baldies: Dominique
“...long hair just wasn’t for me”
name: Dominique
social media: @fleurschild
How long have you been a self-proclaimed baldie?
4.5 years
Did anyone inspire you to cut your hair? (include @ name if possible)
no one inspired me.
What made you decide to cut your hair?
When I cut my hair, I was at a stage in life where I didn’t know who I was, so I just decided to cut my hair due to the fact that long hair just wasn’t for me.
What reservations/fears did you have about cutting your hair?
Since I was an entering sophomore in high school, my biggest fear was what people would say, considering that short hair was not associated with beauty amongst my peers. I also was scared, just because I didn’t know what I would look like with the cut.
How did you prepare yourself for your hair cut?
I didn’t really prep myself for my first big chop. My mom was all ears and had the pleasure of chopping my hair and giving me my first haircut. I had the TV on and. just focused on the show instead of what was actually going on.
What was your initial reaction to seeing yourself with short hair?
When i first saw myself with short hair, I felt rejuvenated. I felt extremely free and empowered and was so happy that I didn't have to spend so much money on a monthly basis for washes and sets (up until I saw the prices of natural hair products). Being that I cut my hair while on summer vacation, I was not around most people who I would see on a regular basis meaning I wasnt around anyone who would give me negative feedback but once I got back to school, I felt uncomfortable at first & annoyed at the “OMG you cut your hair!?!?” remarks, as if I obviously didn’t. After a while though, I became comfortable and confident with my short cuts and actually recommended it to so many women my age and even younger.
Did cutting your hair symbolize anything to you?
Cutting my hair turned out to be my empowerment moment. In the long run, my self-esteem was boosted once I got used to routine barbershop runs. Cutting my hair also represents my creativity too, being that I could dye my hair whenever I wanted and cut it off if I didn’t like it, and I wasn't limited to what I could do to it in mt TWA phase.
Do you plan on ever growing your hair back out?
I have plans of growing my hair back out but based off of experience, I won’t ever make it far. At first I looked at short cuts as a way to escape processed / damaged hair but now I just see it as a form of expression. I’ve grown to become so used to the feeling of getting my hair cut low that when my hair isn’t cut low I grow uneasy bc I feel like I'm not myself, so no I don’t think I’ll ever grow my hair out. If I ever feel like going from a bald baddie to just a baddie, I’ll just throw a wig on, but that too is rare.
Did cutting your hair hurt or help your self-confidence?
Cutting my hair definitely boosted my confidence. I saw that I didn't have to do much to feel or look pretty, as opposed to having bad hair days that would ruin mt day altogether- back when I had more hair
Do you regret your decision at all?
I don't regret my decision, I'm just glad that I made this move on my own when I did.
Were these questions difficult to answer?
NO