ISO: Women Role Models with Short Hair
November 9, 2015 10:22 AM Subscribe
I am looking for pictures, video clips (interviews, music videos, movie clips) and articles about women with short hair who can serve as role models for me.
I am currently enjoying Miley Cyrus in Wrecking Ball (NSFW) and was recently reading about Halle Berry, who has mostly always sported short hair, is drop dead gorgeous and close to my age. But the role models don't have to all be sexed up hotties. I also was struck by the fact that Vera Rubin has short hair. She has a PhD and was important in the discovery of dark matter. She also completed her PhD while married and raising four kids. Similarly, last year, the first female Fields Medalist has a PhD, a small child and short hair. I actually think she's quite cute and does a good job in my mind of bridging that space of "I can be a serious intellectual and also attractive." I have always felt pressured to choose between looks and brains and I really hate it.
I have had short hair for about a decade. I always figured I would eventually grow it out again. I am beginning to realize it may always be short. Help me shut up that part of my brain that continues to whisper ugly things about me not being attractive, not being a real woman, blah blah blah because my hair is too short.
Thanks!
I am currently enjoying Miley Cyrus in Wrecking Ball (NSFW) and was recently reading about Halle Berry, who has mostly always sported short hair, is drop dead gorgeous and close to my age. But the role models don't have to all be sexed up hotties. I also was struck by the fact that Vera Rubin has short hair. She has a PhD and was important in the discovery of dark matter. She also completed her PhD while married and raising four kids. Similarly, last year, the first female Fields Medalist has a PhD, a small child and short hair. I actually think she's quite cute and does a good job in my mind of bridging that space of "I can be a serious intellectual and also attractive." I have always felt pressured to choose between looks and brains and I really hate it.
I have had short hair for about a decade. I always figured I would eventually grow it out again. I am beginning to realize it may always be short. Help me shut up that part of my brain that continues to whisper ugly things about me not being attractive, not being a real woman, blah blah blah because my hair is too short.
Thanks!
Best answer: Does this have to be a celebrity or public figure? In general I'm in love with Go Shorter tumblr which has AMAZING short hair styles. I find just strong, bad-ass looking women who are owning their look to be my role models. And those women are killin' it. (And they have great inspiration for my soon to be super short bob from my grown out pixie.)
Other than that though:
Emma Watson
Scarlett Johansson
Jennifer Lawrence
Rihanna
As an aside, this is my hair right now and I have people tell me that I look professional even though it's short and pinkish red. (Like I've had people outright say, "It looks really professional on you!" And in the past it's been much shorter too.)
posted by Crystalinne at 10:30 AM on November 9, 2015 [4 favorites]
Other than that though:
Emma Watson
Scarlett Johansson
Jennifer Lawrence
Rihanna
As an aside, this is my hair right now and I have people tell me that I look professional even though it's short and pinkish red. (Like I've had people outright say, "It looks really professional on you!" And in the past it's been much shorter too.)
posted by Crystalinne at 10:30 AM on November 9, 2015 [4 favorites]
Response by poster: I am currently 50. Please do not hesitate to post older women, like Judi Dench. (Great call!) One of my problems with Miley Cyrus is I am old enough to be her mother and I have no hope of competing with her bod. Older is good.
No, they don't have to be "famous".
posted by Michele in California at 10:35 AM on November 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
No, they don't have to be "famous".
posted by Michele in California at 10:35 AM on November 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Jamie Lee Curtis rocks the short hair.
So does Annette Bening.
Ellen Degeneris's hair is looking fantastic these days.
Michelle Williams has always looked great with short hair.
Have you seen Cyndi Lauper's short hairstyles?
posted by erst at 10:49 AM on November 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
So does Annette Bening.
Ellen Degeneris's hair is looking fantastic these days.
Michelle Williams has always looked great with short hair.
