Almost every woman (with few exceptions) can wear short hair. The secret is finding the right cut for your face shape and hair texture. Here, I'll help you figure out which cuts suit you best.
First: Can You Get Away With Short Hair?If you have super curly hair, you may be better off with a longer hairstyle.
Which Styles Best Flatter Your Face Shape?Rule number one when choosing a short hairstyle: Choose a cut that flatters your face shape. Short cuts are popular because they make your features the center of attention. Here are a few tips that should help you:
If you have a square face, show off your strong jaw with a bob that hits you at the jawbone, like this cut on Christina Ricci. Make sure to ask your stylist for a "graduated bob" which is shorter in back and angles longer towards the front.
If you have a round face, consider a short cut that ends an inch or two below the jawbone and has a few long layers, like this long bob on Tori Spelling. I also love this pixie hairstyle on actress Ginnifer Goodwin.
Many women with long face shapes have a high forehead. Cover up your large forehead with blunt or side-swept bangs like these.For more information short hair and face shapes, check out my gallery of the best short hairstyles by face shape.
Which Short Styles Work With Your Hair Texture?Here are a few tips to consider when it comes to short hair and hair texture:
If you have straight, fine hair, you're in luck. A short hairstyle will be easy for you to maintain with little fuss. Invest in a good volumizer so your hair doesn't fall flat.
If you have wavy hair, you may require a blowdryer and flat iron on occasion, but many short styles look amazing naturally wavy (including the pixie!).
Coarse or curly hair? Reconsider your quest for short hair. Curly hair tends to frizz up when cut short and it can make hair too triangular. Coarse hair needs length to weigh it down. Try to stay a couple inches lower than the jaw.
Can You Get Away With a Bob?The bob continues to be one of the most trendy of hair styles of the moment. Almost everyone can wear a bob, except women with super curly hair. This style works best on straight hair but looks fantastic on naturally wavy hair as well. With the right hair cut, a bob will grow out nicely. I get my hair cut into a chin-length bob and the cut lasts me 3 months, saving me tons of money at the salon. Why? It grows out into the cutest long bob.
Want to Try a Short, Edgy Cut?When Rihanna went from blah and long to super short, the fashion world perked up. Soon, other celebrities followed suit. Edgy cuts make the most dramatic statement and symbolize strength. Pink's cut is one of the most popular haircuts on my site.
So who can get away with a punk cut? The key here lies in your personality and your hair texture. You've got to have a bit of edge in your dress and in your personality to pull off a funky cut, otherwise you can look like a woman with a really bad haircut. As for hair texture, if you see a cut you like, you should consider if your hair texture can handle it. Fine hair will fall flat without some products and curly hair will pouf up if cut too straight. Consult with a stylist before you commit to a funky cut.
Love the Pixie? So Do I. But Can You Wear it?Ahhh, the pixie. When Ginnifer Goodwin cut off her shoulder-length hair for the pixie (see her new cut here), it was big news on beauty blogs. Other celebs followed suit and now there are enough gorgeous pixie cuts for a few photo galleries.
Not everyone looks good in super-short hair, however. As a tall woman, I feel like I'd look like a pinhead with a pixie haircut, yet readers point out that Jamie Lee Curtis is tall and looks great with hers (see it here). Women who are petite look great with super-short cuts. Avoid this style if you are very overweight. You want more hair to balance out your body. It's also not a great look for women with long faces or super curly hair.
The Long Bob Works Great on All Face ShapesThe long bob, popularized by celebrities including Brooklyn Decker and Jennifer Aniston, is a trendy, flattering option for all face shapes.
Bobs make your features the center of attention. They look best on women with good bone structure and work on all hair types except super coarse and curly hair, which needs more length so as not to pouf out.
See photos of the long bob for more inspiration.
Consider Your MaintenanceNot all short haircuts are low maintenance. They're actually the hardest cuts to maintain, which is something to consider when getting your hair cut. You must get them trimmed every 6 weeks, they take styling products to keep them in check and you may have to invest in aflat-iron to keep waves at bay.
Short Hair by Hair ColorHere, we show off photo galleries of short hair cuts by color (black, blonde, brown and red).
