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What Should I Consider before Getting a New Haircut?

Patti Kate
Patti Kate

Before getting a new haircut, you should consider which style would work best for the shape of your face and your hair texture. Another thing to consider is how much maintenance your new haircut will require. If your lifestyle is fairly active or busy, or if you are involved in sports, you might want a shorter style that requires minimal care and upkeep. You also need to consider how well your new haircut will fit with your profession. A trendy new haircut might not project a professional look, depending on your line of work.

When changing your hairstyle, you'll want to consider how it might suit your everyday tasks. If you work in a job where you must tie your hair back in a hairnet or under a cap, a mid-length hair length style might be impractical. Longer lengths for women are easier to tie back in a ponytail, making those haircuts more versatile.

A hairstylist cutting a short bob. An experienced stylist should be able to match a haircut to her client's face shape and personality.
A hairstylist cutting a short bob. An experienced stylist should be able to match a haircut to her client's face shape and personality.

Choosing a haircut, whether you are male or female, can be made easier by consulting with an expert. This might mean making an appointment at your hair salon and getting some advice from a stylist. Your first consideration should be to choose a reputable and qualified hairstylist. She can advise you as to what styles and cuts will best complement your shape of face and your hair texture. She'll also have magazines you can browse through for ideas.

If your hair is fine and thin, you might do well with a layered new haircut.
If your hair is fine and thin, you might do well with a layered new haircut.

Before you choose your new hairstyle, consider how a particular cut will match your personality. Your new haircut should make a statement and reflect the individual you are. If you are lively, energetic, and outgoing, perhaps you would go for a daring and bold new hair style. If you're quiet and reserved, however, a classic haircut may suit you better.

Also, consider the texture of your hair. If your hair is fine and thin, you might do well with a layered new haircut. This will add fullness, dimension, and volume to your fine hair and make it appear to have more body. If your hair is thick and unruly, avoid cutting your hair extremely short, or choosing a very long style. For coarse, wavy and very thick hair types, a medium length hairstyle might work best.

One more consideration when you are contemplating a new haircut should be age. Regardless of which styles you admire on someone else, your age should play a factor in your decision when choosing a cut and style for yourself. Again, seek the expert advice of a hairstylist or beautician before making your final decision.

Discussion Comments

Perdido

@seag47 – You are right about that. I remember when my best friend and I were considering getting new haircuts for 2010, and we decided on cuts that were very noticeable.

Since we were both a little shy, it bothered us when we were walking in the mall and people were staring at us. Even though we got plenty of compliments on our cool hairstyles, we still wondered what the people who just stared and said nothing were thinking.

We both decided to let our hair grow out and go with a more traditional cut. We just didn't like being looked at by strangers!

Kristee

Every time I'm ready for a new haircut, the styles that I can achieve with that haircut are very important to me. I don't want my hair to be too short, because then I couldn't pull it back into a ponytail or clip.

However, I don't want the cut to be all one length, because I think that's boring. It needs to have some layers, but they have to be long enough to stay back. I can't stand pieces falling in my face while I'm working.

giddion

One big factor for me in deciding which salon to use is how they respond to pictures that customers bring in. If they aren't willing to try to copy photos of celebrity hairstyles, then this means they probably aren't skilled enough to pull them off.

My sister went to a salon, and she had a picture of a celebrity hairstyle that she had pulled from a magazine with her. When she showed the stylist, she and her friend had a laugh at my sister's expense. Basically, they were mocking her for thinking that they could make her look like that.

Since she was only bringing the hairstyle for the reference and not expecting a full makeover, this was uncalled for and very rude. She left and never went back.

seag47

It seems that there are new haircut styles for women every year. These are very trendy and daring, and usually only young adults are bold enough to go for them.

Any cut that involves one side of your hair being a different length from the other is a bold choice. You know that you are going to get noticed, so you'd better be ready for the attention.

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    • A hairstylist cutting a short bob. An experienced stylist should be able to match a haircut to her client's face shape and personality.
      By: Rido
      A hairstylist cutting a short bob. An experienced stylist should be able to match a haircut to her client's face shape and personality.
    • If your hair is fine and thin, you might do well with a layered new haircut.
      By: Max Tactic
      If your hair is fine and thin, you might do well with a layered new haircut.