Have you seen Cyndi Lauper's short hairstyles?
posted by erst at 10:49 AM on November 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Natalie Portman had her head shaved (irl) for her part in V for Vendetta. Here's an interview where she talks about it.
posted by greenish at 10:51 AM on November 9, 2015
posted by greenish at 10:51 AM on November 9, 2015
Best answer: watch house of cards, and pay attention to the goddess of that show, claire underwood, played by robin wright, who is also a middle aged woman with short hair (albeit she's very lean and otherwise conventionally attractive in that hollywood way).
http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2015/03/robin-wright-april-2015-cover
when i look at photos of her with long hair i think she looks good, but generic, like she could any number of blonde actresses in malibu. she's unforgettable with the short hair, though.
posted by zdravo at 10:53 AM on November 9, 2015 [3 favorites]
http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2015/03/robin-wright-april-2015-cover
when i look at photos of her with long hair i think she looks good, but generic, like she could any number of blonde actresses in malibu. she's unforgettable with the short hair, though.
posted by zdravo at 10:53 AM on November 9, 2015 [3 favorites]
Tilda Swinton!
posted by matildaben at 10:55 AM on November 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by matildaben at 10:55 AM on November 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Joan Jett looked amazing with short hair.
Tilda Swinton has an ever-changing array of amazing short hairstyles.
posted by erst at 10:59 AM on November 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Tilda Swinton has an ever-changing array of amazing short hairstyles.
posted by erst at 10:59 AM on November 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Does anyone know how long RBG's hair actually is? Great role model, but it looks to me like she wears it in a bun rather than having it actually cut short. Googling is not readily answering this question for me.
Thanks!
posted by Michele in California at 11:16 AM on November 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Thanks!
posted by Michele in California at 11:16 AM on November 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Sigourney Weaver comes to mind, depending on the period in her life. Ditto Ellen Page--and the Best Ellen, Degeneres.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 11:18 AM on November 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 11:18 AM on November 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Any discussion of good-looking short hairstyles must include the Pob.
I've had my hair short for about seven years now (minus one year where I grew it out again and decided it looked horrible in comparison). Until I get sick of it and feel the need for a major change, I will probably not grow it out again. I personally think short hair looks awesome, so rest assured that there are other voices besides the ones saying "You're not a real woman" if your hair is short.
Yes, I've had one or two people say here or there that I could be mistaken for a lesbian. But I think I've gotten more compliments from people saying my hair looks great or that they couldn't pull my hairstyle off! I take pride in my hair length, because I feel like it makes me stand out from the crowd a little. Maybe it would be helpful to think about things in that regard?
posted by dean_deen at 11:27 AM on November 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
I've had my hair short for about seven years now (minus one year where I grew it out again and decided it looked horrible in comparison). Until I get sick of it and feel the need for a major change, I will probably not grow it out again. I personally think short hair looks awesome, so rest assured that there are other voices besides the ones saying "You're not a real woman" if your hair is short.
Yes, I've had one or two people say here or there that I could be mistaken for a lesbian. But I think I've gotten more compliments from people saying my hair looks great or that they couldn't pull my hairstyle off! I take pride in my hair length, because I feel like it makes me stand out from the crowd a little. Maybe it would be helpful to think about things in that regard?
posted by dean_deen at 11:27 AM on November 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
Jean Seberg. Amazing actress but who was also an outspoken activist and supporter of the Black Panthers. Audrey Hepburn is another one that comes to mind.
posted by monologish at 11:34 AM on November 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by monologish at 11:34 AM on November 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Some great writers:
Nikki Giovanni
Harper Lee
Lorraine Hansberry
Anne Enright
Alice Walker
Kathy Acker
Iris Murdoch
Julia Alvarez
Alice Munro
Octavia Butler
Ursula K. Le Guin
Ruth Ozeki
Adrienne Rich
Gwendolyn Brooks
Paula Vogel
posted by thetortoise at 11:36 AM on November 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Nikki Giovanni
Harper Lee
Lorraine Hansberry
Anne Enright
Alice Walker
Kathy Acker
Iris Murdoch
Julia Alvarez
Alice Munro
Octavia Butler
Ursula K. Le Guin
Ruth Ozeki
Adrienne Rich
Gwendolyn Brooks
Paula Vogel
posted by thetortoise at 11:36 AM on November 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Known more for her voice than hair, but NPR's Terry Gross.
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 11:42 AM on November 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Mr.Know-it-some at 11:42 AM on November 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
(Also, just want to put this out there, thanks.)
posted by thetortoise at 11:45 AM on November 9, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by thetortoise at 11:45 AM on November 9, 2015 [3 favorites]
Do you like SF? Some of these will be "sometimes" and I'm not confident about what a woman might consider to be short hair so some might be in error.
