This piece follows Cricket Guest, who spent years in the beauty pageant world and had never worn her hair shorter than her collarbones before she decided to shave it all off. The four photos trace that path: a buzz cut worn on her wedding day, close-up portraits where her features carry the whole look, a short pixie from the grow-out stage, and an evening-dress shot with cropped hair that shows how glamorous a very short cut can be.
Her reflections are less about technique and more about mindset: confidence that comes from having nothing to hide behind, a new appreciation for her own face, and letting go of the idea that long hair was what made her beautiful. If you have been curious about a buzz cut but worried about regret, her story is a useful reminder that hair grows back and each stage along the way is a new style to try.
On the practical side, a shaved head suits any face shape once you get used to it, though it does need regular clipper touch-ups and daily sun protection on the scalp.
1. You Gain Confidence!
Cricket Guest wore her shaved head on her wedding day, proof that a buzz cut can be bridal. She describes how a bare head leaves no room to reshape yourself for different settings, so you end up showing up exactly as you are and learning to enjoy that honesty.
Inspiration: @cricket.g
2. Your Features Stand Out
Without hair to style or hide behind, the eyes, cheekbones and jawline take centre stage. Cricket explains that a buzz cut gave her a fresh appreciation for her own face, and she believes even features you consider ordinary will look striking once the hair is gone.
Inspiration: @cricket.g
3. You Get Try Out All the Hairstyles Along the Way!
Growing out a shaved head opens the door to cuts you might never have dared to try. Cricket, who had always kept her hair below the collarbones, experimented with a very cropped Jean Seberg-style pixie and then a slightly longer Audrey Hepburn version, which she kept for more than six months before planning a bob.
4. You Begin to Rid the Ego
Paired with an evening gown, cropped hair looks every bit as glamorous as long waves. For Cricket, cutting her hair was also about loosening the grip of ego, the image of herself she had built around long hair during her pageant years. She found she was still herself without it and encourages anyone considering the change to reflect on whether it is something they truly want.
Practical notes before you pick up the clippers
- Decide on a guard length first. A number 2 or 3 leaves a soft, velvety fuzz; going down to a 1 or using a razor exposes more scalp and needs touching up every few days.
- Have it done professionally the first time if you are nervous. A barber can tidy the hairline and nape so the shape grows out evenly.
- Your scalp has probably never seen the sun, so apply SPF daily and keep a hat handy.
- Moisturise the scalp as you would your face to avoid flaking and itchiness.
Turning the grow-out into a series of new cuts
Hair grows roughly a centimetre a month, so the journey from buzz to bob takes time, but it passes through several wearable shapes. Book a trim every six to eight weeks to keep the back and sides neat while the top catches up. Around the three-to-six-month mark a very short, cropped pixie becomes possible; with more length on top you can move to a softer pixie with a fringe. Earrings, bold brows and a bit of lip colour go a long way while hair is short.