Your experience with haircuts - long to short - YouLookFab Forum

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Your experience with haircuts - long to short

Jennifer

Hi ladies! I've been thinking for a while now about cutting my hair. I've had long hair (below shoulder blades) for essentially my entire life, except for a brief period in my late 20s when I had chin-length hair for about 3 months (and didn't maintain it, so it rapidly went into the awkward grow-out stage). About 2 months ago I had my hair cut to shoulder length, after allowing it to grow unchecked for almost a year during the late stages of my pregnancy and maternity leave. I'm finding I really like it at shoulder length and I think I'm going to make an effort to maintain it around this length for a while. But it has me thinking....if I like it so much at this length, I wonder what it would look like if I cut it really short?
I wear it up/back about 5 days a week so don't really take advantage of having long/longish hair, even though people say they really like it when I wear it down. If I don't wear it down anyway, what's the point in having it?
I may ask my hairdresser next time I see him what he would think of me trying a short cut....but the main thing holding me back is worrying that it will look really awful.
One of these days I will start posting pictures, but in the meantime, I have an oval face with a high forehead, fine wavy hair and lots of it.
For those of you who cut your hair after having it long for many years, how did you approach the change? Did you end up liking it? Did the haircut stick?
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Dressing

14 replies

Latest reply was from gradfashionista

Anonymous

People have different ideas about hair, but I've happily worn my hair short for a few years now. As a matter of fact, I just posted my hairstyle today, so take a look if you wish. I also have fine hair (layered out the wazoo to give volume) and an oval face with a high forehead. My hair looks stringy when long, and I hate perms because of the damage they do (not to mention perms are not in style now). Here's a link to my thread:

http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....d-opinions

Minnie

I have fine, straight hair, just a bit longer than shoulder length.
For me this is the perfect length: I can put it in a ponytail, which is how I wear it most of the time. No styling required and still looks neat. I can also curl it and style if I want to.
I had short hair once and did not like it on me at all.
Because my hair is fine and straight, I had to use products and styling tools every morning to make it look ok. For me, short hair was a lot more work than longer hair.
The worst length for me was a chin-length bob. Too short for a pony-tail and long enough to get in the way.

Jennifer

Minnie: yes, that was my experience of chin-length too! I don't want to go there again but feel I want something more sophisticated than what I have, without having to spend hours styling every morning.

Sarah

How short were you thinking? For years I would get my hair cut chin length, get tired of that after 6 months and than grow it out to just below shoulder length. And after a whole get tired of long hair and chop again. 6 months ago I got it cut in a long pixie cut. After some reshaping this last haircut I am really liking it. It is very quick to dry and style in the morning (5 minutes) but does require more frequent haircuts (every 4-5ish weeks).

How old are your kids? When my kids were really young I liked having it long enough to just pull back in a ponytail. Now that my youngest is 2 I can take a few minutes to actually dry it in the morning while she watches a show in the next room.

Jennifer

Sarah: The pixie cut idea is what I am thinking of. Chin-length did not work for me in the past and I think would require too much styling.
I have one toddler who just turned one.
But a pixie cut seems so scary!

Meredith

Veteran

Just chiming in to say I think chin length (and possibly shorter) hair would look beautiful on you, but no wisdom on going from long to short! Hope you post a pic of the cut if you decide to take the plunge!

Elizabeth Katherine

I think with your face, you can do pretty much what you like with your hair and it'll likely look good. Try it shorter and see if you like it. If not, it'll grow out anyway.

I have a round face and thick hair. I have experimented with my hair before, but I always feel like I look better with it a bit longer and shaped around my face. When it's short, it seems wider since it's so thick, which makes my face look wider too. I envy people who can wear short hair and look great and stylish.

Aziraphale

Veteran

Word of caution: if you wear it up/back five days a week, and you want to continue to have the freedom of not having hair in your face, you need to cut it into a very short style. A chin-length bob, while awesome, will not allow you to keep your hair out of your face.

Also, I've had every length there is, and similar hair to you (I think). Long hair was absolutely the easiest to maintain. Really short cuts (pixie) look cute for a while, but need frequent trimming, and I'd wake up in the morning with it all sticking up and wetting it down wouldn't work. I'd have to go under the shower. (I have since learned that flat thin hair works best for a pixie cut. If you have a ton of hair, like me, it doesn't matter how fine the individual strands are. You wake up with hilarious rooster tails that cannot be tamed). A short shag or bob haircut looks great -- it's probably the most flattering on me -- and lasts longer than a pixie, but you get the problem of it falling in your face while you're working. Hair that is past your shoulder blades, on the other hand, can go a long time between trims and can be pulled back in a way that doesn't look dorky (unless you like the stubby ponytail look, in which case, shoulder length hair is OK).

Hope that helps!

deb

Veteran

I went from hair to the middle of my back to a pixie in the late 70's. Like my daughter says,"long hair is overrated". I loved it and wore it that way for 30 years. It was imperative for me to get it cut every 6 weeks to keep it looking good. If you are ready to put the time and money into the upkeep, short hair is great. I decided a few years ago to let my hair grow long again because it is still my natural color and one of my best assets (I think). I am not sure how long I will keep it this way but I am enjoying the flexibility I have with it.

Anonymous

From listening to my stylist (intently - I'm a frustrated closet hairstylist- lol) I know that a successful and flattering short haircut depends very much on the shape of your head. Of course all other factors like the size and shape of your face, what texture you have to your hair, and how much time you are willing to devote it all matter. But if your head isn't one that suits short hair, none of the rest matter as much. Get your stylist's opinion - hopefully she/he has lots of experience with short hair. Weird things like where your crown is, how the back of your skull curves in, etc - all of these play a big role in how you look with less hair.

Mine takes all of 10 mins from wet to finished in the morning. Not bad:)

trekkiegirl

Veteran

Having had everything from the shortest pixie cut imaginable to long hair I could sit on, and a few styles in between, I can relate to your dilemma.

To echo what others have said - if you want to avoid the hair in face bit you'll have to go very short. I personally think a pixie cut with longer pieces in the front would be very flattering on you!!

You will have to maintain it, but honestly it's something you could do yourself. The nature of that type of cut is very imprecise so hacking at notes and pieces as long as you pay done attention to what you are doing is easier than you would think.

I say go for it!! It's only hair, it will grow back

Deborah

Veteran

I will echo LisaP here 12 months ago I went from a just below chin length bob to a short cut. I did it gradually and I am thrilled. It has taken time to fine my short cut though:) My challenge with short hair is that sometimes it can be just a short cut and not a 'style' .. does that make sense? Go to a good stylist and ask heaps of questions an seek their recommendations.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

I've worn short hair most of my life but I have gone longer on a few occasions (about your current length) and always ended up tying it back. My hair is very, very thick and always needs to be thinned out but contrary to Elizabeth I don't find it difficult to maintain while short, apart from frequent cuts. I don't often get the unflatten-able rooster tails she talks about. Bedhead, yeah, but it goes down. So, I agree with Lisa -- best to talk to a stylist about your specific hair and head. In terms of aesthetics, I think it could look great on you with enough of a front fringe/ bang. It also has to work with your overall style; I find that it's best for those who prefer a fairly modern look overall.

gradfashionista

(website)

Veteran

I had long hair for a number of years, but always tied it back because it took too much time, effort and product to make my hair neat. I chopped it to shoulder length, and then chin length, and wore that length for a number of years. It stuck and I liked it. Overall, I thought it just added a lighter, springy look. With the shape of your face, a I could see either of those lengths working for you, perhaps with a side bang.