Who can wear short hair? - YouLookFab Forum

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Who can wear short hair?

sinead

So, after reading about Krishnadoux' recent bad haircut, and reflecting on all the time and trouble I've been going through with my thin, fine badly cut shoulder length hair, I'm wondering about a short haircut.

Last summer, I mentioned to a friend that I loved, loved her sister's new pixie cut and she agreed, then said very seriously, "but not for you". I wish now I had asked her why but I know face shape has lots to do with it, and I do have a slightly heavy jaw. But I always get compliments when I pull my hair up or in a ponytail, which I thought might mean better short. Or maybe pulled back has nothing to do with looking good short, IDK. Now I'm wondering, for those of you that know this sort of thing: what is it that makes short cuts successful? Who shouldn't try it?

General

29 replies

Latest reply was from Missey

LoriFLA

I don't think ponytail has anything to do with short. I look good with my hair pulled up in a ponytail too because I have a fullish cheeks and a small forehead and a small face in general. At times my hair can overwhelm and make my face look smaller and fuller. My hair kind of grows forward and I can have a heavy sheet of hair that drags everything down if I'm not careful with styling and getting enough layers in the front of my hair.

I think pixies suit women with fine, classic features. Depending on my weight, I have a double chin at times, and as I age, a moderate to weak jawline. I do not look good with short hair.

merwoman

Veteran

That's a good question - and I don't think I have an answer. However, why not give us a visual - could you post a pic of yourself with your hair and hair down?

On another note, I think I suit short hair - I have a small, narrow face and fine features. I feel that long hair drags my face down, that I end up looking kind of horse like. My sweet spot for hair length seems to be right at the jaw hinge (TMJ).

LoriFLA

And I should say I have no idea what classic features are -- maybe I mean symmetrical or "classically beautiful"?

I think I need a longer length to keep me looking more feminine. I have smallish eyes, and a roundish, larger nose… not classically beautiful in the ideal sense.

Anonymous

Short can be very short or even chin length. It can be short in the front and longer in the back. It can have tons of layers, some layers or no layers. It can be worn on the face or off the face. You can have long bangs, short bangs, wispy bangs, side swept bangs. You can push the sides behind the ears. You can wear barrettes, etc. You just have to find the style that works for you, your face shape, and your lifestyle.

LoriFLA

Back to add that I agree with Lara, I have had short haircuts with longer bangs and it suited me better than a short haircut with short bangs. Kind of a short haircut that still looked long-ish.

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jackiec

Veteran

Raising my hand and jumping up and down - oops edited to say that I'm raising my hand b/c I CAN"T wear short hair! Short hair is really really tough for me to pull off too. I hate my hair - fine, thin, wavy but not curly but not bone straight. That said, it doesn't do well super long, and it's not great super short. I think short hair is tough for me to pull off b/c of my long long neck, long long face, and big big head. Maybe if I had more confidence.... I did, however, go quite short in the early 90's. It was nice b/c my hair appeared much thicker. I do find that as my hair goes shorter I need to add more detail to my neck - ie thick scarves, turtlenecks, etc. I tend to alternate between just below shoulder length until I get frustrated, then I chop it off into a bob. I did that back in September so now I'm back into the longer lengths. I see so many short, sassy do's here on the forum that I sometimes wish I could do that too. Never say never, but I'm working on what I have in the meantime. Good question!

Gigi

Veteran

I don't know all the ins and outs of it, but I will say that I have a friend who wears her hair long and says that she looks terrible with short hair. She has a very round face, and she said if she gets her hair cut short, the roundness is emphasized. When she told me this, I looked closely at her, imagining her with short hair, and saw that this would indeed be true.

I guess from this, I would deduce that long hair lengthens your face, while short hair tends to make the face look less long. Thinking this out now, I will say that I am able to wear a pixie cut...and my face is a little on the long side. Long hair makes my face look drawn and too long. So I guess I would look at your face shape and ask yourself whether you consider your face shape to be long or to be round. Or maybe you are oval, which is supposed to be the most versatile shape. There are lots of web pages on the Internet describing the different types of face shape.

And what Jackie says is true, that once you change the length of your hair, you may find that outfit proportions no longer work like they used to, and your outfits may need tweaking.

sinead

Thanks, ladies- I think you've saved me from making a bad cut worse.

Fastcat- the light bulb went off when you said you needed longer hair to look more feminine. I think that's one important part of it- and I can see how I also need some length to counterbalance a nose with heft and heavier jaw.

Gigi, since my face is also roundish, that's another vote for longer.

Lara, yeah, short is kind of general, there are so many variations. I've seen someone get a short cut that aged them 10 years, then go get it recut and end up looking chic and youthful. I realize it's all in the details of the cut

Jackieec, I think we have the same hair! Fine, not straight, not curly. Nice that you know what looks good on you!

