Growing It Out

Aarrrggh! I’m growing my hair out (from shorty-short) and it’s taking every ounce of willpower I possess not to chop it all off again. I’m not used to having to expend any effort on my hair, so it’s really killing me to do it now. For years all I had to do was wash it and scrunch in some product, and I was good to go. Now I wash, condition, brush, blow-dry, try some product, add some more, back-track, shift things around, put a clip in, smooth it down in some areas, fluff it up in others—and still, I’m not happy with it. Honestly, I have no idea what I’m doing. I’ve never been good with styling my own hair, and that certainly hasn’t changed. I never mastered hot rollers, clips, braids, or even ponytails. I spend so long trying to make things work, my arms get tired, and I have absolutely nothing to show for it. That sounds so unbelievably pathetic, but in my defense, I think it’s partly the fault of my hair. It’s extremely finicky: straight, fine, and thick to boot, and I’ve only been able to manage it cut short. It’s time for a change though, and I’m really trying to make an effort. I don’t know how long I can last…

Are there any good style options for me at this phase in the grow-out process? (I’m relatively conservative).