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Hair help, please! UPDATE with new pics

transition

Here's my first picture on this site. And sorry this is so long!

I'm trying to follow Angie's advice of starting with bra fitting, specs, and hair. I had the bra fitting last week, and I just bought these specs two months ago. So, on to hair. I have an appointment next week at a real salon for the first time in at least a year and a half. I can't wait!

What I have to work with: Fine but thick hair that gets the fly-aways and frizzies fast. It's relatively straight with a flip at the ends. Right now it's got some layers and the longest ones are just past my collar bone. I just realized that part of why I like it long is that it helps draw attention away from my broad shoulders -- I was an IT before pregnancy and have scoliosis which makes them slope. I've never liked how I look with short hair. Bangs always look ridiculous on me, too.

What I need:
* something that looks professional. I have a new position and will be wearing suits daily.
* A mentor I haven't met yet suggested all the women keep their hair long enough for a ponytail, because we'll also be outside quite a bit regardless of the weather.
* I also need something with fairly easy daily maintenance, because I have two other girls ages 2 and 4 who I also have to get ready each day.

I think I'm just looking for a good cut, maybe shoulder length, with blended layers, and lots of advice on how to style, smooth, control. I naturally lean towards polished and classic styles anyway but need help learning how to pull them off.

I posted these pictures so you could see my face shape; they aren't good pictures of my hair.

Ideas? Suggestions?

Thanks in advance for your help!

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20 replies

Latest reply was from Hil

jayne

Veteran

I am afraid I am no help, but welcome to the forum

cinnamon fern

Veteran

I am not a hair expert, but I'll give it a try. I also have fine, thick, mostly straight hair and I need careful layering for it not to look like a big triangle.

I can't tell how long your hair is now. You want professional, easy, and ponytail? You could try cutting it to the shoulder, with long layers, and maybe a bit of an angle to it.

By the way - the glasses are great!

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Thanks, Jayne, and extra thanks, Cinnamon Fern!

My hair reaches my collar bone now, and it sounds like your thoughts are almost exactly the same as mine.

I especially appreciate the glasses compliment. After being made fun of daily in elementary school for wearing them, I became a die-hard contact lens wearer. But I can't do it any more; my eyes are too dry. So I'm still very self-conscious about them. I think I tried on every pair before I bought these!

shiny

Veteran

Whatever you do, do NOT dye your hair! What a glorious shade. Beautiful!

Have you ever worn your hair chin length?

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

I think a chin length cut could look nice - how do you feel about layers?

PS: Welcome

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Aw, thanks Shiny. I have one family member who wishes I would darken it, at least two who want me to lighten it, and no one's quite sure what to call it . . . probably because it has some dark blond, some light brown, and turns reddish in the sun. But this is the natural color, and I'm not planning to change it.

Chin length is the shortest I'd go. Would I be able to pull it back as needed?

I like layers; my hair is too flat everywhere without them. But I'm not a fan of chunky layers on me. . . I like them blended.

Anonymous

I think those glasses look very nice on you! I don't think you need to be shy about them. I think some layers would be good but other ladies have better suggestions to offer I am sure.

shiny

Veteran

Transition, you wouldn't be able to pull it back but you could wear a headband, that's what I do. If you click on my name you can check my hair out - I just posted a bunch of pics on the 2012 thread. I think you and I have similar shape faces and especially foreheads. My hair is very fine, and it tends to frizz. It's not straight -- it waves or curls if I air dry it. But I would not call it thick at all - when it was longer, I used to pull it back in a pony that was pathetically thin. (If I put it into a bun, my friend would call it "the nubbin"). I used to always pull it back, because when it got long enough to reach my shoulders, it would just look ratty - not so beautiful and shiny as yours!

Sooo... one day I had enough of the nubbin and had a hairdresser chop, chop, chop! I have what is called a reverse bob - it's longer in the front, shorter in the back. I discovered with this cut I have tons of volume I never knew existed. I swear the cut gives me an extra inch or two at the crown (which helps because I'm so short).

In the album you can see I have a short and long version I alternate between. I just had it cut short again. I actually prefer it shorter -- easier to style. And looks very cute in a headband!

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Thanks again for the help, Shiny! When I click your name, I see your profile, but I'm not seeing an album. Can you tell me where to go from there?

I like the headband possibility. . . I've been told that pulled back is one of my worst looks. What kind do you use that doesn't give you a headache?

