Word of the Day: philocomal

What's "the word I'm thinking of"? Today, it's...

philocomal [FI-lo-cohm-al] (adjective) [TWITO, page 112]

Characterized by excessive concern with one's hair.

"There were ladies present too; and after some pleasant little discourse, all tending to the glorification of hair-dressing, an eminent professor of the philocomal art there present proceeded to a series of practical and illustrative experiments on the heads of some of the young ladies...."
--George Augustus Sala, Twice 'Round the Clock (1858)

One summer I got my hair cut -- and cut and cut. My (ahem) stylist decided that, since "it's summer now," I needed a short cut. I agreed, thinking he meant "a little shorter than usual." Instead, I got shorn like a sheep. I almost looked like I was ready for boot camp. I became obsessed with philocomal mirror gazing and even went out and bought a fedora. But the haircut grew on me -- literally and figuratively. It looked pretty terrific within a couple of weeks -- or three.

(photo by me)