Exceptionally short haircuts seem to be an ever-growing phenomenon amongst the female population, especially the college-aged crowd. Why? Is it the fact that so many celebrities have been seen sporting the cut in recent award shows and other gala events? Or rather that it accentuates the jaw, neck, and collarbone region of those wearing a short fringe? While both of these may have something to with the occurrence of the “pixie” cut becoming more common, I’d like to argue another angle.
As unfortunate as it may be, it isn’t uncommon for most to have their standard of beauty be defined by media, whether it is magazine covers we see in Wal-Mart as we’re checking out or make-up commercials we see on television. This is something we all are guilty of doing. It’s only natural that, when frequently
presented with tall, thin, long and wavy-haired models in L’Oreal advertisements, we assume that is the standard to which all women should aspire. A woman seen with short hair, however, is making a very relevant statement, whether it is her intent or not.
The declaration made with a short cut is this: we spend far too much time worrying ourselves with the societal beauty norms that are provided for us. Why should we aspire to emulate the people we see in advertisements that are merely provided to us to bridge the gap between consumer and corporation? Short hair on a woman is not only a non-verbal discourse on stepping outside of these societal norms, but also a message of independence and free-thought. The first impression made by a cut shorter than some other girls’ boyfriends is a powerful and lasting one. Women should be thought of as just as strong and self-governing as any man, and a short haircut, in my mind, gets that point across well and does it without a single word having to be spoken.
You see, it’s hard for people to remember sometimes, but women are not any different from men in that they are living, breathing, thinking human beings. They have their own aspirations, fears, hobbies, and goals. Should they not also have the option to make choices about their own appearance without being condemned for it by their peers because they don’t look like they’re trying to replicate the looks of Cara Delevingne or Joan Smalls? Women are not objects for men (or even other women) to mentally manipulate and mold to fit their personal idea of beauty or their definition of what is desirable and dateable.
Sure, this creates a problem with writing an article about a specific personal preference I may have, but I’m not making an attempt to convince you one way or another. I just personally believe that when I see a short hairdo on a woman, she’s presenting a message, whether intentional or not, that states that she has a grasp of who she is but also that she’s willing to step outside of the common comfort zone in order to express herself, and that alone communicates beauty.
Connor Wroten is an elementary education major from Oxford.
