Somebody requested a looooooong time ago to see my big chop pics. Well, the second time around (back in April of 2007) I went solo and there is no photo to speak of. I woke up, hopped in my car, drove from salon to salon looking for someone who was available, and finally ended up getting the deed done in a shop filled with little girls getting their hair done for some kind of formal event. Their jaws were on the floor as the stylist took off about 10 inches ave. from my head.
The first real chop, though, happened in 2000, the day after my high school graduation. As I've mentioned previously, I grew my hair out beginning around the time of prom my junior year. When I went to get my hair done, instead of getting a relaxer I just got an updo with my new growth. It was cute. That summer, I went to Mexico for a month and I wore my hair pulled back in a low bun. So that last year of school I pressed once a week, eagerly anticipating the day after graduation so I could finally stop! **side note...as mentioned in another post, this method for transitioning turned out to be very damaging to the front part of my hair, leaving me with permanently straight hair :(***
I say all this to say, last week I spent the night with my best friend and she gave me her HS scrapbook to look at. When I got to the last page, imagine my delight, there was my 2000 BIG CHOP PIC! I knew she had it somewhere but it has been ages since I last laid eyes on it. So I asked her to scan it and here it is!!!
Clearly this was at the beginning and not the end of the BC process. But it is the moment itself that I'm glad got documented. The lady cutting my hair could not understand what I wanted so she did not successfully get all the permed ends off. Once she was finished cutting she asked me, "So what do you want me to do with it now?" I was like, "I don't know, you're the professional!" I now know that many beauticians didn't work much with natural hair in its curly state so she really had no clue. I told her to throw some gel on it and call it a day.
***I walked around looking a hot mess for a few weeks but eventually got it together.***
So for those of you who are still transitioning, when do you plan to chop? Have you thought about where you would go and if you want it documented at all? If I had it to do again, I would take a camera and get some really good shots. Think about who you would like to cut it and what style you plan to do immediately after. I did not think about this the first time around so I was unprepared for the styling challenges I faced afterward. There is so much info now for newly natural ladies that you can really be armed and ready going into your chop.
I found this cute vid which shows a big chop in real time! It reminded me of when I helped to cut a friend's hair for one of her chops so I totally got sentimental. I think it is just a good inspiration for those who are still nervous about taking that final step towards being totally natural.
Click here to see the follow up vid of immediately after the BC.
Here's another BC to get you psyched!
For those who have just recently chopped (or within the last year or so), stop by and tell me what that experience was like for you. Did you plan it or was it a spur of the moment decision like my 2nd chop? Did you document it? What words of encouragement do you have for those on the fence about chopping?
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