An article in The New York Times lambasting ‘mom hair’ has been at the receiving end of a bit of an eye-rolling, ‘what is this rubbish?’ backlash – and we have to say, we’re delighted.

 

“In fashion there are ‘mom jeans’,” starts the piece acidly. “So, too, there is a counterpart in beauty: ‘mom hair’.”

 

We have to say, that’s the first we’ve heard of it. Call us crazy, but we had NO idea there was a pandemic of offensive hairstyles appearing on the heads of women the second they become mothers.

 

“You’ve likely seen it at suburban malls: the longer-in-back, slightly–shorter-in-front bob that should read sleek but is inescapably frumpy,” continues the piece.

 

Wow, not stereotyping at all.  

 

 

“I see it all the time,” said Juan Carlos Maciques, a stylist at the Rita Hazan salon in Manhattan who was quoted in the piece. “The first thing new moms want to do is cut their hair off. They’re feeling lousy about their bodies, and they just want to get some sense of self again. But, usually, to cut off your hair is a big mistake.”

 

Nope, no cutting. According to Carlos, we should wait at least a year before we go for the chop.

 

“By then, you’ll know what you’ve got,” he said. “It’s not just your hair that’s changing. Your body is, too. You might not be at the weight you really want to be yet. And the truth is, long hair can be a little bit of a distraction. When you go short, you are more exposed. There’s less, literally, to hide behind.”

 

Okay, grow hair long to hide behind in shame. Got it. Thanks Carlos.

 

But you know what? It’s just so silly that we’re not even offended. All we can do is laugh, both at the piece, and the brilliant reactions on the The New York Times' Facebook page that followed:

 

 

I love how the word “mom” has become an adjective synonymous with “frumpy” “old” “outdated” “unhip” “obsolete” and “pathetic”. “Mom jeans” and “mom car” and now “mom hair” - why does “mom” = bad?!?!? Get off of mom’s backs for once. In the U.S. we get 6 weeks to get our recently pregnant bodies back in “pre-mom shape” before we have to go back to work. During that time we also have to nurture and nourish a new baby, tend to the rest of our family and home, and prepare emotionally to get back to work. But now we also need to use this precious little time making sure our hair is up to some standard of fashion likely established by people who never woke up at 12, 2, 3, 4, and 5 to feed a screaming infant before going to work. Ugh. NYT you're better than this.”

 

“Wow, I've seen it all. Thanks for the article telling women to keep their hair long to hide their fat faces behind.”

 

I've reprioritised my to do list: 1.Get rid of mom hair 2. Love, feed, bathe, care for my children. Thanks, NYT!!”

 

“Hey New York Times: And what, pray tell, should black women, without long locks flowing down their backs Kate Middleton style, do with their hair when they become moms? Oh wait! I forgot. #blackhairdoesntexist.”

 

“One more article designed to make women - especially moms - feel guilty like they just are NEVER up to society's standards. You can shove it. Unliking this page.”

 

The writer of this article, Bee Shapiro, is a mother of a toddler, a writer for the New York Times, an entrepreneur and successful businesswoman. But never mind all that, how's her hair?”

 

Obviously this article MUST cover the diversity of all moms. Moms, you are beautiful. Tell the “experts” to shut it and just be beautiful you!”

 

“Ridiculous, offensive mom-shaming. What a waste of words, NYTimes. I am, however, thoroughly enjoying reading the comments. Women everywhere calling out this trash when they see it.”

 

 

“Here's the thing about ‘mom hair’,” wrote mum Caroline Stanley on Refinery29. “The New York Times was trolling us. It doesn't really exist. Becoming a mom does not reprogramme your brain into only wanting an ‘unflattering’ bob. The reason some of us forgo longer 'dos is not because we've become sexless frumps. It's because long hair can be a pain in the ass to maintain, and when you're in charge of a tiny human, you might struggle to find the time. But there are as many hairstyles as there are moms. To pretend otherwise is woefully narrow-minded.”

 

This patronising and negative attitude towards mums is pathetic and unfounded – and we're shocked a publication like The New York Times is supporting it. Luckily mums everywhere are calling it out as the rubbish it really is.

 

SHARE if this made you ROLL your eyes heavenwards! 

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