Ursula LeGuin
Ann Leckie
Mary Doria Russell
James Tiptree
Andre Norton
Nicola Griffith
Ann McCaffrey
Rosemary Kirstein
Maureen McHugh
Madeleine L'Engle
Octavia Butler
Lois Bujold
CJ Cherryh
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 11:48 AM on November 9, 2015
Ursula LeGuin
Ann Leckie
Mary Doria Russell
James Tiptree
Andre Norton
Nicola Griffith
Ann McCaffrey
Rosemary Kirstein
Maureen McHugh
Madeleine L'Engle
Octavia Butler
Lois Bujold
CJ Cherryh
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 11:48 AM on November 9, 2015
Julie Andrews!
posted by littlesq at 12:03 PM on November 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by littlesq at 12:03 PM on November 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: British actress Maxine Peake has been rocking the pixie look recently.
posted by penguin pie at 12:22 PM on November 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by penguin pie at 12:22 PM on November 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
As much as I don't think this should be important, the texture changes that come to most women's hair at 40+ makes it prone to turning on its owner, resulting in either a shocking amount of time/money/energy spent on maintenance or, at the opposite end of the spectrum, hippie hair.
I myself suffered from the latter, finally gave in and cut it off. It gave me back probably 5 extra years I was adding to my apparent age, added back hours to my week, and is short enough that it's not a huge burden to fool around with color. Again, I wish it didn't matter, but I look a lot more professional. I can also look a lot more funky when I want to.
On older women: Jodie Foster, Glenn Close, Emma Thompson, Helen Mirren.
posted by Lyn Never at 12:30 PM on November 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
I myself suffered from the latter, finally gave in and cut it off. It gave me back probably 5 extra years I was adding to my apparent age, added back hours to my week, and is short enough that it's not a huge burden to fool around with color. Again, I wish it didn't matter, but I look a lot more professional. I can also look a lot more funky when I want to.
On older women: Jodie Foster, Glenn Close, Emma Thompson, Helen Mirren.
posted by Lyn Never at 12:30 PM on November 9, 2015 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Ugh, you're right. It's a bun. I swear it looked, has always looked, like short hair to me. Well, it might as well be.
Would you enjoy some Elena Kagan instead?
posted by amtho at 12:39 PM on November 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Would you enjoy some Elena Kagan instead?
posted by amtho at 12:39 PM on November 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Definition of short:
I am looking for not more than chin length.
I can see myself possibly sporting a pob someday and I love having more hair in front than back. I shaved my head four times for medical reasons. I typically get the back and sides trimmed with a 2 or 3 guard when I get my hair cut. Here lately, I am more able to let it grow for six months without it being a problem, so it is getting a bit longer (I am hearing "excuse me sir" less often) but I am thinking it may never again be past chin length.
posted by Michele in California at 12:39 PM on November 9, 2015
I am looking for not more than chin length.
I can see myself possibly sporting a pob someday and I love having more hair in front than back. I shaved my head four times for medical reasons. I typically get the back and sides trimmed with a 2 or 3 guard when I get my hair cut. Here lately, I am more able to let it grow for six months without it being a problem, so it is getting a bit longer (I am hearing "excuse me sir" less often) but I am thinking it may never again be past chin length.
posted by Michele in California at 12:39 PM on November 9, 2015
Best answer: There's a great article about Mellody Hobson in Vanity Fair this month. The article seems to make her out as being pretty fantastic.
posted by cleverevans at 1:19 PM on November 9, 2015
posted by cleverevans at 1:19 PM on November 9, 2015
Best answer: Amelia Earhart
Maya Angelou
Maryam Mirzakhani, who won the Fields Medal for mathematics
Shirin Ebadi, winner of 2003 Nobel Peace Prize
Michelle Bachelet, president of Chile (and survivor of torture)
Julia Child
(Btw, I donated my long hair some time ago and have been sporting a short ragamuffin moptop ever since. It makes me feel really interesting. Go pixie cuts!)
posted by sively at 1:27 PM on November 9, 2015
Maya Angelou
Maryam Mirzakhani, who won the Fields Medal for mathematics
Shirin Ebadi, winner of 2003 Nobel Peace Prize
Michelle Bachelet, president of Chile (and survivor of torture)
Julia Child
(Btw, I donated my long hair some time ago and have been sporting a short ragamuffin moptop ever since. It makes me feel really interesting. Go pixie cuts!)
posted by sively at 1:27 PM on November 9, 2015
How about Mia Farrow? Or Twiggy?
