Bad lob haircut ... anyone empathize?

[Anonymous]

The stylist I've been going to for a couple years now has let me down in a bad way. Or if I'm being fair, I let her down by not communicating adequately that "nothing drastic" and "something a little shorter, like a long bob" meant, in my mind, hitting my shoulders. Anyway, my hair used to be long with long layers -- in back it was between the shoulder blades -- and now I have a lob that barely comes below the nape of my neck and just at my collarbone in front. Probably 3-4 inches shorter than I wanted it. My hair is very wavy-to-curly and dense but very fine, so of course it gets gigantic when the humidity rises and shrinks in length as it curls up. It's been a month and I still hate it (the stylist knows how I feel; the day after it was done I sent her a text asking if she knew a good place for extensions).

Anyone have tips for how to not feel like a dumpy frump while this disaster is growing out? Products, etc? I'm trying to wear it messy so that I feel more edgy and less 80s (and less mom-bob) but -- yeesh. I can still do a ponytail but it's one of those sad little round low ponytails. I hate that I care so much about it, but there it is.

[Anonymous]

Barely covering your nape and hitting your collar bone seems about exactly what I would call a long bob. I also fail to see what the difference is between hitting your collar bone vs your shoulders. Seems like these are essentially the same thing, esp after you've had a month of growth. It sounds like you wanted a trim; not a bob.

[Anonymous]

The pieces in front (it's slightly angled), if I pull 'em straight when they're wet, hit my collarbone. But the rest of it sits a good three inches above my shoulders when dry because my hair shrinks so much as it dries (more so now because there's much less weight to it).

Totally agree that I likely asked for the wrong thing - am not really blaming my stylist, and in fact told her that it was my fault for not communicating to her more clearly what I had in mind. I will probably go back to her as she's made me happy in the past. I posted because I was hoping for some tips on styling, products, etc to deal with it while it grows into a more comfortable length for me, as I suspect I'm not the only gal out there with lob regret.

[Anonymous]

Yes-- my hair is the same way. It is very wavy and as a result, it shrinks a LOT when it dries. On occasion, I've forgotten to tell a stylist this fact, and I've ended up with much shorter hair than I wanted. It sucks! You may want to take vitamin supplements to make it grow back faster.

[Anonymous]

The great thing about hair is it will grow back.

[Anonymous]

Thanks; glad I'm not alone in my shrinkage woes. I'm taking Hair Skin and Nails supplements and they seem to be helping with nail growth at least (I assume with hair growth too, but it's easier to see nail length change).

[Anonymous]

Are you blowing it out or wearing it curly? I don't understand what you mean by wearing it messy.

[Anonymous]

Well, you sent a passive aggressive message to the stylist and your friends probably say, "it looks good." So buck up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, you sent a passive aggressive message to the stylist and your friends probably say, "it looks good." So buck up.

huh?

[Anonymous]

Ugh. I kind of ended up with a lob by accident - I kept trimming the dead ends off of my bra-strap length hair until it was in lob territory. This was a year ago almost...it is at my bra strap now again and I have no intentions of ever cutting it. So yes, I empathize. My suggestion is to maybe get some highlights at balayage so you can at least enjoy the color while it grows out.

[Anonymous]

I second getting some highlights or blayage -- it will take the focus off the cut. If you ask them to put some layers in it and you blow it out and straighten , it will seem a little longer.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I second getting some highlights or blayage -- it will take the focus off the cut. If you ask them to put some layers in it and you blow it out and straighten , it will seem a little longer.

Agreed, except I would go easy on the layers. This takes off more length.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The great thing about hair is it will grow back.

+1

I'm probably in the minority, but I'd go back and get it texturized / thinned / shaped (trimmed) a bit. Maybe a long fringe. Maybe an undercut.

Try another stylist if you've given up on yours (though it sounds like she did just what you asked).

Then use some gel, scrunch, air dry, and use a bit of wax or pomade to soften the crunch.

I have hair like yours, and a lob would need to be blow-dried / straightened to look good.

[Anonymous]

Hmm, the funny this is that I wanted a lob, which I thought was a pretty basic haircut. And the lady gave me this haircut that I've seen a lot of women around my town with - some sort of stacked bob or something that looked good when they styled it, but had to be styled or else it looked terrible, like The Rachel from Friends! And the haircut I had previously was a wash and go style. I went back and tried to explain what I wanted, and said more "edgy" and the lady just started hacking away, so now I have all these weird length pieces all over my head. Sigh. Luckily I had gotten rid of my highlights so since my hair is all black I think it doesn't show that much and I'm just trying to grow it out.

[Anonymous]

Try a salt spray. Bumble & Bumble makes one. I also like to make my own with a bit of olive oil and sea salt--the oil keeps things from getting too sticky / crunchy.