For ladies weren't comfortable wearing their short natural hair.

[silvergirl]

i was nervous about the bc. but i think in the end i looked ok. so i didnt have much of a problem wearing my hair out at 1-2 inches

 

[nappi]

when i chopped off my hair i just wore it out (afro) eventually when i started to gain some length i put in braids

i even tried to do finger waves (didn't work)

since ur feeling self conscious i would suggest wigs

 

[ycj]

For me personally I am glad it's still cold as the dickens here in Illinois because when I go out in public I wear my satin bonet then put a wool cap over it. The perfect excuse for me. I am very self conscious about my bc. Especially me being as tall as I am. When I was active duty and had my hair cut short like this I had to wear a cover (cap) all the time out doors and people would mistake me when I was in my car for a dude. I hated that!!!!!! So now I am giving it time to grow out a little hopefully before spring to be comfortable enough to wear it out.

But I had to cut it off, I could not take working with the two textures being as tenderheaded as I am!

So I am really trying to grow it as fast as I can to be comfortable enough to go out in public.

 

[katblack]

For me personally I am glad it's still cold as the dickens here in Illinois because when I go out in public I wear my satin bonet then put a wool cap over it. The perfect excuse for me. I am very self conscious about my bc. Especially me being as tall as I am. When I was active duty and had my hair cut short like this I had to wear a cover (cap) all the time out doors and people would mistake me when I was in my car for a dude. I hated that!!!!!! So now I am giving it time to grow out a little hopefully before spring to be comfortable enough to wear it out.

But I had to cut it off, I could not take working with the two textures being as tenderheaded as I am!

So I am really trying to grow it as fast as I can to be comfortable enough to go out in public.

Take your time, it's about your comfort level nobody elses. I think people fail to realize that not everyone looks good with a certain style and this just own it theory doesn't allow for the fact that you yourself just may not like extremely short hair.(i dont know about anyone else but that's why i joined the site, for long hair...)

 

[Nonie]

For me personally I am glad it's still cold as the dickens here in Illinois because when I go out in public I wear my satin bonet then put a wool cap over it. The perfect excuse for me. I am very self conscious about my bc. Especially me being as tall as I am. When I was active duty and had my hair cut short like this I had to wear a cover (cap) all the time out doors and people would mistake me when I was in my car for a dude. I hated that!!!!!! So now I am giving it time to grow out a little hopefully before spring to be comfortable enough to wear it out.

But I had to cut it off, I could not take working with the two textures being as tenderheaded as I am!

So I am really trying to grow it as fast as I can to be comfortable enough to go out in public.

Vcj, just wanted to tell you that come spring, if you're still not comfortable, there's always headwraps and hats. I wear them so much that when I do finally wear my hair out, people are surprised to see that I have hair. One day, this sweet little girl walked up to me with the most concerned face and asked if I was OK. Awww... She thought I was having some illness related hairloss hence the coverage.

And then when you're preparing for the reveal, you can also do it gradually. Like wear a hat to the side with your 'fro showing a li'l. Then the day you sport your baby puff, everyone will be like "Wow! You look so cute without a hat!"

 

[drjo91]

Girl, i just got kinky twist!!. They straighten my hair to get it done and my hair is neck length not full but is there. They said to come back in 2 months but the lady was like mm i have a feeling your hair is going to grow out fast. I am like yeah!! They told me to make sure to wash every two weeks and deep condition and use my product.

 

[MagnoliaBelle]

When I did the bc freshman year in college I got a lot of grief from my family and everyone who was around. This was in 1993, and I didn't have a clue of how to care for my natural hair. I am only now learning since being on this board for 1 month. So for the last 15 years I've had natural hair with constant setbacks and shoulder length due to cycles of stupid things like colors and lack of care. Anyhow, my latest hair disaster has landed me at neck length as the picture above shows. However, it shrinks to ear length when wet. I'm not comfortable wearing it down yet. I'd rather wait until it can stay close to shoulder length or at least neck length while curly. I ordered Kinky Curly Custard products last night just to play with, but I'm not hopeful it will weigh my hair down enough to the point where I'll be comfortable.

Another issue for me is the cut. I have stupid layers in the back so that doesn't look so good curly either. Oh, and my biggest dislike is that I still have blonde on the ends from my last color disaster.