I loved Janine Turner on Northern Exposure. I think she was my first inspiration to cut my hair. Google Linda Evangelista and you'll see the many ways she's worn her hair over the years, most of it in shorter hair cuts.
posted by areaperson at 1:54 PM on November 9, 2015
I loved Janine Turner on Northern Exposure. I think she was my first inspiration to cut my hair. Google Linda Evangelista and you'll see the many ways she's worn her hair over the years, most of it in shorter hair cuts.
posted by areaperson at 1:54 PM on November 9, 2015
Gwyneth paltrow in (50% of) SLiding Doors.
posted by Sebmojo at 2:25 PM on November 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Sebmojo at 2:25 PM on November 9, 2015 [1 favorite]
Best answer: If your hair is wavy, Audrey Tautou
posted by cotton dress sock at 6:40 PM on November 9, 2015
posted by cotton dress sock at 6:40 PM on November 9, 2015
The badass Italian astronaut Samanta Cristoforetti
posted by fingersandtoes at 7:07 PM on November 9, 2015
posted by fingersandtoes at 7:07 PM on November 9, 2015
Angela Merkel.
posted by Puddle Jumper at 11:58 PM on November 9, 2015
posted by Puddle Jumper at 11:58 PM on November 9, 2015
Mezzo soprano Fiona Kimm, great look with the white hair and red lips.
posted by Dragonness at 8:22 AM on November 10, 2015
posted by Dragonness at 8:22 AM on November 10, 2015
Response by poster: Well, I feel like I have an embarrassment of riches. I did devote a bit of time to this yesterday, but I cannot continue giving big chunks of time to it. So I apologize for not having enough time right now to meaningfully determine additional best answers.
A few thoughts before I get back to my busy life:
I had no idea Notorious RBG was a meme. It fails the test of a woman with short hair, but I am so glad that was posted. I believe RBG is the woman I read about whose kids kept a book called "Mommy Laughed" because she was very serious and rarely laughed. I read that years ago and that resonated with me. I was a very serious young woman and my oldest son was often trying to get me to laugh.
Maryam is the fields medalist I was referring to. I can never remember or spell her last name. Thank you for that link.
I read Amelia Earhart's bio when I was in 6th grade. It never occurred to me she had short hair. That's a real treat to be reminded of a childhood role model.
My mom actually has always had short hair and is a real kickass role model. You would think I would have less baggage than I do. But I look more like my dad and her hair is not as short as what I have been sporting in recent years. So somehow that has failed to innoculate me against this weirdness.
I look forward to returning to this thread in coming months to find more gems in odd moments when I have the time.
Thanks so much to everyone who has taken the time to reply.
posted by Michele in California at 10:24 AM on November 10, 2015 [4 favorites]
A few thoughts before I get back to my busy life:
I had no idea Notorious RBG was a meme. It fails the test of a woman with short hair, but I am so glad that was posted. I believe RBG is the woman I read about whose kids kept a book called "Mommy Laughed" because she was very serious and rarely laughed. I read that years ago and that resonated with me. I was a very serious young woman and my oldest son was often trying to get me to laugh.
Maryam is the fields medalist I was referring to. I can never remember or spell her last name. Thank you for that link.
I read Amelia Earhart's bio when I was in 6th grade. It never occurred to me she had short hair. That's a real treat to be reminded of a childhood role model.
My mom actually has always had short hair and is a real kickass role model. You would think I would have less baggage than I do. But I look more like my dad and her hair is not as short as what I have been sporting in recent years. So somehow that has failed to innoculate me against this weirdness.
I look forward to returning to this thread in coming months to find more gems in odd moments when I have the time.
Thanks so much to everyone who has taken the time to reply.
posted by Michele in California at 10:24 AM on November 10, 2015 [4 favorites]
Response by poster: Clare Bowen is officially added to the list.
posted by Michele in California at 11:33 AM on November 13, 2015
posted by Michele in California at 11:33 AM on November 13, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by mollymayhem at 10:30 AM on November 9, 2015 [4 favorites]