Aesthetics of "growing out" hair

Well, I did grow my hair out a couple of times - short cut (showing ears) to near-mid-back. But I'm writing from a different perspective on this.Personally, I'm kinda kinky, and I do rather like "bad" haircuts in many ways. In-between styles are fine with me, especially in the context of attempting to grow out a style. Were it my girlfriend/wife/sig.oth., I would attempt to be supportive, soothing and encouraging while trying also to help her be patient. I would still brush it, play with it and reassure her that she's still sexy to me.For women without such supportive friends/husbands/etc, I guess it would be a matter of self-confidence, with enough esteem and egoism ((Of course, it's far easier to say such things than it is to live through them.) ;-)> Anyone who's ever grown her hair out (other than a> straight bob) will immediately identify. Problem: The> hair is at an in-between stage of growth and quite> frankly, looks awful.> Option 1) Cut into a style and look great. Downside:> Growth is cut and eventually the same problem will> occur.> Option 2) Cut only the ends of hair to maintain its> health for maximum growth. Downside: Your stylist will> put out a bounty for your head if ever identified as> the one who cut your hair!> For anyone who's ever been there -- what did you do?> Completely forget the style and go for broke on> growth; or take longer to grow it out, yet maintaining> a reasonably good-looking style in the process?> Thanks!

> Anyone who's ever grown her hair out (other than a> straight bob) will immediately identify. Problem: The> hair is at an in-between stage of growth and quite> frankly, looks awful.> Option 1) Cut into a style and look great. Downside:> Growth is cut and eventually the same problem will> occur.> Option 2) Cut only the ends of hair to maintain its> health for maximum growth. Downside: Your stylist will> put out a bounty for your head if ever identified as> the one who cut your hair!> For anyone who's ever been there -- what did you do?> Completely forget the style and go for broke on> growth; or take longer to grow it out, yet maintaining> a reasonably good-looking style in the process?> Thanks!Hi Jena. I am just now getting through that in between stage.I started growing out my hair a little over a year ago.I had gotten a VERY bad perm and it was just above my shoulders with lots of layers.It looked really crappy so I wore it up all the time,not an easy task with all those layers! Just a few months ago ,I gave serious thought to getting it shaped up because I was so sick of wearing it up.But I decided that would only fix things temporarly and I would set my growth back,so I stuck it out.I am VERY happy to say that it has grown out enough so that I can finally wear it down and look half decent.I still have a ways to go to get my hair where I really want it, but I have gotten through the roughest part.I am very glad I decided not to get it cut and stuck it out.Growing out your hair can seem to take forever,but it is important to remember how fast time goes. =) Lisa

Hi Jena!I am kind of in the same dilemna as you are at this time but luckily for me I didn't go as short as you did. I got one of the longer "Rachel" cuts early last winter and have since been growing out those awful layers and finally have some nice length back. I still have layers but not nearly as many. My problem is that the top and sides of my hair grow more slowly than the back, so I am constanly trimming off the back and my top and sides are slow to catch up. It's so frustrating! 3 months ago I tried a new stylist, who turned out to be really great and she evened up my layers with a 1 1/2" trim which helped a lot and then a week ago I had just 1/2" trimmed which seemed to perk up all my hair. I am thinking that for my next trim I really should have about 2" cut. That would be about half way up to my shortest layer. I hate the thought of cutting off 2" now that my hair is looking better and it feels so great to have some nice length back. It means setting back my total growth rate but I would have less layering. I understand what you are going thru and can sympathize. Nothing makes me feel worse than when I think my hair looks like crap. I think if I were you I would go for as much length as possible and then when you can't stand it just have small trims and style changes as you go longer. I keep telling myself that in one year I will have better and longer hair and in 2 years I will have really longer and really nicer hair. Good luck to you.Carolyn B