If you've spent any time with C3's social accounts, you've heard about men and women who had enough with their hair and one day took it all off. For most this is a private experience without a name or hashtag and typically goes undocumented.
But the self-buzzing we're discussing today is a specific kind, inspired by Houston-based author and life coach Dawne Kirkwood.
She had a viral moment recently when her daughter Praize posted a video on Twitter of her dad's first glimpse of Dawne's new shaved head. His reaction, including "You look like a Hollywood star," appeared to strongly indicate her do was a "do".
So after 20 years of growing her dreads my mom wanted to cut off her hair. She wasn’t sure how my dad would react tho....but this is how he did. pic.twitter.com/Nih3jH2qSb
— praizekirkwood (@praizekirkwood) January 13, 2018
Dawne's "before" hair was 20 years' growth of dreadlocks. On Twitter, Dawne called her drastic change a "big chop." It means taking most direct route from relaxed hair to natural hair by cutting and/or shaving it all off, instead of a long-term transition period of growing it out. (Many choppers follow this first look with the TWA, or teeny weeny Afro.)
Scary? Yes. But it has its benefits.
"I wanted to make my life easier," said YouTube beauty reviewer Chrissy Cousin in her 2016 big chop video, which has over 1.5 million views. By the end she had finger-styled it her ultra-short hair into a beautiful side-parted flapper-like look.
For those posting their chops online, attention is another reward. On Twitter there are some mentions, and Instagram has over 600,000 photos tagged #bigchop, but big chops are biggest, in terms of sheer number and impact, on YouTube. There's something irresistible about watching people lop off long hair.
Another chop video by user NaturallyNellzy has 2.3 million views, and YouTuber Drew Disaster's big chop has over 6 million views. She did it because her hair was damaged, she wanted her curls back, she thought it would be refreshing change... and also because it scared her.
Newly shorn and nearly bald except some peachfuzz, Drew Disaster said, "I feel exotic looking," squinting and mugging for the camera.
Whatever the reason, if you're thinking of going hairless and need inspiration, there's plenty to go around.