21 Best excuses for cutting your hair short

What is it about your family and friends that causes you to feel the need to give excuses for cutting your hair short? This is mostly applicable to women of course (the same might be true for men with long hair), but parents, especially moms, may very well be against their daughter cutting her hair short.  The topic has been known to cause a lot of fights around the dinner table and in extreme circumstances alienation from the family – ridiculous right?

Haircuts should be routine things, and fun too.  Playing around and changing your style is a great way to spark creativity and who knows, you might just fall in love with your new look.  Hair grows back (faster than you think), which is great because it means that whatever hair length you end up with isn’t permanent.  If you don’t like it; all you have to do is wait and it will be back to length before you know it.

If you’re still younger, then you might have to consult with and get your parent’s permission before getting a short cut.  It’s a drastic style change and we get that, but let’s be real – this is 2023 (almost) and short hair for women is in fashion and so common that it shouldn’t matter to anyone anymore.   Many women also feel great with short hair and say it’s one of the best decisions they’ve ever made.

At the end of the day, it’s your head so your hairstyle is your choice.  If you do feel pressured to explain yourself though, then it’s good to have some reasons you cut your hair short ready to go.  That’s why we’ve compiled a list of the best excuses for cutting your hair short.

Excuses for cutting your hair short to give your parents

The main people you might catch flak from for a short haircut are your parents.  To be fair, it’s usually more shocking for them than anyone else, but they’ll come around to the new you – just give them some time.

1.  I got chewing gum stuck in my hair, so I had to cut it short

This is a self-explanatory excuse for cutting your hair short.  You didn’t see the piece of gum on the headrest before you put your head against it and now you’re all gummed up.  You tried the freezer trick, but it didn’t work.  You even tried to precisely cut it out but that just left you looking disheveled.   That’s why you were forced to cut your hair shorter than you would have liked.

2. I wanted to donate my hair

You wanted to do something good by donating your hair.  You weren’t planning on chopping off quite so much, but your hairdresser informed you that at least 8 inches of hair are needed for donation, meaning you had to get a short haircut.  Donating your hair to make wigs for cancer patients is a noble deed and no one should stand in your way.  Some may not like it but they won’t argue with this excuse for cutting your hair short.

3. I wanted to speed up my routine

Nobody is going to argue about this excuse for cutting your hair short.  Keeping long hair looking good is a serious hassle and will really slow down your daily care routine.  For starters, you need proper shampoos and conditioners, both of which take a long time to rinse out in the shower.  Then there’s blow drying, anti-frizz treatments, straightening, hair spray, and stuff like that to deal with.  With short hair, you could be ready in much less time, and at this point in your life, that’s a major benefit.

4. The short style is the new trend

Does it seem like all your favorite celebrities are wearing shorter hairstyles?  We’ve sure noticed the trend has caught hold.  It makes sense because not only do short haircuts look good, but they’re also super functional, especially for a busy lifestyle.

5. I’m bored with my style and need a change

Your hair could be described as one of the main canvases your body offers for self-expression.  You can easily change your look with a hairstyle, and if you don’t like the results, your hair grows back.  It’s there to be experimented with and if people don’t like the new look, they can voice their opinion and you’ll take it into consideration.  It’s good to cut your hair anyways.

6. It’s too hot in the summer

Depending on where you live, the summer months can be unbearably hot.  That’s when a long hairstyle makes the heat so much worse and cutting it short will leave you feeling a lot more comfortable.  Doesn’t mean you need to rock a buzz cut, but a short crop would feel amazing, which in and of itself is a great reason for cutting your hair short.

7. I think short hair really suits my face

You started noticing all the short hairstyles around you, and then you saw some of your role models doing the same.  You thought the style looked hot on them, so that’s why you decided to go for it and got a short hairstyle for yourself.  You were a bit worried about the change at first, but now you’re in love with your new style.  Don’t you agree mom?

8. I’m planning on joining the army

Your parents wanted you to become a lawyer, but you’ve decided differently.  That’s why after high school or college, you’re planning on joining the army.  While short hair isn’t a requirement, it would certainly make your life a lot easier.  You’ll do it eventually anyways, but you’d rather get used to having short hair now before you get recruited.  Your hair won’t be the only thing your parents object to, but it is a legit excuse for cutting your hair short.

Excuses for getting a short haircut to tell your friends

Your friends probably don’t care and won’t need any excuses from you, but if you’re feeling shy or awkward about your new style, we’ve got a few short hair excuses for you to consider.