In short, I just need more hair to work with before I'll be comfortable wearing it down in a wash n go or either out in a ponytail. As much as I love looking at my natural hair and the curls while I'm doing it, I'm just not ready for the world to see it.

I'm patiently waiting and praying to be able to PONYTAIL and GO and WASH and GO!

 

[DozenRoses99]

I selected SL. I feel more comfortable with longer hair because I don't feel that I look nice with short hair. That is why I transitioned for almost 2 years.

 

[vlucious]

the next day i rocked my TWA! lol. it was a big relief.

 

[that_1_grrrl]

I was uncomfortable due to the health of my hair. It was really dry and icky looking. I selected neck length because at that length, it's easier to hide any hair troubles.

If I had to BC tomorrow, I would wear it all out this time. I know what I am doing now.

 

[SEMO]

I ended my transition when I had enough hair to pull back into a ponytail. But just the other day I saw a pic of my hair after my big chop and I was surprised at how short my hair looked to me (compared to how I'm used to seeing it now).

But back then you couldn't tell me my hair wasn't fly. And I got a lot of compliments on my hair. I think no matter what length your hair is, as long as you rock it with confidence, and its healthy, it will be fine.

 

[MissBCurly]

for me i felt comfortable at shoulder length which is now but ive worn it out at shorter lengths but i wasnt as comfortable

 

[Renewed1]

I'm not comfortable with my TWA. So I'm wearing wigs and lace fronts for about a year.

 

[Neith]

I wasn't 100 % comfortable with it at first.

but now I'm wearing my shriveled down wash n' go with no problems. It took a little time because it was really new to me.

Chances are... you don't actually look like a boy. I know you'd have to be blind as hell to mistake me for a man... from behind, the side or the front

C'mon... YOU CAN'T tell me that you haven't seen beautiful, feminine women with short hair.

Work it!

 

[Ronnieaj]

Eh, I had a Nia Long cut when I was relaxed, so I didn't care. I transitioned for 10 months, and my hair when I BCd was longer than it had been with that cut, so.... I've worn my hair completely out ever since I cut it. No weaves, wigs, braids, extensions, nada. And I've never been mistaken for a boy, but maybe that's cause I've got a nice rear!

 

[MonPetite]

Right now my hair is one inch...I always felt I needed 2-4 to feel attractive. People are stopping me every other day to tell me I look like a model with a darn-near-fade. NO HAIR (short, natural hair, actually) is doing more for my features than luscious straight layers ever did!

I post this to encourage women to take a long look at why they are afraid of short hair. Face shape, facial features, etc. may be good reasons...and excuses. Even if you arrive at the same place where you started, you'll fully understand your rationale for what you're doing. I had to do a lot of soul searching and I realized I held onto relaxed ends out of fear, nothing else.

I refuse to live in fear -of anything. It produces nothing good in my life. I pushed myself forward, took scissors in hand...and never expected to be scouted and given modeling agency info!

It's been a growth walk, most definitely, did I wake up the next morning and not look at myself too long in the mirror...yes. Did I buy a new red lipstick and glory in my habit of living in heels to celebrate...double yes. I feel a bit silly it was hair that did this for me, this sudden personal growth spurt, verses climbing Mount Everest or something to that degree...but, such is war and hair. LOL.

I still desire hair as wide as a doorway and won't be cutting my hair ANYTIME soon, but for now...I'm enjoying the journey far more than I ever did. Truth be told...the journey IS more important than the end or the start....I didn't really get it, it terms of my appearance or self-image, until I took a bigger first step then I ever had before.

 

[Leeda.the.Paladin]

I hated how short my hair was and was very insecure at first. I did a lot of wig days until I perfected my twists, but wore my wash n gos out. If it didn't work out , I just threw a scarf on. I did the whole lots of make up, skirts, and earrings and felt pretty feminine.

My advice is to try and wear your hair out as much as you can so you can become comfortable with it. Braids and wigs are fine, but they start to become a crutch for some.

