Only A Mother Would Ask

AF6872

15-Year Member
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Mar 4, 2007
Messages
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My daughter is reporting for the class of 2011. Obviouslly she has to have her waist length hair cut to Academy standards prior to I-Day. Once she is at the Academy, does anyone know of a local hairdresser/stylist that works with Plebes. Obviously this was not something considered by her Father. But then again, that is what mothers are for.
 
Yep, interestingly, USMA doesn't require women to have their hair cut as long as they keep it put up. Shorter hair can definitely be worse to deal with than long hair.

I know Peskemom can help us out here!!
 
However, plebe summer/year and long hair have got to be a total dichotomy.
 
Not really my area of expertise, but the USNA barbershop does have a beauty shop and stylist of sorts for females. It's called Waves and is located in the same place as the barbershop for all the guys. No idea what kind of services or quality of stuff they do down there.

From just the female mids I know, any hair stuff tends to get done at home by their stylists on leave.
 
There is no way she can put her hair up. It has to be cut. She and her mother are going over different acceptable styles. Her mother's question is, are there any establishments near the Yard catering to female Plebes? Somewhere along the line she will need a
 
Sorry! My reply was truncated. My experience with military contracted providers of hairstyling was not the best. But then again, for a man, the difference between a bad haircut and a good haircut is about a week.
 
KaMiKaZi:

Thanks. We will check through the Parent's network in our state regarding Waves. Actually a class of 2006 lives right over the hill from us. She is at Nuke school now but her family should know how she handled the situation.
 
hair

OK, I can share that girls WILL get their hair cut on I-Day no matter what the length is. It's all part of the 'shock and awe' of moving through those hallowed doors of Alumni hall as civilians and coming out as a member of the US Navy by the end of the day. So it's not a question of 'whether' a female Plebe can have long hair. SHE CAN'T.

That said - lots of people suggested last year and we did this and found it workable that your daughter can make this a positive moment there at home before I-day by going to a local parlor - sharing that she needs it cut for Induction Day and offering to donate her hair to Locks of Love. When my daughter did that last year they not only refused to charge her for her haircut, but mailed her long hair braid themselves, saving us the trouble. I am not suggesting every hair salon will do this, but it was definitely an upbeat positive experience for my daughter.


NOw, come I-Day even with her perfectly trimmed-to-specs hair cut- she still had to sit in the barber chair on I-day. However, I will let you in on a little secret. As Janell was getting her hair trimmed the woman barber whispered in her ear:
 
more hair

Ask for haircuts while here at the Academy...it's the one time we can make you 'feel like a girl' again, where we can shampoo your hair and treat you like a girl. Remember this when you need a pick me up:

My kiddo shared this with me during her first phone call home....so I know it must have left a real impression on her to have to tell us that in those precious few minutes

Most female Plebes start growing their hair immediately after I-Day as their own statement to 'remaining a girl' in a very - let's say unfriendly female environment. In fact an observant parent can almost guess what year a female mid is when they see her hair down and note it's length. By Firstie year most girls have long hair again.

Growing one's hair out helps with grooming standards, since once it's long enough to pull back and throw up into your cover that takes hardly any time at all in one's day.

So I encourage all incoming female mids to think about getting their hair cut before I-Day to minimize this one more moment of adjustment come I-Day....to see about donating one's hair...and to take those female barbers up on their 'little secret' from time to time.
 
Peskemom

We have already discussed Locks of love and I think that is what she decided to do. Thanks for the advice.
 
My plebe has been telling me that the scuttlebutt is that 2011 will not be doing the great hair chop for women. She also has shared that she thinks that is a really stupid idea, as plebe summer and long hair just don't work together. Our local salon also donated that big haircut and sent off to Locks of Love.
 
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