Bad Hair? The Chop Shop Offers Late Nights Just for Moms

Guest post by Lesley Trivett.

“Do not cut your hair off when you are pregnant.”

If you’re like me, then you followed this advice in the Girlfriend’s Guide to Pregnancy. I wanted to cut it; I felt horribly ugly about some of the changes my body was going through, and here was something I had control over. I imagined that a chic pixie cut would make me feel more attractive, but I held back – and I’m glad I did. My hair really was more luxurious for those months. It grew faster than usual and I wondered if I was getting twice the boost since I was carrying twins. Although my hair was darker than usual, I discovered that my natural mousy blond can be lovely.

Then the inevitable happened; my boys were born (hooray!). I struggled through the stuff that new moms and families struggle with, and then some: sleep deprivation (argh!), extreme hormonal changes, breastfeeding challenges (times two!), and all the new gear and doctors’ visits the three of us could handle. About three months in, I started feeling more comfortable with motherhood and my new self, except for my hair.

The postpartum changes in my hair didn’t happen right away and they weren’t as extreme as some of my friends. I wasn’t losing clumps, but still it was alarming to brush my hair and see my lovely, long pregnancy-hair end up in the brush.

The situation got more and more dire. The twins started to pull on my hair with their little curious hands, “I love you mamma, really. Let me show you how much by pulling out the remnants of your beautiful mane.”

But finding time to get a cut and colour? Little did I know I’d signed up for Mission Impossible.

Finding three hours (in a row) for any new mom is hard to come by. I was pretty much glued to the couch nursing or catching up on much, much needed sleep. When I was up and available, hair salons just weren’t open… I fumed, “Why can’t I get my hair colored at 9pm at night…? That’s the only time I’ve got!”

The Chop Shop on Commercial Drive answered my calling. I don’t have a tattoo and consider myself fairly conservative in my hair styles, but this self proclaimed “Rock’n Roll hair shop” does make me feel at home. Best of all, they have just introduced a late night for moms. On Tuesday, December 14 and 21 they’ll be open late (until 11pm) for much needed mother-pampering, and just in time for the holidays!

Watch for me on the Drive pushing my twins and sporting my new look. I didn’t get my pixie cut, but I am a red head now!