One of the earliest instances of a woman wearing her hair short to make a statement is of Joan of Arc’s. Born in fifteenth century France, “The Maid of Orleans” cut her hair like a pageboy’s. She was a warrior — for God and for France.
Centuries later, the famous Paris hairstylist Monsieur Antoine launched the “bob” — why did everything stylish have to start in Paris? — saying he was inspired by Saint Joan. His clients included icons of style, screen and stage and one US First Lady: Coco Chanel, Sarah Bernhardt, Greta Garbo, Eleanor Roosevelt and Brigitte Bardot. Later still, the Pageboy Cut itself became a rage.
If there is one line that has not blurred between men’s and women’s fashions, it is in the hair. Most women wear their hair long; the number is far greater than that of women who wear pants.
Short hair remains special. When a woman cuts her hair off, it is a either a sign of strength or a cry for help, someone said. Or it may just be a desire to stand out. If you have ever been tempted to reach for the scissors (or your stylist), now’s the time.
Chop off a good few inches in summer to liberate your sweaty neck, says Deepti Mohinder of Studio Meche, a beauty salon in Calcutta. The best news is that almost every woman can wear short hair.
Mohinder (in picture, with senior hairstylist at Studio Meche Habib ur Rehman) lists a few things that should be considered.
♦ Keep in mind how your hair is naturally inclined to grow out. Consult a stylist. It’s his or her job to take the structure, length and thickness of your hair, and your personality, into consideration to decide the best style for you.
♦ For example, the model in the picture has a sharp chiselled face, thick and voluminous hair, but not curly. She can carry off a pixie bob or punk hairstyle. Since there is volume on top, it can be styled in waves, curls or it can be simply slick.
♦ You don’t have to have waist-length hair to colour it. Balayage styles for short hair are picking up. The model here is carrying hues of red and wine which compliment the Indian skin tones perfectly.
♦ Shorter styles require more washing than longer styles as they become greasier more quickly. Try a pre-shampoo treatment of coconut oil on the ends, before lathering it up with a gentle shampoo. Style your hair quickly with a damp comb or a spray bottle. Use a light hair oil if you have dry or coarse hair.
♦ If you want to maintain your length, opt for a trim every four to six weeks, since any growth on short hair is more noticeable than on long hair.
? Model: Moumita Pandit
? Make-up: Studio Meche
? Photographer: Rashbehari Das