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???

Hair Update...

I got my hair cut on Tuesday...what...a...relief! I've been growing and growing and growing my hair, hoping that I can achieve the proper "up-do" length by the time the wedding rolls around. Thankfully, according to my stylist, I am only about 1 inch away from what we want! Hooray!

Anyway, I was in desperate need of a trim/shape...and I got just what the doctor ordered! This is what I looked like right before the appointment. Notice how it hit my back/shoulders at the bottom and starts to flip out? That was driving me NUTS! Overall, my hair wasn't looking bad, per se, but it was lacking some style...and was feeling cumbersome to boot...

She went through and cleaned up the edges...and shaped/lightened it up within. See how much lighter it looks around and under my chin? It feels 10lbs lighter...and I didn't lose much of my hard earned length! Win-win! And, can I just say how much more stylish it looks??? I miss my sassy bob hair styles...but this still manages to look like I've got it going on...(haha!).

Did you grow out/are you growing out your hair for your wedding? Was it a frustrating process?

“Hair”spiration for a Bride with…Medium Length Hair???

The last time I visited my fabulous stylist, we talked wedding hair. Before she started chopping away at my hair like I am used to, I asked her what I would be realistically able to achieve with the hair that I have, and how much length I could feasibly add in the time period I have to work with. I have to love Laurie, because she immediately responded with “I know EXACTLY what I want to do with your hair.”

Oh please, do tell!

Apparently, my hair will grow about ½ of an inch a month, which will put me at total growth of 4 extra inches by the time the wedding comes around (assuming I’ll be coming in for a few trims, that will eliminate perhaps ½ of an inch each time). So…that will put me at a few inches below the shoulders, assuming that I don’t freak out and chop it off myself before then!

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Laurie suggests a low chignon, with a lot of teasing/volume on the top of my head. I rushed home and started to look at some ideas. And breathed a sigh of relief, because these look much more bridal to me!

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I love this picture…I have long bangs like this photo, and I love how it is an “updo” without looking too formal. I think that with my projected hair growth, this is an achievable look.

But, Laurie also mentioned that we can add some “extension” without physically attaching hair. There is the option of adding some “extension” inside the chignon itself to make it look fuller. I’m digging this idea…especially after Justin and I turned on the movie What Happens In Vegas the other night. And I fell in love with this…

And yes, after searching high and low for photos online, I had to pause the movie at multiple times to take screen shots of the hair…(how in the world are there none online???).

I’m dying to find out if this is something I can achieve when I visit Laurie on a trip back to Florida. The suspense is going to kill me!

Did you find hair inspiration somewhere you weren’t expecting? How did you find the perfect coif for the big day? Did your hairdresser give an opinion of his/her own?