Angie is so adorable and feminine in her short do, it can be hard to remember it's not for everyone. I appreciate the input here. I will take a deep breath, let short hair envy pass, and go get the bottom layer only trimmed.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I am chuckling to myself because I have almost all the modifying features JackieC mentions: long face, long neck, big head -- and I think I look BETTER and more balanced in short hair!! Short hair also injects a bit of edge in my mostly modern classic style. And is way easier for me to look after. I often don't do anything to it at all -- just wash, put some product in (maybe) and go.

I also think I appear more rather than less feminine in shorter hair.

I do agree with Jackie and Gigi that with short hair you often have to adjust the proportions of your outfits in a different way. Different necklines work.

I actually think there's a short hairstyle for every face shape and many types of features are flattered by shorter hair. But it does depend on the style. And long hair also works for many different people.

Gigi

Veteran

Sinead, if you are able to pinpoint what exactly it is that you like in some of the short haircuts, maybe you could get some similar characteristics incorporated into your longer hair. For instance, do you like Angie's kind of choppy style, or do you like blunt ends, etc.? Note that I'm a bit of a hair idiot, so maybe this won't work, but it might help assuage your short-hair envy. :^)

Caro in Oz

Veteran

I agree with Suz - imo there is a short style for everyone. I also think thin, fine hair needs to be cut & maintained really well or it can look thinner & finer the longer it gets

Aida

Veteran

Agree with Suz and Caro, there's a short cut for everyone and thin fine hair really does need a lot of extra maintenance. My mom has thin fine hair and a very round face and looks great in a short rounded bob

Kristin L

Veteran

Do you have a stylist you trust? I'd go to her/him and ask their opinion. I have a lot of fine hair. And I've worn it long (I use to sit on it in high school) and I've worn a pixie. It may sound funny, but what feels right to you? To me, a pixie feels like me. Are you on pinterest? There are a lot of ideas on different short style there.

Deborah

Veteran

I had short hair as a little girl around 5 years of age and it looked really good lol. As a teen and then an adult I have always had longer hair. Most of my adult life I had a bob but 12 months ago I started really desiring change. I thought I couldn't go short. I was worried I wouldn't look feminine, my features weren't soft enough, blah blah, the list goes on Any way after 12 months of thinking about it, one day, on a whim (New Year's Day) I had it chopped. I LOVE it and should have done it ages ago. I think there might just be short do for everyone. It's finding the right cut.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I agree that pretty much anyone can look good in short hair, IF they get the right short style! I haven't had my hair short-short in many years. Even when I had it short, I think it looked best when the back was short and I had some length and volume in the top.

Even though I think my features might be well-suited by short hair, I avoid it because I have quite a small head and I feel like having hair with some volume and presence helps me not look like a tiny little pinhead on a big body.

But I also have learned to never say never. Someday I might go short again. I'm pretty open to ideas when it comes to my hair. If someone I trust, like my hairstylist, my husband, or Angie, says I should try it short, I'd seriously consider it.

sinead

Suz, to me, you are a classic short-haired beauty- feminine, pretty features and lovely face shape. I can see why you feel best with short hair.

Caro and Aida, I agree, thin,fine hair can look really bad when longer and poorly styled. That's what got me on the chop-it-off train to begin with. I'm going to try a trim first, see if that does the trick.

K- the stylist I trust- that's the hard part! So hard to find!

Deb- just visited your blog-I love your haircut so much! It is flattering and gorgeous! If I went short, I think this is the haircut I would try, although I think you have lots more hair than I do.

Janet, body shape is one of my considerations too. As a pear shape with a long neck and narrow shoulders, I can see the possibility of ending up looking very bottom heavy. Glad to be reminded of that- everything needs to balance. But I do think you have features that would look great in short hair. I like your game-to-try attitude!

jackiec

Veteran

Ooh all good points. I just wanted to add that it also has a lot to do with jawline. I don't really have a good one so maybe that's all part of it. I think with my long face I do best with a layered chin length bob to help fill out my face. I just get lazy with the maintenance and like to throw it back in a ponytail while I can still pull it off. Enjoying everyone's points.

Sveta

(website)

Veteran

I have fine straight hair and it behaves much better in a (very)short haircut than it was in the longish. As soon as it has some wiight to it it falls down and looks limp. When it is shorter nothing weighs it down so I think it works better for me.
I think I suit the short haircut the best even though different length of bobs were my go-to haircuts for almost 20 years. I don't have fine, delicate features which they say suit the very short cuts the best but i think I look my best when my hair is short - so go figure!
I do think that if you look good with your hair pulled up (not in a pony tail but updo) you have a chance to rock pixie cut: both styles put your face on the display. This is how I came to risk a very short cut - based on how I looked with my hair up.

However i agree with Aida, Caro and others that there are many styles of short hair beyond pixie so something should work for you. You can start with something on the longish side to test the waters. Good luck!

Marmee

Veteran

I know that short hair doesn't work well for me because I have sooooo much hair. My stylist recommended against it (at least pixie length.) When I go much shorter than my current length it tends to mushroom out, and get too big. I also feel like my features aren't classically feminine, and I have a lot of face (maybe just a lot of jaw) which feels too exposed when I have short hair.

