life on swann street: Hair Dids

That line is so overused, but I don't care. Sometimes I feel like blog titles are supposed to be overused phrases.

Basically my entire life I have had short hair. As a little kid, my mom always cut my and my sisters' hair so that it stayed out of our faces and was easy for her to manage. Even in grade school and high school, I always kept my hair at shoulder length or shorter. It was for no particular reason -- almost because that's the way I had always had it, so I just kept cutting it.

Then, in September of 2010, shortly after I moved back to DC from New York, I challenged myself to let my hair grow out for a full two years. I could get the ends trimmed, but no hair cuts that would alter the overall length. Maybe this sounds simple to you all, but I knew it would be a challenge.

Here's what we started with:

I actually do like this bob length... (even seeing this sorta makes me want to chop it all off!)

Almost a year into the challenge. The first part of growing it out (getting everything even and actually seeing a difference) felt like it took forever. I remember doing my hair for this wedding thinking "Eeek! It's finally getting longer!!" (It wasn't really long at all...)

Then September 2012 came and I was so excited that I had actually stuck to the challenge, but it felt like I was just getting used to having long hair. I had only started to experiment with new hairstyles and getting comfortable braiding or curling it (without burning my forehead). So I added another year on to the long hair challenge and am continuing to try new styles.

This is basically what my hair looks like everyday from about 8 a.m. until about 11:45 a.m. (when I put it into a ponytail -- I can't help it. I try to keep it down and then I get annoyed and just throw it into a low pony).

(See all those clementines in the background? Told you I'm eating them all. the. time.)

Here it is in a fish tail braid with a black headband.

When it comes to curling my hair, a curling iron only really works if I use so much hairspray the ozone disappears, so I've started using a round brush and curling it while blow drying.

This was in a cab en route to a girls' brunch (weirdo picture, sorry -- was making sure I was looking "cool").

Stick straight at M&M's wedding.

Aside: I take these mini-self portraits usually at my desk before I walk into meetings. The habit has sort of worn off so now I do it other places (ahem, in cabs en route to brunch?!). Maybe it's nerdy or a little narcissistic, but it works for me, so PDJ (Please Don't Judge). Maybe that's why it feels kind of weird just putting up pictures of my face up here. Oh well. For the record I changed them from being extra large to just large, 'cause, yeah...they are big enough.

Anyway, I often look to blogs or Pinterest for hairstyle inspiration or just for fun. Below are some that I either want to try or wish I could pull off...

Basically any Blake Lively look from Gossip Girl.

I never watched the show before, but now that it is on Netflix, I am O.D.-ing. No lie. Despite the show actually being pretty horrible, probably watched 5 episodes last night.

But her hair is always freakin' awesome.