“Long hair makes you look thinner.”

“Short hair is only for the most beautiful faces.”

“Long hair is sexier.”

I often hear comments like this from clients who want to keep their hair long because of some common misconceptions about short hair. The good news? These impressions couldn’t be further from the truth.

Your ideal length depends completely on you ~ your head bone structure, attributes, natural growth directions and hair texture ~ to determine your most flattering cut.

Here are some general guidelines to help you decide on your ideal length:

• Shape of face ~ Is the shape of your face oval, elongated, diamond, round, angular or heart? Facial shape definitely plays a role but isn’t the only consideration.

• Shoulder build ~ For broader shoulders, I recommend a cut that grazes or hits just below the shoulder to soften out the line.

• Growth patterns and texture ~ Cowlicks and other quirky growth patterns will play a big role in what style will work for you. Remember, you need to recreate your look at home, so a cut that considers your hair’s behavior is key. Thin hair almost always works best short or in a shorter bob above the jawline. Color and highlights can help build a thicker look and texture. Thick hair can do almost anything you want, since we can always texture it out or soften it with a variety of treatments.

• Condition ~ After the first 16^th of an inch, hair is basically dead. Keeping it looking good doesn’t just happen. It’s up to you to take responsibility for its care and treatment, and your results depend on the time you put in and the products you choose.  If hair is badly damaged, the best course of action is to talk with your stylist about your options for treatments and home care. Or get a shorter cut and start taking great care of it.

• Personality ~ This one comes as a surprise to a lot of people, but a confident person can often rock a daring ‘do while an introvert would hands-down be happier with a more subtle and demure style. You’ll have your own great insights here.

That leads nicely into my last point, which is that change can be really uncomfortable.

If you can turn on a dime, great! Go for a bold cut. If you need time to warm up to new things, take it slowly. Your stylist can bring you along gradually to build your comfort level, every step of the way. And please know that I’m always on hand to share my thought on ways to make you look your best.

We’ll be posting our next HairLine in two weeks. What do you want to hear about? Please leave your questions and comments here!

Regards,

Kenny

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