January 22, 2006
So, When IS the Right Time For A Short Hair Cut?
The short hair cut is as popular as ever and more and more women are taking the plunge and sporting ultra-short locks. From the heavily textured and spiked to the soft and feminine, there is no doubt that the short hair cut is here to stay and has proven to be one of the most popular hair cut styles among women.
But how do you know if you should go short with your new hair cut or when you should take the plunge? For most, the answer to these questions is going to be a personal decision, but there are some guidelines that you can follow to help you decide whether or not a short hair cut is for you.
Choosing the right hair cut style should be a joint effort between you and your stylist. With her professional advice as to what will look sensational on you and your personal preference, together you should be able to find numerous new hair cuts that are perfect for your individual personality, tastes and features.
When to go for the short hair cut and when not to
You should choose a short hair cut if you prefer shorter styles or if you have been thinking about going short for a while. If you have already worn a short hair cut in the past and loved it, then you are one step ahead of the game. Likely, you will have a good idea of what short cuts will look good on you and which cuts will give you the most styling ease and freedom.
You should not choose a short hair cut just because it is trendy or you saw it on someone else and want to achieve the same effect. While some hair cut styles will look just as great on you as they do on others, getting a short hair cut on a whim is never a good idea. If you see something you like, think about it for a while before deciding to get a new hair cut. Even better - use one of the interactive online hair galleries, to test out the look before you buy
Never get a short hair cut for emotional reasons. Having a bad hair day? Do not cut your hair off in anger. If you do, you may end up fighting with dreaded tresses that are much too short for your particular style. Instead, go for a trim or a style that is just slightly shorter than the one you already have.
How to go short
If you have never had a short hair cut, you should go shorter gradually to reduce the level of shock experienced with getting a short hair cut and to see if you are going to like wearing shorter styles. Be prepared to experience some level of shock, though, even if you only shorten your style by a few inches.
Talk to your stylist and decide what type of short hair cut is your ultimate goal. Then, choose several hair cut styles that you can get over the course of a few months that will decrease your hair’s length gradually. That way when you finally take the plunge and get the short hair cut you will know that you will be comfortable with it. Nothing is worse than trying to grow out a short hair cut that you hate.
Michael Barrows’ website gives great advice for good hair. Get your free ebook packed with hair style and hair care tips and advice, visit Great-Hairstyles.com.
Popular Hairstyles in Early 20th Century America
The range of hairstyles available to women began to expand as the world entered a new century in 1900. The Victorian Age was drawing to a close, the automobile was emerging, giving people much more mobility, and a general sense of unlimited possibilities pervaded society. All of this gave a new impetus to creating hairstyles that expressed a more open and optimistic feeling.
1900-1910 Hairstyles – Time of Transition
This decade saw a transition in hairstyles, from the more confined styles of the Victorian era to looser, fuller hairstyles. Curiously, both long and short styles were popular, with longer, free-flowing hair slowly gaining more converts as the decade progressed. Volume was the theme that ran through most of the popular hairstyles, regardless of hair length. Longer hairstyles featured hair parted in the middle (with a noticeable part), and long wavy tresses hanging below the shoulders. Shorter hairstyles generally began around the ears and ‘poofed’ up over the head in several updo styles, often held in place with barrettes and adorned with bows, or large, wide hats.
1910-1920 Hairstyles – Waves & Accessories
As the 1900s moved into the 1910s, hairstyles started off with an emphasis on long hair that was either pinned up in elaborate updos, or made wavy and flowing. Hats and bows were increasingly popular accessories. Nevertheless, in the mid-1910’s, a sea change occurred that would affect women’s hairstyles for years to come. This was the short bob haircut.
As these very short styles caught on and swept America, the range of elegant hairstyles for formal events and nights out on the town diminished. The focus shifted to what women put in their hair. The most popular accessory was a headband, often adorned with fancy beads and stitch-work designs. One hairstyle that gained a lot of popularity (and some notoriety) was called “curtain hair.” This entailed parting short hairstyles down the middle, then letting the hair fall across a headband worn around the middle of the head, just above the ears. For more elegant hairstyles, women often constructed ringlet curls all along the headband, or added jeweled pins.
1920-1930 Hairstyles – Footloose & Fancy Free
The 1920s was a decade of huge societal changes in America. Women got the right to vote, a world war had just ended, hard liquor was banned, and the economy was booming as industry titans emerged. A unique time in the history of hairstyles, the 1920s saw the birth of the ‘Flapper’ era, highlighted by women with very short hair, bold new fashions, and a carefree attitude.
First noticed on famous ballroom dancer, Irene Castle, the ‘Castle bob’ swept the nation in the late 1910s and early 20s. Variations sprang up as the 1920s progressed, a result of women who began feeling their wild oats and experimenting with newfound freedoms of expression.
Formal hairstyles in the 1920s were often limited by the extremely short styles that were so popular then. To make up for this limitation, many women chose to wear wide-brimmed hats with elegant designs and bands. They wore their hair in very simple styles as a result. When a hat was not practical for a particular formal event, women often used curls and mini-updos to accentuate hairstyles that were crafted from rather plain-looking everyday styles.
