Once upon a time, there was a shy girl with a serious love for Les Miserables.  After reading most of the book and watching the 2012 movie, she decided that she needed to do something with her fine, limp hair and become even more different from most tweenage girls than she already was.

Most of her friends discouraged her, saying that pixie cuts never looked good except on a very few celebrities.  But for once in her life, she stayed resolute and got a disgusting bowl cut that she was highly upset with.  Then she got it shorter and all was well.

That girl, if you hadn’t guessed, is me.

So, as you’ve read, I cut my hair off in the beginning of this year, after being inspired, for the most part, by Les Miserables and the lovely Carey Mulligan.  I told my mom about my want for the cut, and I knew that she thought that it was something I would hate to dedicate myself to.  She figured it would just die away.

It didn’t (and it might not for you).  I researched every pixie cut website or article there ever was, along the way learning that “there is a pixie cut for every face shape” and that there is no such thing as a “bad pixie cut.”  After all my research and a lot of promises, I finally had it chopped off.

But the pixie cut websites/articles weren’t lying when they said that a pixie cut took work.  I would have to style my hair like never before.

Any hairstyle can take a copious amount of work. There are tons more tips for all you girls who desire a short style to frame your lovely features. My benevolent nature is instructing me to share them with you, and so I shall:

1. Do your research.  I was not allowed to get my cut with just my short-lived confidence and my lifeless hair.  Know your face shape and know what you want, but be sure to keep an open mind.  As previously stated, there is a pixie cut for everyone, but it takes some effort to find yours.  Here are a couple of helpful links: http://www.loxabeauty.com/thelayer/find-the-best-pixie-for-your-face-shape/ (basic knowledge)

http://www.lifeandbeautyweekly.com/feature/hair-and-beauty/pixie-haircut/#axzz2yR6QUQNm (a bit deeper)

2. Be prepared to put some work (and sleep time) into it, girlfriend!  If your hair is thin like mine, I suggest putting product in it every time you shower.  Also make sure you stock up on hair spray, because you, my friend, are gonna need it!

3. Accessorize!  It doesn’t have to be blingy or big, but headbands are great to wear on a regular basis.  They can substitute for the girly part of your cut if you’ve skipped your hair product for the day.  Not only that, but they are kind of fun to coordinate your outfit with.  Ribbons and twine are perfect for a subtle or loud look, as long as you style your hair to balance it.

4. Prepare for the bed head and make sure you’re able to laugh at yourself in the mirror every morning.  You will have spots stuck to your head, others that frizz, and some pieces that stick off your head completely.  Keep a spray bottle on hand to calm down those spots with water.  Start by wetting your entire head, and then style with your hands, and not a comb.  Blow dry to create your look, and then hair spray it.

5. Change up your wardrobe!  Wear feminine pieces more often, and if you are going through your day in a flannel shirt and jeans (which is totally fine!  I do it all the time!), just make sure you, as mentioned, accessorize and style your hair to make it look feminine.  The pixie cut is great for girls who don’t want long locks to define femininity, but make sure that you aim to dress like a girl instead.

6. Don’t ever be embarrassed of your cut.  If you have a bad hair day, it’s not the end of the world.  Don’t let your hair keep you home, and instead lay a pair of sweatpants out for the end of the day.  When you arrive back after a grueling time at work or school, slip into those sweatpants, get some ice cream out, and put on a movie.  Look at the positives: your hair won’t get tangled if you have a sob-fest on the couch!

7. Have fun with it!  Make the style your own!  Fluff it up at the top, style the sides, add some color with hair dye or bows; just own it.  You’ve got this haircut; I believe in you!

I shocked my friends when I came back to school with chopped hair, and I actually got them to admit that it turned out a lot better than they had thought.  If you feel like it, you should really get on over to your barber and rock that pixie cut.