Would You Wear Barrettes?

Jan 02, 2008 @ 3:49pm

Two weeks ago, I cut off all my hair.

The good news - at least for some of you commenters - is that I no longer look like "a rabbit with curls." The bad news is, it was pretty terrifying, and now I have to figure out how to style it without looking like I cared enough about my hair to style it. This was simple with a really long, tangled, tumbling sheet of blonde ringlets, but now it's a little harder, and I've found myself clinging to things I put away in 9th grade:

Barrettes.

They keep the little wispy pieces out of my face; they clamp down the one curl that likes to stick straight up like a Gilda Ratner character; and - ooh - you can get little ones with hearts on them at Marc Jacobs.

But there's still something infantile about the whole thing, the way my mom used to frown in high school when I wore a ribbon in my hair.

Is it okay for an adult woman to walk around with barrettes? Or should I use more discrete bobby pins or even an extra thwomp of gel?

[Actually, I get a little thrill out of the barrettes because they've never been able to hold my hair before - it was too long. I bought a huge pack of plastic ones at CVS yesterday, the kind with butterflies and flowers. I took the little ones with teddy bears and coated them in black shiny nail polish - but again, maybe that looks less Soho and more like homeroom...]

posted by guest

Jan 02, 2008 4:07PM

Let's see a picture of your new hair Faran!!

I always loved your long hair, you have gorgeous hair!

Barrettes can be cute, I think. There are come nice stud ones at Forever 21 that might look good on you.

posted by Raina

Jan 02, 2008 4:15PM

Oh, thank God, girl! You were starting to channel Chelsea Clinton.

posted by guest

Jan 02, 2008 4:26PM

picture! picture!

posted by guest

Jan 02, 2008 4:38PM

Barrettes barely worked in the nineties on Drew Barrymore. Get thee some bobby pins.

posted by marc lover

Jan 02, 2008 4:41PM

rock the barrettes. i think they're so fun! i love wearing different barrettes for different days & moods.

posted by guest

Jan 02, 2008 4:44PM

I've been rocking barrettes a lot lately to show off the little part I shaved on the side of my head!

posted by FWD

Jan 02, 2008 4:50PM

My mom also did not approve of my wearing hair ribbons in high school. I think they're all under my bed in the lunchbox I carried as a purse.

I don't think I'd do barrettes now, though. At 26 I've got a single line on my face (connecting the left side of my mouth to my nose), and wearing a barette would feel like a giant spotlight on it. Maybe with a gobo saying: "LOOK! SHE'S OLD!"

I wore two buns on top of my head till I was 23, and now you have me wondering if that ship has really sailed, or if I could pull it off again.

posted by guest

Jan 02, 2008 4:56PM

I think barrettes can be cute, but I think the rest of your outfit needs to be more "grown-up." Like, don't wear the bows barrette with a pink dress!

posted by Lindsaysue12

Jan 02, 2008 5:15PM

I loved the Marc ones. I purchased one...then returned it b/c I felt goofy for buying a $60 one inch barrette. Anyway, I say rock it. I think if you painted them black they'd be O.K.

posted by LauraMilli

Jan 02, 2008 5:19PM

Barrettes can be tricky...you either look like a toddler or like a punked-out ninth grader. I agree with guest @4:38pm: bobby pins are best if you want to keep up the disheveled look. But then again, I have a secret stash of bright barrettes just in case I discover the perfect way to wear them.

posted by guest

Jan 02, 2008 5:25PM

I agree with the poster above, with a more adult/subdued outfit it's quirky and it works.

I've actually gone back to wearing a ribbon in my hair occasionally. Kept in proportion (no big floppy cheerleader loops) with a subdued outfit can work. I get compliments all of the time-- simple but unexpected, and I'm almost 30!

posted by guest

Jan 02, 2008 5:26PM

Barettes are awesome. So many styles. I wouldn't dare wear ones with streamers on them (I'm 28) but there is something classic about a simple tortiseshell barettte.

posted by superflippy

Jan 02, 2008 5:31PM

There are so many nice, sophisticated barrettes you can try - no need to resort to Hello Kitty plastic dealies (unless you want to, of course).

I like the plain thin metal or wood ones, myself.

posted by teenfashionista

Jan 02, 2008 5:31PM

I have a few metallic bow barrettes that make me feel very... Blair. I say, go for it!

posted by joaninha

Jan 02, 2008 5:40PM

I demand (oh ok, ask) for a picture. How short did you go? I'm utterly curious now.

posted by fashionursta

Jan 02, 2008 6:46PM

I have a wavy layered bob and I wore a barette in it today. I wear them frequently. I just don't do the babyish ones. I get mine at Boyd's, Ricky's, or barneys main floor. I often wear one to dress up my bob when I go out at night, otherwise my hair is just the same old thing. You can probably see a little of it in my profile pic. what also looks cool is using bobby pins as barettes- looks like you are not trying so hard, which you actually are not. I'd love to see what your hair looks like if you care to show us. I actually loved your hair before, but I totally understand why you cut it.

posted by anonymoose

Jan 02, 2008 7:29PM

we definitely need to see a picture! i thought your hair looked fine but sometimes you just need a change. i have curly hair too and definitely had to rely on barettes and hair clips when i chopped it all off and had side swept bangs. i never got anything with bows or butterflies, but i did love the bright colored ones. i have black hair so i loved the little random pop of bright blue or jade green. like if the ones you posted were the same colors but had a flat front instead of the bow. if you need something to keep your hair in check with a nicer outfit, bobby pins or plain black or brown barettes would work better, i think. or these tortoise shell ones: http://www.drugstore.com/products/prod.asp?pid=152450&catid=83751&trx=PLST-0-CAT&trxp1=83751&trxp2=152450&trxp3=1&trxp4=0&btrx=BUY-PLST-0-CAT

i know you had perfectly smooth ringlets but if you're in need of a different product, loreal professionel spiral down curl memory creme saved my life. it's really lightweight and all i had to do was wash, comb, work some in and let it air dry.

posted by Faran Krentcil

Jan 02, 2008 8:06PM

There's a picture on my Facebook or my MySpace:

www.myspace.com/faranalexis

!!!

posted by guest

Jan 03, 2008 1:24AM

Definitely rock the barettes, but you can do better than drug store plastiques even if lacquered to taste. When I see plain bobby pins used for those whispys so obviously it looks unfinished and personally, a bit tacky. You're a woman of style...do you really identify with 2 pcs of thin brown metal x'd on your temples? Get creative: use fabrics, wrapped ribbons (no bows, please, Shirley), gems or other odds/ends jewelry, or even go avant-garde with some copper wire in a miniature sculpture--psyther

posted by guest

Jan 03, 2008 7:19AM

i just checked out your myspace as you say and i like it short - its cute (: x

posted by miss_k

Jan 03, 2008 8:17AM

I'm 27 and wear barrettes. Go for it!

posted by guest

Jan 03, 2008 9:19AM

hey faran i just noticed you are from andover ma?? i grew up in North Andover but im way older than you!!! i live in Portsmouth NH now--great town

vicki

posted by guest

Jan 03, 2008 11:31PM

they're too 'scene'. all those preteens from myspace wear them, as cute as they are, they just look so stupid to me.

posted by Starfire8825

Jan 07, 2008 9:09PM

well it truly depends on the barrette itself. if you can work it in with what your wearing, and the barrettes are the style your looking for go for it. You shouldn't fend off things just because your older, you just have to approach it in a more mature adult way. :) plus it helps out when you have short hair.

bobbypins are boring.