she cut her hair from about 3" below her shoulders, to just below chin, then a week later to a short layered cut. She likes shorter hair, but wanted long hair to wear up for our wedding. I think many women cut their hair after they are married because they spent a long time growing it out in the time leading up to the wedding, and are more than likely tired of the long hair by the time the wedding is over!

Just an opinion.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Lady Maria Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 17 2003 at 9:36pm
I'm glad your wife likes her short hair ssjockey!

I hope you like it too but I would guess you do because I know you have complimented short hairstyles on women on the Celebrity board.
Lady Maria
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Brent Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 18 2003 at 6:16pm
People:

I can't disagree with any of the above reasons listed as to why women cut their hair after a marriage, or the birth of a child, new job, and so forth........
Since I'm a lover of short haired ladies:---I'm just very glad they so often DO make that decision to cut their hair!!!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rod Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 18 2003 at 7:56pm
Many women who prefer short hair grow it long because they want to have it up at their wedding. Having accomplished that, they cut it.

The cynical view is that they use the long hair to attract the man, and now they don't need to do that. Psychologically, they become the "wife," and put away the ingenue/vixen. Or maybe they feel they now have the freedom to go shorter, since they don't need to attract a man.

Or maybe it's just new life, new look.

As for why women cut their hair after having a baby, that's easier. Babies are known to grab hair, so women cut it to put a stop to that.

With some women, it's time. They don't have the time to care for long hair and are always putting it up. Putting up long hair all the time and keeping it so the baby can't grab it gives many women headaches.

Putting up your hair all the time just isn't attractive, so women go for something that can look great with little maintenance.

Or maybe they just want a new look because they feel less attractive after having a baby.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote DaveDecker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 19 2003 at 7:21am
Hi Rod,

Originally posted by Rod Rod wrote:

Many women who prefer short hair grow it long because they want to have it up at their wedding. Having accomplished that, they cut it.

The cynical view is that they use the long hair to attract the man, and now they don't need to do that. Psychologically, they become the "wife," and put away the ingenue/vixen. Or maybe they feel they now have the freedom to go shorter, since they don't need to attract a man.

Or maybe it's just new life, new look.


All possible reasons, yep.

Quote s for why women cut their hair after having a baby, that's easier. Babies are known to grab hair, so women cut it to put a stop to that.


Yes babies grab hair (or whatever else is dangled in their faces). What I find ironic is that if a new mom puts her long hair back or up, the hair is out of the reach of the baby. But the new mom with the bob cut has that hair swinging in the baby's face. So the new mom who bobs her long hair has just made it easier for the baby to pull on it.

Quote ith some women, it's time. They don't have the time to care for long hair and are always putting it up. Putting up long hair all the time and keeping it so the baby can't grab it gives many women headaches.


If a woman gets headaches from putting her hair up, she isn't doing it right. I put my own long hair back and I never get headaches from it.

Quote utting up your hair all the time just isn't attractive,


Um, no, it can be, but I'm sure that's one subjective point I'm not going to "win" on this board.

Quote so women go for something that can look great with little maintenance.

Or maybe they just want a new look because they feel less attractive after having a baby.



All possible reasons. Another is that since women's hormones change after giving birth, all the hair strands that didn't fall out during pregnancy fall out immediately afterward, giving her the impression that she's losing all her hair (which isn't the case).

Interesting topic.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Karen Shelton Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 19 2003 at 2:07pm
Hi SSJockey and Dave D. So good to see you on the short hair board. :-)

Yes, women do seem to react to hormones. I have gotten several emails from women who were going through menopause and their hair started to change by becoming dryer, more brittle and with damaged ends. So yes, their first response is to want to cut it a lot shorter. As always, there is always two sides to every issue and sometimes hair that is damaged as a result of no time for proper care or hormone related damage does do better with some of the damage removed. It really has to be a personal thing .

Great topic.

Thanks,
Karen
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ingrid Miller Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 19 2003 at 2:17pm
I know that I got my hair cut from bra strap length to a bob when my boyfriend broke up with me. He used to always talk about how much he loved my hair and asked me to never cut it. So to spite him I cut it right after we broke up. It was liberating like "washing that man out of your hair" song. Anyway, I wore it in a bob for about a year and started missing my long hair so now it is growing longer again but I feel it is for me and not because of what anyone else says or wants. Maybe brides believe they have to have long hair to please their grooms. Ditto with new moms who may have longer hair to please their hubbies but the demands of a baby change their focus.

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uzma View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote uzma Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 19 2003 at 4:55pm
LOL - When I split up with my ex, I lost weight and started growing my hair.

I met one of his friends the other week and that guy was errr "hitting" on me until I (re)introduced myself to him. Boy, were we both embarassed (hehehe).

Anyway, I guess when there is a big change in a person's life, they want to reflect that change on many levels including the physical.

I do wonder, though, how many feet of hair have been lost (or gained) due to these turning points.
Uzi

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Karen Shelton Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 20 2003 at 1:08pm
Hi Uzma,

You are hilarious. You should have really worked the guy...at least for a little bit. :-) OK but seriously, did you also have the urge to change the color? When things happened to me that tempted me to change my hair, I always first thought of changing the color. I did that in high school with disastrous results. I dyed my hair red thinking I would get the attention for a guy that was ignoring me. Well my hair turned bright orange and I got his attention all right...but became the talk of the school...both good and bad. LOL. I still have that urge to add color or highlights.

Best wishes,
Karen
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote uzma Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April 20 2003 at 3:14pm
Hi Karen

No, I never felt the urge to colour my hair. I did start wearing tighter clothes, though ..... I wonder what that say's about me ...ROFLMAO !!!!!

When I feel like a change I put braids and hair toys in my hair. A decoration and celebration of the new season in my life. I may have cried a lot but a sure looked prettier after the break-up.

So THERE, Steve!!!

Hahaha!!

Uzma
Uzi

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