There’s a reason not every woman has short hair — there is a palpable risk factor involved with a short haircut. From someone who has had short hair for over a quarter of her life, here are the risks involved when it comes to short hair.

1. People may mistake you for a boy when you have short hair. To this day I remember sitting in the back of the classroom in the seventh grade, raising my hand to answer a question, and the substitute teacher calling on me saying, “Yes, the boy in the back.” Excuse me, boy?! Yeah, you can be sure I let that teacher knew otherwise. (Thank heaven now for breasts and makeup.) Then just before Christmas, it happened again. I was sitting in a restaurant and it happened again. The busboy picked up our plates and said, “Thank you, gentlemen” to my husband and I. Grrr. It won’t happen all the time — these two instances were decades apart — but be prepared if it does.
    
   

   A boy? Really. This is my incredulous face.

2. People may think you’re gay when you have short hair. In our culture today there is an unfortunate stereotype that exists about women with short hair and their sexual orientation. But let’s be honest. Just because you’re short hair doesn’t mean you’re attracted to women. And if you are, well, that’s okay, too.
   
3. Your significant other may prefer long hair. Long hair is traditionally associated with femininity, so going short may be a big shock for your significant other. Having short hair is all about balance. You may find yourself wearing more makeup, more jewelry, more feminine clothes to compensate for the sudden hair length so commonly associated with men. That’s okay. You’ll find your stride. And if your man really loves you, he’ll accept you just the way you are.
   
   

   I'm very grateful to have a man who loves my short hair. Photo: Justin Hackworth

4. You may never want to go back to long hair. Let’s face it. Short hair on women is awesome. It’s totally distinctive, edgy, and fun, and people will remember you as the girl with short hair. Since short hair is so easy to care for, you may never want to go back to long hair. But that may also be because…
   
   

   Last February I was scouted to be part of a fashion show because I had short hair. Styling: Sophia Simone | Photo: Erin Perkins Photography

5. It may take forever to grow your hair out. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve said, “Okay, I’m really going to grow out my hair this time” and then never let my hair past my chin before declaring it’s time to cut it all off and go short again. (This happened last month.) If you do commit to growing your hair out, know that the process is going to be long and awkward, in fact you may rue the day you ever cut it short to begin with. But if you can make it out of the woods, you may want to stop socializing with women who have short hair altogether. It won’t take much to get scissor happy again.
   
   

   These days, my hair never gets much longer than this. Photo: Elisabeth Kate Photography

   Now that you know the risks involved, don’t let me dissuade you from cutting your hair short. Contrary to popular belief, it isn’t just gay men and girlfriends that like short hair. I absolutely love having short hair.If you’re still trying to decide whether or not to cut your hair, check out our Short Hair Disclaimer: If you’re going to go short, here’s five things you should know. Also, be sure to check out my Short Hair Pinterest board committed to bringing you the best in short hair photos!

   

   Linking up: Monday Mingle | Watch What I’m Wearing