Your hair is one of the most individual things about you. Like your fingerprints, your hair grows in a unique pattern on your head, the follicles swirling in a design that’s shared by no-one else. But unlike your fingerprints, your hair is one of the first things that people will notice. That’s why it’s important to take care of your hair, and why finding a hairstyle that suits you is the first step to a long-lasting relationship with even the shortest hair.
What sort of hairstyle are you looking for? You’ll need to think about whether you want long or short hair, how much time you want to spend on your hair every day, and most importantly, the best style for your face and hair type.
It’s tempting to try to copy the fabulous hairstyles that you see on celebrities in the magazines, or in the books at your local salon or spa, but while they may be beautiful, keep in mind that many of them are only practical if you have a celebrity entourage to go with them. Do you really want to spend several hours on your hair every single day? Usually, it’s more practical to look at the shape of your face and the texture of your hair, and find a hairstyle that’s easy to care for, but can be turned into a special-occasion style with a little work.
There are hundreds of different hairstyles, and you’ve probably seen several that have made you think “hmmm, that would look good on me” – but have you also looked at the people who were wearing that style? If you have a narrow face, you might not want to choose a heavy curled hairstyle that could overpower your features. And if you have a round face, selecting a close crop can emphasize your cheeks and forehead where you might want to minimize them.
As a rule of thumb, you should avoid hairstyles that mimic the shape of your face. For example, if you have a round face, a short, frizzy hairstyle will make your face look even more round. If your face is oblong, a straight-falling hairstyle will create the illusion that your face is even longer from forehead to chin. Instead, choose a hairstyle that will complement your face and features.
Is Short Hair Right For Me?
Are you an outdoors type, with camping trips and mountain bike excursions and last-minute picnics always on your mind? Then a short hairstyle that you can wash and towel dry, give a quick comb-through, and forget, is perfect for you.
Do you have to get up early to go to work every morning, coffee in one hand, briefcase in another? A short hairstyle that takes a minimum amount of work in the morning, leaving you free for other things, but that can be given a quick elegant touch for after-work business dinner meetings, will “suit” you to a T.
Is your ideal hairstyle one that doesn’t look the same from one week to the next? Get a short haircut with enough length to play with, and enjoy the different styles you can achieve with a bit of hair gel or mousse. Experiment with spiky hairdos, or slicked-back pageboy bobs, or go wild with the latest punked-out craze. A short haircut gives you the flexibility to change your mind every day, or every hour, if you want.
Short hairstyles are easy to manage, and are ideal for people with very little time to spend on their hair. In fact, you don’t have to do anything but wash your hair and towel it dry – a tousled look can be very sexy. And don’t worry about thinking that a short haircut will make you “look like a boy” because, a short hairstyle is very flattering, and very feminine.
Remember Audrey Hepburn? She had a very short haircut, and made the “pixie” look famous. Hairstyles of the 40’s and 50’s are coming back into fashion, and many of them were of short, stylish, hairdos that were both elegant and practical. Look at the hairstyles of your favorite film stars, and see if you can find anything you like. Retro fashions are all the rage, and you can be on the cutting edge, just by cutting your hair!
Stylish Looks
With your new short haircut, you have many options for different looks, and can choose the style that is best for your hair. If you have thick hair, cut it with layers for a flyaway look, or spike the layers with some styling gel and get sassy. For thinner hair, try a smooth, sleek cut that hugs your head, either with straight-cut bangs, or a delicate fringe effect.
For most people, the best length for their hair is a medium cut. It flatters most hair types, has a good range of flexibility in styling, and is usually easy to care for. More and more women are opting for a medium-length hairstyle, and it has been in fashion in one form or another for decades.
Do It Up
Medium-length hair is ideal for creating an updo quickly and easily. While you might not have the length of hair for the most elaborate styles, you can get a charming look that’s suitable for any occasion.
Whether your hair is straight or curly, you can pull it up into a simple bun and secure it with pins or a wrap for a neat and tidy look. You can twist your hair into a ponytail, or a French braid of three or four strands. Add some jeweled hairpins for an elegant look, or go funky with brightly-colored floral clips.