 

[Boujoichic]

I cut all my hair off in high school I didnt even have a TWA I had a regular lol. I was uncomfortable at first my head is a weird shape. I wore hats till my father took me wig shopping I wore that for a couple of weeks then I started getting my little fuzz and ripped off the wig that thing was hot. I did feel like a boy though I was natural for a while till my hair was about NL I didnt know how to care for my hair so I caved in and relaxed. I felt like I had more styling options with the relaxer but I didnt have the resources then that I have now (LHCF)

 

[Desarae]

I just rocked it anyway until I felt comfortable. It took less than a week.

 

[SweetSpirit86]

I was fine with it. I think the only time I was like ???? was when my grandma mistook me for my little brother at his graduation. Now I know good and well we don't look alike. He's high yellow and I'm nowhere near flat-chested lol. Either way...THIS is how comfortable I was...

Get some big earrings and ROCK IT!

 

[Neith]

You look so pretty in that dress SweetSprit! Adorable

 

[MagnoliaBelle]

Unfortunatley when I did my BC in 1993, I didn't have a clue as to what I was doing. I washed my hair every day with drying shampoo. I didn't own any conditioner. My hair was awful. The best thing that I could do was to get braids and wait until spring when it was neck length pressed. Sorry, but you and others today have a wealth of information that I didn't have, you definitely have a better shot at having beautiful short natural hair.

 

[tocktick]

I transitioned for 6 months. I was ok wearing my hair in it's shrunken state and without any scarves etc towards the end of my first month/second month of being natural. Imo, it can take a while to get rid of the notion that short natural hair automatically makes you look like a boy. It's ok if it takes a while to make that mental transition. It's also ok to admit that you find certain hair styles more feminine on you.

 

[PerplexingComplex]

I'm kinda odd. I can wear my hair when it's shrunken to half an inch, but the stretched length has to be at least 3 inches.

 

[lilanie]

I felt comfortable about two weeks after my hair cut (cut with clippers/shaved on the side).

I like it now, but i just love beanies and scarves - so I rock them all the time.

 

[Taina]

Is the third time i make a big chop and i really love to have my hair out, for me is like a relieve. I feel free to do anything! is easier to comb, is easier to apply products on, is easier to style (but monotonous) and with this weather, i just have to go to the bathroom and put my hair under the watter!!

I really love the transition from 1.5 that i an now, to whatever lenght i can achieve. I love my hair, and i just love to wear it out, I don't like waves or wigs, not saying i'm not gonna use them someday if i have to, but as long as i have a strand in my hair, i will be showing off it!!!

Good Luck!!

 

[Honey Bee]

I'm with sweetspirit86 on this. I cut off damaged, shoulder length hair twice, and the relief I felt was indescribable! The first time, in hs, I did it myself, and my mom was shocked, but she encouraged me, and this was back when NObody in the hood had natural hair. People were like, omg, what happened you your haaaaiiiiirrr???? Like, it was a community-wide tragedy, lol. The second time, I was in college, and I got it done in a (black) salon in Boston. The barber was like, are you really sure?! He brought all his friends over, to "consult", and finally conceded that, I wouldn't do this "to" you, but you got a pretty face. Gee, thanks.

Anyways, I rocked the he!! out of that cut. I'm a girly-girl, so I always wore make-up, but the short cut inspired me to get my earring game tight, and I had some good experiences with the cut. First good experience: at my ex's graduation (his new girl was there, with some wack, dusty-looking extensions), his brother was like, um, WHY are you not with the, um, CUTE one?! Second good experience: the first time my future-DH saw me, I had less than 2 in of hair, and he thought I was stunning.

Honestly, I didn't think I looked "the bomb", but other people apparently did. The key, I think, is, whatever you do, however you style 'those hairs on the top of your head' (I like the phrasing, it brings it all into perspective a bit), carry it with confidence. Think about it, black women look so good, even during SLAVERY, no styling products, no fly clothes, no nothing, they made us wear headscarves, so we wouldn't steal their men.

That's power.

The end.

 

[keepithealthy]

I bc'd after three months. I wasn't really to worried about it because I've worn short haircuts before natural (briefly and accidentally lol) and relaxed. I suggest hair accessories, nice earrings, and makeup always makes me feel more feminine. I'm sure you'll look super fabulous!

 

[lwilliams1922]

I had no idea how to care for natural hair. I kept it under a lace front for a year.

 

[naturalmanenyc]

I just started wearing my hair out last week. I never did a BC though, just mini chops. My hair is just below my shoulders when straight & at my neck when wet.