Hairstyle Lengths (2)
Ear-Length
When looking at hairstyles that fall to the areas above and around the ears, we generally see them used by individuals who need to control the volume of their hair, either due to texture, density, or wave pattern. These hairstyles are highly diverse as they must incorporate adaptations that may involve covering or revealing the ears based on client preference or aesthetic needs.
Often the styles will include a weight line below which is a tapered zone and/or textured perimeter. For example, Sigourney Weaver often wears her hair cut in a way that the majority of the bulk falls at ear length and tapers to shorter levels as the hair reaches the nape of the neck at the back of the skull.
Many ear-length styles, excluding the very short gamine cuts, feature geometric angles and planes and should be carefully considered by individuals with weaker facial features. For instance, someone with a more recessed or smaller chin would want to avoid a strongly upper-focused look, as it would further emphasize the receding lower half of the face and make the chin appear even weaker.
Moreover, individuals with notably large or small ears should be cautious about ear-length cuts that closely follow the contour of the ear. Such elements tend to draw attention to these features in a potentially unflattering way. Similarly, individuals with disproportionately sized skulls should be careful with the various features of an ear-length haircut to avoid accentuating the imbalance.
Chin-Length
When it comes to chin-length haircuts, there is often excessive concern about the length of the face and its shape, especially for those with elongated faces or features that have a strong vertical orientation (long noses, narrowly-spaced eyes, slim facial angles, etc.). This concern arises because the length reaching the chin level allows the hair to frame the entire face, and the specific texture and wave pattern of the hair can either create balance or enhance narrow faces.
Chin-length cuts also frequently offer the choice between "blunt cuts" and "layered" styles. In the shorter looks, the hair is almost always layered to some degree, while there are many women sporting chin-length bobs. In fact he only time a chin-length cut requires layering is when the hair’s wave pattern is such that you need to remove bulk to prevent unfortunate silhouettes such as the disconcerting pyramid effect.
Lastly, because a chin-length cut can often have a very sharp appearance, it is advisable to exercise caution when choosing this style beyond a certain age, as it can emphasize any lines that may naturally have developed due to aging. Sharp lines in a hairstyle, including defined curls, can often accentuate facial wrinkles and create an unflattering effect.
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