1. I needed a confidence boost

You’ve noticed that women wearing shorter hairstyles look exceptionally elegant and powerful.  You’ve also been feeling kind of down about yourself and a change seemed necessary.  You opted for a shorter hairstyle, and it’s totally done the trick.  Wow, do you ever feel confident!

2. I got head lice

Using this excuse for getting a short haircut is good if you’ve gone all the way and buzzed all your hair off.  We like the look, but your parents might not, so you’ll probably be pressured into explaining what you’ve done to yourself.  Headlice as a reason may take some self-confidence to deliver, but it’s definitely a plausible excuse.

3. I screwed up cutting my own hair

You wanted to save a few bucks and cutting your own hair seemed like a good idea.  You watched some YouTube videos which gave you the confidence to try, but alas, you screwed it up royally.  Instead of making things worse, you decided to go to the hairdresser who told you that a short hairstyle was the only way to salvage your look.

4. I wanted a fresh start

Life was getting stale, and you were feeling bored, or maybe you just got out of a messy relationship and needed a pick-me-up.  Whatever the reason, you decided on a new direction, and a style change is often one of the key steps in starting fresh.   You settled on a short haircut as part of your transformation, but you were apprehensive about it.  Then you thought to yourself, “I don’t need excuses to cut my hair short”, I’m just going to go for it and that was that.  New look, new you!

Work-related excuses for having a short haircut

Maybe it’s a new job, or you just want to use your work as an excuse for why you cut your hair short.  Whatever the need, these reasons can work well if you apply them in the correct scenario.

1. I needed a short haircut for work

Depending on your job, a short haircut may be far more practical or even mandatory.  Lots of jobs where the work involves machines are much safer without longer hair that can get wrapped up or trapped causing injury.  You don’t need to razor your hair, just cut it down to a shorter length so you won’t be worried about getting asked to leave work early while on the job.  This is one of the most logical excuses for cutting your hair short in the book.

2. I was always late

Washing and styling long hair takes forever, especially when you have somewhere to be.  It just wasn’t working with your busy schedule and taking your hairstyle down a bit has allowed you to be on time for everything.  That’s great because your boss was getting sick and tired of all your excuses for being late to work.

3. I got glue in my hair and couldn’t get it out

You caught the art bug and you’ve been making macaroni sculptures at an amazing rate.  Jokes aside, glues and epoxies are used in many types of crafts or professions, and they will royally mess up your hair if you aren’t careful.  Often the only way to get the stuff out is to cut your hair, which is why this is a viable excuse for getting a short haircut.

Random excuses for why I cut my hair short

These excuses for having short hair don’t really fall into any category but that doesn’t mean they aren’t useful.  Check them out and apply accordingly.

1. My partner wanted to see what I’d look like

Not everyone is prudish like your parents, especially not your partner.  That’s part of the reason you two get on so well, so when they asked if you’d consider a trimmed-down hairstyle, you were more than happy to give it a go.

2. I joined a cult

Scoff if you want, but this group of people really understands me.  Sure, black isn’t my color, and maybe I’d rather not have chopped off my long hair, but the price of admission was definitely worth it.  Offering this as an excuse for why you cut your hair short might work because the length of your hair will be the least of your anyone’s concerns.

3. My hair was too frizzy

If you have frizzy hair or curly hair, these traits will increase with the length of your hair.  This means spending more time styling and needing to add additional haircare products to the mix.  It’s not only annoying but all the extras aren’t healthy for you either.  If your hair is generally out of control, a shorter haircut could make perfect sense.

4. Your long hair was getting caught in your zipper

This is a good wintertime excuse for having a short haircut because of all the extra sweaters and jackets you’ll likely be wearing.  It’s super annoying and even painful when your long hair gets caught in the zippers and it kept happening.  You were simply over the hassle, so you cut down your hair.

5. Long hair is unmanageable

Fact: long hair is a chore to take care of.  Too many products are needed, too long gets spent in the shower, and you waste lots of time in front of the mirror styling.  It’s also kind of temperamental in humid or dry weather. If you aren’t super attached to your long hair and find it a hassle – then maybe a shorter hairstyle would be perfect for you.

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Changing your hairstyle, especially cutting it short, can be a big shock to your friends and family.  It’s not that they don’t like it, but it is super different and that will take some time to get used to.  Maybe they’ll even offer an opinion or two about your new look, which is cool because feedback is always useful.  It’s just hair, it grows back, and it’s nothing to stress out about.  It will also leave you without the need to make excuses for not brushing your hair.

We hope the people in your life would support you regardless of hairstyle, but if you’re feeling like “I need an excuse for cutting my hair short”, then we hope you’ve found this article useful.  Tell us what you think, or add any excuses you’ve used in the past if you feel our readers can benefit from your story.