Short Hair Don't Care: A Celebration

I shared a few pictures from the Short Hair Don’t Care Tour with you, and since then I’ve been thinking about my own journey with short hair. As an individual who has always had, and was known for, my long, thick hair; it’s interesting that I now proudly embrace the phrase “short hair don’t care” from time to time. This time in my life is one of those times!

As a teen, the urge to cut my hair became so overwhelming that I chose to have my first official haircut while visiting relatives in Boston during one Summer vacation. My Salt-n-Pepper inspired bob cut was life; I remember feeling like the old me was shed and a new me was birthed! The phrase wasn’t coined then, but when I looked in the mirror, my sentiments were definitely aligned with the bold statement “short hair, don’t care”. 

My love and like relationship with short hair continued for years. While I truly loved having short hair, I realized that my hair grew and still grows at a rapid speed which creates the need for keeping up with salon visits and frequent haircuts. That’s when the cycle of cutting my hair, growing it back, and spontaneously cutting it all off again began.  While I enjoyed cutting my hair for the thrill and creativity of it all, I didn’t celebrate having short hair. Perhaps, because I knew that based on how fast it would grow I could never let the feeling sink all the way in. What I did know is that everytime I cut my hair, I would feel more like ME! My hair was the longest it had ever been right before my wedding and I declared that it was coming all the way off post-honeymoon. So said, so done! 

The years rolled by and while I didn’t commit to my short hairstyle, I did commit to experimenting with being more creative and bold with my hair. I learned to see my hair as challenging, yet fun. Eventually, I mustered up the courage to have short hair without a relaxer - a decision that came with much immediate regret. I abandoned the desire for short hair and jumped on the arduous journey of growing my hair out to “see” how long it would get in its natural state. This was anticlimactic because, sure my hair grew “long”, but then what? You guessed it...another Big Chop awaited me. 

During this time of growing out and big chopping, I received an invitation to an event that celebrated the creativity and EXTRAordinary style options that comes with truly owning short hair. 

One thing we can all appreciate is seeing someone else's vision manifest. I love that the founders of Enjoi Lux put their vision of creating a Short Hair Don’t Care Tour for all of us to celebrate, appreciate and become inspired by the beauty of short hair. I have mentioned in several posts that I am on a mission to celebrate all parts of who I am (read one example here). Choosing to embrace short hair came after lots of exploration and curiosity about what I would look like, feel like, and a deep desire to push past as many personal boundaries that exist for me.

When I attended for the first time in 2017, I was in the perfect place at this absolutely festive hair show that was a party, fashion show, and a great shopping experience all in one! Truthfully, I didn’t know what to expect because the idea of a “hair fashion show” experience was very innovative, but I love having unique experiences. Needless to say, I was NOT disappointed and my mind and spirit were opened to the versatility and beauty of short hairstyles. Not only that, but being in the room with so much creativity and style was enough to fill me up with an overflow of creative energy that I had no idea I was yearning for. Being around passion is contagious! Although my creativity doesn’t come out in the form of styling hair, vibrating on that level sparks inspiration beyond what you can see. Prior to this event, I had no idea about the EXTRAordinary Tahira Joy and her online platform, The Cut Life. Sitting in on her VIP Q & A session was so informative and of course meeting her was an absolute highlight. In fact, the entire experience left a lasting impression on me.

Keely and Donna taking a “style break” to cheer on the models we styled for the SHDC Runway show

This year, the 2020 tour was held during Martin Luther King, Jr weekend in three cities: Brooklyn, NY; Edison, NJ; and Roosevelt Field, Long Island. Late last year, I was honored to be considered to play three separate roles during the kickoff in Brooklyn as well as during the Menlo Park edition. My blonde caesar cut and I said, “Yes!” to the experience without batting my eyelashes. As a woman with many talents, interests, and abilities, I was able to assist costume designer and image consultant to the stars, Keely B Styles, with styling all models who walked the runway during the Brooklyn show.  Putting together style moments for each salon’s model from her perfectly curated selection was just as important as their perfectly done hairstyles. I worked with her to bring the vision alive and popping! All pieces came from her Jersey City boutique, SECÜR.

This styling experience is just the beginning for me as I style women for their own EXTRAordinary life-moments.

Tahira Joy, founder of The Cut Life and I during the VIP Q & A session

First thing on Sunday, it was time to get glammed for the VIP session where I had the pleasure of interviewing Tahira Joy, founder of The Cut Life. This was a full circle moment because the time before, I was in the audience. The ladies who came had amazing energy and their thoughtful questions afforded us the opportunity to learn so much more about being successful on our social media platforms. Tahira had such insightful responses to each question that I didn’t want the interview session to come to an end! 

While the VIP session was in full swing, all the other attendees were near the runway shopping, networking, and snapping pictures and vibing to the sounds of the DJ. Menlo Park Mall was alive thanks to SHDC tour.

Finally, it was time for the part of the experience that I said, “Yes!” to without fully thinking it through. It was time to walk the runway with all the other models who were slaying with their fabulous short haircuts and outfits from Macy’s latest collections. Now, it was time to truly celebrate and own my short hair cut by stylist to stars (as I affectionatly call her), Beverly Samuel of Wiggout Unisex Salon. With no time to spare, I switched gears from interviewer to model and before I knew it, I had owned my style from head to toe! 

Celebrating the EXTRAordinary ease, beauty, sexiness, and boldness of short hair was so much fun and I’m extremely excited to attend and/or be a part of this event in 2021. 

Stylish Donna owning her short hair without a care!

Are you team “Short Hair, Don’t Care”? Leave a comment.