I know for sure that layers can easily give me an extra inch at the crown, even with long hair. I don't need it for height, but I certainly think it looks better.

The last time I had shorter hair, I thought it made my face look too round. I tried to find a picture, but that was before I had a digital camera. Would short hair in general do that, or was it probably just a bad cut for me?

shiny

Veteran

To view people's posts, click on "View forum posts" under their user icon. Then scroll down to the "threads I started" section.

But here you go - a couple of pics for you.

#1 - short version (which I'm currently sporting; just had it cut last week)
#2 - same basic cut but a longer version

#3 - with hair pulled back so you can see my face shape. Note, my hair had grown longer than in version 2; at that length, though it is long in the front, it's still short in the back so it doesn't go back in a pony. In #3, it was just *barely* long enough to go up, and I had to use gel to keep it in place. You can see we have similar round shaped face and shorter forehead - this is why I tend to part my hair on the side. I think a side part minimizes roundness and balances out the forehead too. And the extra volume at the crown that this cut gives me (because it's shorter) also helps to give the illusion that my round face is more oval.

Headbands: I like the inexpensive stretchy ones you find at the drugstore. They are comfy and don't hurt. Otherwise, I keep the front just long enough to tuck behind my ears. I have also been known to use barettes and I think it's a cute look but fear sometimes it's "too" cutesy for my age (47).

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shiny

Veteran

I gotta run to a meeting but quickly - I have been sporting it even longer lately, which made for a nice change, but the reality is that once it hits a certain length, I lose the volume at the crown (too much weight holds it down), and I start looking much more round in the face! That's why I went back to version 1 again.

ManidipaM

Veteran

I like Shiny's version of the angled chin-length bob. A soft hairband is a great solution for keeping it restrained, if you need to, but it might also be possible to layer and angle it enough to have it frame your face but also be pulled back in a barrette. A reverse angle, with the strands in front longer, usually works for that if you leave the nape just long enough.

Anonymous

Our hair type is very similar. What about a Hayden Panetierre bob? It would give you the layering you need and I THINK pulling it back would be doable. I'm actually growing out a pixie cut in hopes of getting to this length at some point. Right now it's chin length, and I can tell you there's no way I could pull it back at this length!

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rachylou

Veteran

You are a seriously pretty girl! Good lipstick/gloss color (please, don't tell me you're not wearing any! hehe)

After years of having my hair cut by a master stylist (who I've run away from, for no fault of hers) - I realize I cannot give hair cutting advice. The simplest styles require some sophisticated skills. Long layers *sound right* to me, to give you that neat polished long hair look, a little bit of face framing, and making sure the wave in your hair doesn't fight you. But I don't know.

If I were you, I would definitely ask for wash-and-wear, esp. with little ones to get ready as well. They can give you a cut does the controlling - instead of using product and tools. Frankly, I think it works better when the cut does the work.

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Thank you, RachyLou. I actually just did a makeup makeover that day - it was the reason I was taking the pics. I was most excited about the lipstick color. It's Merle Norman's "Bare Hug" and was quite different than anything I've worn before yet totally perfect.

And thank you also for the info that perhaps I could still have wash and wear hair. I've done that most of my life, but was afraid I was in for a big investment of time and money to get a more polished look.

Shiny, thanks for chiming back in. I was able to see your album and your descriptions of when you cut it. Do you prefer it short because of the thinning, or because of how it affects your face shape? And do you get it even shorter in back for thinning, volume, or the modern vibe?

Cutting my hair will automatically give it volume; it does that even when I cut it myself.. Because I have a lot of hair, last time I had it short, it had much more volume around my face than on top; yours doesn't do that.

Stacey, thanks for a picture and a name! Have you worn your hair like that, or just hoping to? I do think it would be able to be pulled back.

And Manidipa, thanks for affirming both the longer layers and the reverse bob options!

All of this gives me words and thoughts to share with my stylist so we can decide what to do.

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Thanks again everyone. Here are my before and after pictures. Not a big change, but definitely a better cut. It was funny when the stylist said that my hair feels just like hers!

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Thistle

Veteran

I think we are haircut twins!!

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We are . . .and I just about wrote exactly that on your thread!

It's fun to have a twin!

Susie

Veteran

It looks great! What a beautiful color you have and the cut gives it a fresh look.

Hil

(website)

Veteran

Hi! Your new cut looks lovely!