Deborah

Veteran

Sinead thanks for the kind words I have very fine hair but I do have a lot of it. What I find is that if I do grow my hair longer, say past chin length, it really starts to thin out and not look as voluminous. I do think a good shorter cut can make fine hair look fuller and more healthy

Mary Beth (formerly LBD)

(website)

Veteran

Have you considered going to a costume or beauty shop and trying on a short wig? There is a local costume shop I go to that will let you try on wigs, as long as you buy a wig/stocking cap, which usually runs around $1.25.

It might give you an idea of how you would look with shorter hair.

Echo

Veteran

I agree that there is a short cut for everyone, it just depends on what works for you. I've had very short cuts that I thought worked for me, but I prefer the versatility of at least mid-length hair so that I can wear it up or down.

I know there are programs online where you can load a photo of your face (straight toward the camera, preferably with your hair pulled away from your face) and then digitally "try on" different hairstyles. It might help you to see what kind of short cut would work for you before you take any action.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I have a roundish face, am not the least bit symmetrical, and my jawline is not my best feature. Nonetheless, my short hair has been a hit. I do think there is a short hair cut for everyone who wants one.

Aziraphale

Veteran

I think Shevia is right -- there is a short, or at least short-ish, haircut for everyone. As far as pixie cuts go, I personally feel that some generalizations can be made (although I am sure there are exceptions).

In general, very short pixie cuts look best on women with large eyes, or at least relatively feminine features. A good jawline helps too. That's why the pixie looks so good on Angie. She had all of those things. Long faces tend to look longer, and a heavy jaw tends to look heavier, with a pixie cut. A small nose is not necessary, but the proportions of the face matter.

It's also true that long hair tends to make faces look longer, too. Often there is a sweet spot -- jaw length hair looks good on a lot of women, I've noticed. Some kind of asymmetrical fringe (bangs) often looks good on people, too.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Thanks for the kind words, Sinead!

On hair texture -- I am chuckling again, because like Marmee, I have a LOT of it!!! (It's fine, but shockingly thick -- this is one reason I can't abide it long, because it literally weighs me down and in humid weather is a nightmare against my neck.)

Marmee -- my hair is always thinned a huge amount. Otherwise it would mushroom out, as you say. And in fact, in humid weather it sometimes does that anyway. I joke to my stylist that the main reason we cut it is not for length but for the "pouff."

Phatgranny

I, too, have short thin hair, but a lot of it. My hairdresser, however, never wants to "thin or texturize" it and this drives me crazy! My hairstyle then becomes to pouffy and looks like too much hair for the style I'm striving to achieve. I use product to try and control this, but that sometimes causes the style to be weighed down. I like it a little choppy and 'unset' but don't always achieve this. It's a battle everyday and I find myself envying those lovely women with smoother bobs or adorable short cuts like Sveta or Suz. I've come to the realization that I will never have the hairstyle I really want. Poor, poor pitiful me!

viva

Veteran

I completely agree with Suz, although I must confess I am very pro-short hair. However, here's the voice of someone who knows, quoted in a very relevant article in today's NY Times:

"Short cuts (above the shoulder on up) can work on anyone, said Morgan
Willhite, the creative director for the hair care company Ouidad. “You
can style it where you camouflage features you’re insecure about. If you
have a high forehead, you can have fringe. If you have a prominent
nose, you can shift the direction of the part. If you have a fuller
face, you can have it longer.”

Note that she is talking about a range of "short" -- but still, Winona Ryder fits many of the so-called requirements for short hair: tiny face, delicate features ... while Michelle Williams does not: round, full face. Both are beautiful, I will give you that. Still, there is something very freeing about short hair. If you really want to know if you should go short, I wouldn't trust us (sorry!) -- I would talk to the best stylist you can find, in a city. You want a modern short cut for it to work.

And, here's some reading to consider.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05.....-of-choice

jackiec

Veteran

I feel I need to qualify my responses in that I've never really had long hair per se, what I have is the longer side of short hair (for now). Not only in the 90's, but also when my kids were born in early 2000's my hair was super short - you know the shag cut but shorter. So really when I was originally answering I was picturing "short hair" as "pixie" (in my mind). Tough for me to do, but in reality I've always had a version of short hair (graduated bob, shag, layered Halle Berry, etc). Everyone is totally correct in saying that there is a short 'do for everyone. I 100% agree.

Missey

Veteran

I too, am pro- short hair. I have worn my hair short nearly my whole life (since I was 6 and wrapped a brush in my hair and it had to be cut out..I never looked back!). I personally can't stand the grow out period and nothing makes me happier than a fresh haircut. I love the variety of stylings I can achieve within the same year...I would say on average my style, while remaining short, changes at least a couple of times a year. This thrills me to no end because I love the freshness a new hairsyle brings to my everyday wardrobe, makeup, etc.

PS i am definitely not classically feminine. I have a big nose and smaller eyes. Sometimes I think I look younger and more feminine the shorter my hair is!