hair is so personal and individual! like elisabeth, i've really enjoyed short and long styles myself, tho currently i'm short haired. for me, i find the styles i like best respect the natural texture of the hair. in your short hair pic, Astrid, it looks like you are just 'smushing' your naturally big and curly hair into a helmet - in the long pic you're letting the beautiful curls do their glorious thing! (btw, my neighbor has very similar colored/textured hair - just a little lighter. it's my absolute fave ever!!!) so i wonder if you had had a short hairdo that brought out the gorgeous curl and bounce, if you would like that more than the one you had.
a lot of people definitely look better with either long or short hair, but the particular cut is key. it also makes a difference what type of upkeep is involved - you need to be able to commit to whatever it takes to keep it looking good in order to feel happy about your hair. having recently gone from long, not very stylish hair to a short, stylish 'do, i can testify that your hair makes a major impact on your overall style!
give your friend my encouragement - as elisabeth says, getting a nice shaping a couple fo times a year while you're growing out makes it more tolerable. also, a strong gel (LA Looks Sport Extreme is cheap, never flakes and has amazing hold) and a few barettes help. happy sunday! stpeh