The times always have an effect on fashions and hairstyles, regardless of the era. In just three decades, from 1900-1930, America went from very conservative styles as the Victorian era was ending, to the wild-eyed, carefree days of short Flapper hairstyles. All of which proves that it’s impossible to look at current hairstyles and fashion trends and make anything more than a wild guess as to where things will be in a few years. We’ll just have to wait and watch.
© John Schwartz 1-Hair-Styles.com (all rights reserved)
John Schwartz is a professional writer and web site publisher. For more information about popular hair styles and beauty tips, visit his site at 1-Hair-Styles.com today.
The Latest Trends In Mens Hairstyles
Today’s man hair style can be either long and textured or super short and tight and still be considered trendy and at the height of fashion. Some men’s hair styles require gel, mousse or pomade while others don’t even need to be combed. The truth is that now more than ever there are numerous ways to achieve a stylish and trendy man hair cut. That means that there are a lot of different styles for men who are looking for the perfect man hair style to choose from.
While the man’s hair style is less rigid than it was in the 80s and requires a lot less goo to accomplish, the modern man hair cut is still best served by a little styling. No, you do not need to spend hours in front of the mirror coaxing every strand into place, but a little gel never hurt any man’s hair style that I know of.
Here are just a few of the latest trends in men’s hair styles and how to style them:
- Super short man’s hair style. High and Tight, Fade, Spike, Clipper Cut and Crew Cut are just a few of the names given to the short man’s hair cut. By far the most popular man’s hair style is the High and Tight or Fade. Characterized by a closely cropped clipper cut around the sides and back of the head with just enough hair on top of the head to comb, this man’s hair style with its many variations accounts for about 75 percent of all popular styles today. With just a little bit of gel to spike up the top, mess it up a little or finger into place, this man’s hair style will only take you seconds to achieve. While you may have to get it cut more often, about every three weeks or so, the ease of styling this man hair cut is what makes it a favorite among busy men today.
- Medium length, textured men’s hair style. Today’s styles for men have a lot of texture and the same is true for medium-length styles (about 3 to 4 inches). These styles resemble the classic man hair cut of the past, but step it up a notch by using extreme texture and color to bring it all together. Most styles use a great deal of razoring and texturizing with notching scissors. To style this man’s hair style pomade usually works best. Work product through dry hair and finger into place.
- Long man’s hair style. While most men do not wear their hair down their back anymore, the long man’s hair style has made a somewhat shorter comeback. Perhaps the most recognizable example that I can give of this men’s hair style is Ashton Kutcher. Long, textured and disheveled, this man hair cut is gaining widespread popularity. Again, this man’s hair cut requires a lot of texture and works best with pomade.
As you can see from these few examples, the man’s hair style is far from boring. Gone are the days of cookie-cutter barber shop man hair cut. Here to stay is the trendy and styled cuts of today.
For further information on different types of men’s hairstyles and how to find the right hairstyle for your face shape, read my article at http://www.great-hairstyles.com/hair-style-article7.html.
Michael Barrows’ website gives great advice for good hair. Get your free ebook packed with hair style and hair care tips and advice, visit Great-Hairstyles.com.
January 19, 2006
How To Find The Perfect Formal Hairstyle
Finding the right hairstyle for that special occasion can be a big chore. No matter whether it is your wedding day or a formal work party, looking your best is always your top priority and you pay just as much attention to your hair as you do your dress. So, how can you find perfect updos and formal styles to suit your individual personality and style of dress?
Probably the best place to start is online. There are literally hundreds of photo galleries dedicated to updos and formal hairstyles alone. By browsing these sites, you can find numerous styles and print them out so that you can share them with your stylist. All you need to do to find these photo galleries is perform a quick search for updos in your favorite search engine. Many of these sites also have how to articles to help you do your hair yourself at home.
Another great way to find unique formal styles is to browse through your salon’s style books and portfolios. In most salons, there are stylists that specialize in different updo techniques. A salon might have one stylist who can create amazing braided and basket weaved updos whereas another stylist may be able to create sleek timeless classics perfectly. By looking through a portfolio and seeing each stylist’s actual work, you can get a feel of whether or not their style would suit your preferences. And you can get a glimpse of signature styles that you cannot find anywhere else.
You can also find photos and how to articles in many magazines that are geared toward wedding preparations. Hair style magazines also come out with an updo issue occasionally.
Once you have found a good source of formal hairstyle photos, you need to narrow your choices down to a few favorites. When doing this, pay attention to the model’s hair. If she has extremely thick hair, you may not be able to achieve quite the same look if your hair is thin and fine and vice versa.
After you have narrowed down your choices, begin experimenting with the different styles by pulling your hair up in mock positions. Find one or two combinations that you think would look the best and take them to your hairdresser for a trial run.
Granted, finding a style this way rather than letting your stylist have his or her lead may take a little bit of time, but when you help in the planning process, you will ensure that you get a perfect formal do that will be the envy of the party.
Jenny Andrews is a hair expert, and the author of an incredible free minicourse, that explains how to find your unique style, how long or short you should have your hair, how to find the right hair color for you, how to find the right salon, and a lot more. Go to HairStyleVillage.com now and get this amazing hair minicourse – absolutely free.