When pulling your hair into an updo, you can leave some of it down for a layered effect. Bring just half the hair through a tie or barrette clip and leave the rest loose in back. Pull most of your hair into a sleek bun, but leave a few tendrils to curl along the sides of your face for a delightfully old-fashioned ballroom effect.
Let It Down
A mid-range length, falling to the shoulders or just below, looks good on most people, no matter their hair type or facial structure. Only those with strongly oblong or rectangular faces should avoid a falling hairstyle, because it will only make the face look longer. In general, though, a simple center or side part, with the hair flowing on either side of the face, is flattering to any person.
Both straight and curly hair will look good in this style. If you have curly hair, you can straighten it with a hair iron, or with a treatment for longer-lasting effects. Use a curling iron or hot rollers to give a wave to straight hair, or use a salon or home permanent kit to keep the curl going.
Short cuts are great for naturally curly hair, because they allow maximum bounce and movement. For this reason, it’s a good style for permanent-waved hair as well. Keeping your waved hair short will help you extend the length of time between treatments, as the hair will not be heavy and thus drag out the curls and pull them straight.
A bob is a hairstyle that’s always in fasion. If you’re making the transition from long hair, then a medium bob is a good compromise that will look good and also help you decide whether or not you want to go even shorter.
It’s important to keep a bob well-trimmed, because much of its fashionable look depends on a smooth, sleek appearance. Split ends or damaged hair will end up looking frizzy, especially with straight hair. If you have curly hair, the natural curl will hide some of this, but to keep your hair healthy, you should still have it trimmed regularly. Just a half-inch or so every two months will keep your hairstyle looking its best.
For an elegant look, blow-dry your hair and spritz it with a styling spray to give it shine. You can add a romantic touch by putting a bit of curl at the ends, either with heated rollers or a curling iron. Only roll up the last few inches of hair. Once the curls are cool, loosen them slightly by running your fingers through them. Remember that it’s best to follow your hair’s natural inclinations, so if your hair wants to curl underneath, encourage it to do so, but if it wants to curl upwards at the end, let it do that, and don’t try to reverse the curl, or you’ll end up with hair going in all directions.
… and Bangs
If you have a medium-length haircut, you can either keep all hair approximately the same length, or trim some of it around your face to form bangs or layers. If you decide to have a fringe of bangs, make sure that it suits your facial type. You’ll also want to consider whether or not a fringe will work with the hair styles you like the best – if you want a braid or updo, the shorter hair will probably not stay pulled back or be long enough to remain fixed in a bun or ponytail.
Long and Lovely
Heredity plays a major role in how long you can grow your hair. Some people’s hair just won’t get longer than a certain length, and there’s no way to force it to grow longer. For those people who have naturally long, strong, hair it’s marvelous to see the shining length fall to the ground. Some celebrities have made their long hair a trademark. If you’re lucky enough to have healthy, long hair then a wide range of styling options are yours for the asking.
There are different hairstyles for all types of long hair, whether straight or naturally curly. Of course, you can also curl your straight hair, and straighten your curly hair. Some hairstyles are better suited to straight hair, especially the sleek updos seen on many red-carpet runways.
On the other hand, curly hair has the advantage of having natural bounce and volume, which straight hair can often lack. If you have curly hair and long bangs, you can tease your bangs and clip them back with barrettes. This will add great body to your bangs, and make your face stand out more. Because natural curls add body to the hair, there is no need for excessive styling.
If you have long straight hair, you can put it up into almost any hairstyle. Long braids, complicated braided crowns, updos, or even ponytails will give you a variety of fashionable looks for any occasion. Long hair pulled up to the top of the head will suit most facial types, and especially for round faces, as it gives an illusion of length to the facial contours.
If your hair is particularly coarse, or very fine, then long hair might not be right for you. Thin, fine hair will just get heavier and heavier, and will lie limply instead of moving freely on your head. And coarse, thick hair may have a tendency to tangle and go wild. Both these types of hair are often better suited to a short or medium hair length, rather than one that goes past the shoulders.
Remember, too, that long hair does take more time to wash, dry, and style, even if all you do is let it flow loose from a center part. Thicker hair in particular can take a long time to dry naturally, and you may not want to take the time to use a hair dryer every time you wash your hair.
Long hair can take more time and energy, both in care and in styling, but it’s worth it.