The PWC: I'm a new woman!

Well, it is official: I am a new woman! My PWC (aka post-wedding-chop) was yesterday, and I definitely feel like I'm about 10 pounds lighter!

To be honest, any hair cut at all would probably have made me feel amazing, but it feels SO good to have a bit of style back in my hair!

For perspective, I took a few photos before I left for the salon. It isn't that my hair looked awful, per se, but it was just...blah...and long...see?

Excuse my serious face; it is hard to take your own picture reflected in the bathroom mirror!

Check out how long it was in the back! About 3 inches for sure!

My wonderful stylist agreed that a slight inversion would be good, and proceeded to give me a razor cut (because my hair loves razor cuts...true life). We removed almost 3 inches of hair in the back, left it SLIGHTLY longer in the front, and then gave me back my long bangs! Yay bangs! Ok ok, I'll stop talking and start showing you the photos:

I was soooo happy; can't you tell???

A view of the side/back:

My bangs are back at around lip-level...much better than at chin level!

I know it isn't a drastic cut, but I am so happy! When I first started growing out my hair, I was so certain that I would want to return to something short and spunky when the wedding was over, but I found myself getting slightly attached to my longer locks as time went by. This cut was a big relief: it is much shorter/has texture, but it is still long enough to pull back if needed (yes, if you are wondering, I can get it into a ponytail!). Anyway...I LOVE IT!

How excited were you/are you for the PWC?

Contemplating the PWC

I'll be honest: I've been thinking about this day almost as long as I was planning the wedding.

I'm talking about the PWC. Oh, the glorious PWC...how I've dreamed about it longingly. I started growing my hair out in February of 2009; around the time when the chatter of engagement began with Justin. I knew I'd want to sport an updo of some sort on the wedding day, and I knew that I'd need to start early to get the length necessary. This is how my hair looked after my last REAL haircut...a chin length inverted bob with long bangs:

This is how it looked about one year after that (in November 2009) - my bangs had grown out, and my hair was at shoulder level:

And this is what it looked like 2 weeks ago...right before the wedding:

It is LONG (for me at least)! I've joked around with many people that I was about ready to take a pair of kitchen scissors to it on a daily basis. I'm SO ready for a new look!

But...what should I do? It has been about a year and a half since I tried to have some sort of "style" with my hair cut. I am not sure which direction I should go now! I have grown somewhat attached to the "longer" length of my hair; it is useful to have the ability to put my hair in a ponytail/clip because of the heat in Florida. However, I need some SHAPE in it, and Justin agrees.

I have an appointment for my PWC tomorrow afternoon (eek!), and I am desperately searching the Internet for some inspiration! Come on now, help me out! Lets find some inspiration photos for medium length, straight hair! Here is what I've compiled so far...

This reminds me of my old haircut...I like the long bangs swept to the side...

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I am fond of the layers in Sienna Miller's hair; even though it is long, it does have some shape!

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I'm also throwing around the idea of shorter bangs...I've had them in the past as well. I rather like the look of Anne Hathaway's in this photo:

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Again, the sideswept bangs...

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Finally, what I think is one of my favorite photos so far - a "long version" of the inverted bob (aka shorter in the back than in the front) with long sideswept bangs

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So...what do you think? Do you have any inspiration photos to share? Send them along!

Did you have a PWC? How did it feel and did you have a hard time finding some inspiration???