I’m not bothered about being weird, as you may know by now! But it’s heartening to hear that so many people rebel against conformity. I definitely worry about the TikTok generation.
Thanks as always for engaging, Juliet. Some tips for hair cutting maybe? 😊
I'm trying to think about tips! I'm sure there would be better advice than mine out there if you look, but this is what i do: I always cut my hair when it's damp and try to only cut a little at a time. I'm not sure i have any other actual advice. My hair is quite wavy, which makes it possibly trickier to get it right, but also means that an uneven cut is less obvious.
Thanks, Juliet. A friend suggested mirrors, but I can’t do things in reverse! I’m going to have a snip this week, although my hairdresser friend who now works in an office has offered to bring her scissors when we meet up for a cuppa and a natter, so I might take her up on that as it’s so long currently.
I don't have the physical reactions that you do, but how awful to be made to feel that you are at fault for them. The current level of conformity among most young girls really worries me, and the labelling of certain tastes in clothes and hair as making you not actually female.
My big suggestion is: cut your own hair. My sister started doing hers, and that of our mum and dad, during the pandemic. Your fringe looks fine, and that's got to be the hard bit! Clippers and YouTube videos, your new winter evening entertainment! Xx
Thanks for engaging on this topic, Tracey. It’s young lassies I worry for too. I’ve never been a conformist so have never been too bothered. The idea bothers me.. that if you don’t look and behave a certain way it’s not feminine. Females should define how feminity looks - and it’s not a homogenised one size fits all!
I dread to think how my hair would look if I cut it, but I do appreciate the suggestion and as a result of this article have found out that quite a few friends do this. I had no idea. I cut my husband hair during lockdown too, but wouldn’t have thought of doing my own! I might have a go! Entertainment indeed! x
I really like what you have written here, I don’t have the same issues, but can understand that that is your reality and how you deal with it. I also strongly agree that the concept of ‘pampering’ going alongside ‘femininity’ as so wrong! I personally dislike the colour pink -doesn’t suit me, and hate the way it is imposed on small girls. I like yellow, what’s wrong with that? These lazy tropes need calling out!
Thanks for reading and engaging with this piece, Kate. I’ve written it with a touch of humour (hopefully) but I do genuinely loathe the hairdressers and have issues with fragrances.
The point I wanted to raise, s you discerned, was that you don’t have to like being pampered to be feminine. As I said to Tracey above, as females we define what feminine is, not popular culture, other women (or men!) I have no issue with ladies loving it. Each to their own, but don’t assume that everyone does or that it makes me somehow less feminine if I detest it!
I used to hate pink - more as a statement perhaps, than a a genuine dislike - but I love bright colours and have embraced very bright pink in my old age. I’m not sure if it suits me or not! I love red, orange and yellow. Nothing wrong with yellow at all! It still amazes me that baby things are largely blue for boys and pink for girls. Why can’t boys wear pink and girls wear blue - or neither! Of course they can, but there is still so much conditioning out there. Absolutely with you on the lazy tropes.
I don't think you're weird at all. I haven't been to the hairdresser's since i was a teenager, and cut my own hair.
I think there's far too much pressure on young women these days to look a certain way.
I’m not bothered about being weird, as you may know by now! But it’s heartening to hear that so many people rebel against conformity. I definitely worry about the TikTok generation.
Thanks as always for engaging, Juliet. Some tips for hair cutting maybe? 😊
I'm trying to think about tips! I'm sure there would be better advice than mine out there if you look, but this is what i do: I always cut my hair when it's damp and try to only cut a little at a time. I'm not sure i have any other actual advice. My hair is quite wavy, which makes it possibly trickier to get it right, but also means that an uneven cut is less obvious.
Thanks, Juliet. A friend suggested mirrors, but I can’t do things in reverse! I’m going to have a snip this week, although my hairdresser friend who now works in an office has offered to bring her scissors when we meet up for a cuppa and a natter, so I might take her up on that as it’s so long currently.
Sounds like a good idea to take your friend up on her offer!
I don't have the physical reactions that you do, but how awful to be made to feel that you are at fault for them. The current level of conformity among most young girls really worries me, and the labelling of certain tastes in clothes and hair as making you not actually female.
My big suggestion is: cut your own hair. My sister started doing hers, and that of our mum and dad, during the pandemic. Your fringe looks fine, and that's got to be the hard bit! Clippers and YouTube videos, your new winter evening entertainment! Xx
Thanks for engaging on this topic, Tracey. It’s young lassies I worry for too. I’ve never been a conformist so have never been too bothered. The idea bothers me.. that if you don’t look and behave a certain way it’s not feminine. Females should define how feminity looks - and it’s not a homogenised one size fits all!
I dread to think how my hair would look if I cut it, but I do appreciate the suggestion and as a result of this article have found out that quite a few friends do this. I had no idea. I cut my husband hair during lockdown too, but wouldn’t have thought of doing my own! I might have a go! Entertainment indeed! x
I really like what you have written here, I don’t have the same issues, but can understand that that is your reality and how you deal with it. I also strongly agree that the concept of ‘pampering’ going alongside ‘femininity’ as so wrong! I personally dislike the colour pink -doesn’t suit me, and hate the way it is imposed on small girls. I like yellow, what’s wrong with that? These lazy tropes need calling out!
Thanks for reading and engaging with this piece, Kate. I’ve written it with a touch of humour (hopefully) but I do genuinely loathe the hairdressers and have issues with fragrances.
The point I wanted to raise, s you discerned, was that you don’t have to like being pampered to be feminine. As I said to Tracey above, as females we define what feminine is, not popular culture, other women (or men!) I have no issue with ladies loving it. Each to their own, but don’t assume that everyone does or that it makes me somehow less feminine if I detest it!
I used to hate pink - more as a statement perhaps, than a a genuine dislike - but I love bright colours and have embraced very bright pink in my old age. I’m not sure if it suits me or not! I love red, orange and yellow. Nothing wrong with yellow at all! It still amazes me that baby things are largely blue for boys and pink for girls. Why can’t boys wear pink and girls wear blue - or neither! Of course they can, but there is still so much conditioning out there. Absolutely with you on the lazy tropes.