Choosing Short Hair

Woman with short hair and very short bangs — Photo: Depositphotos

Sporting Short Hair with Style

Short hairstyles are perhaps the most poorly managed hairstyles worn by women. Far too often, the decision to go short is made based on convenience and ease of care. As a result, the short style ends up being unappealing to the individual. Many women forget that just because every woman can have short hair, not every woman should. All of the standard rules apply when it comes to choosing short hair.

Luckily, 'short' is a relative term and can mean a fairly wide range of lengths. In addition, short haircuts can incorporate a wide range of wave patterns, which helps those who want short hair to look good while wearing it. The style has to flatter the face and represent some degree of balance.

Let's take a look at some of the basics of short haircuts, as well as the variations that can make a major difference in how the style ultimately looks.

Anatomy of a Short Hairstyle

Length

Since the term 'short' refers to the length of something, it is obvious that the key element of a short hairstyle is the length chosen. While the length can vary, a short haircut is generally considered to be no longer than the midpoint of the neck. Most short styles are shorter than this, and you can see virtually every increment possible in the short hairstyles available.

While there is no strict 'rule' against anyone wearing super-short styles, it should be noted that these shorter looks are often best suited to those with fine-boned and delicate features. Those who have weight issues or round faces often think that a super-short style is good for them, but they may end up accentuating troublesome features rather than minimizing them.

Layers

A short hairstyle can feature a variety of layering techniques. The hair can be blunt-cut to a clean edge at the bottom line of the style, have evenly long layers, or combine the two with a blunt edge and interior layering.

Short hairstyle with a shorter back and layers — Photo: Tatyana MU/Getty Images via Canva

Colors

Colors aren't specifically restricted to short hairstyles. Rather, we mention color here because it can often be used in a short haircut to add drama and excitement, giving an otherwise 'normal' look an edge.

Texture and Texturing

In this case, we’ll discuss both the thickness of the hair and the finishing techniques used in a short hairstyle. The two are somewhat connected since the diameter of the hair and its 'feel' indicate the need for certain finishing techniques to achieve the desired look.

Finishing haircutting techniques can also take a bland-looking hairstyle and make it exciting and increasingly flattering to the individual.

Avoiding the Boring Short Hair Pitfall

Often, a woman chooses a short hairstyle solely for the convenience and ease of care it offers. In cases like this, when simplicity is the motivating factor, short hairstyles can become boring. Perhaps the person doesn't consider the possible ways to adapt the look or has had short hair for so long that it has become a habit, causing the look to suffer from neglect.

Fun and esy to wear short hair — Image: AI illustration

To avoid this, it's important to periodically ask for a fresh look at your hairstyle. Perhaps having the hair textured with a razor and then a quick blowout as part of the styling process will give you a new twist on your look. Or maybe you should let the hair grow out a little and use the length to create additional volume in areas that better flatter your face.

Perhaps your look could benefit from a splash of color. Or frankly, the answer could be as simple as adding a new styling product to take advantage of the traits your hairstyle already possesses.

Examples

It’s always easier to explain what is meant in a given situation when you have a visual representation that illustrates a specific point. And since everyone likes celebrities, let’s look at a collection of celebrities who sport short hairstyles and discuss what makes these styles work, and for whom.

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