Talk to me about layers. Update PIP

sarawifenow

My BFF and MOH is currently going to Aveda and needs to practice a layer cut on a model. Hair, to me, is no biggie. Hey it grows back, afterall!

 

I am thinking about doing a shoulder length cut with long layers kinda like this...

 

This has got me to thinking, I don't think I have ever had layers in my hair. For you ladies who have layers, are they hard to maintain? Can you still throw your hair up if need be? My hair is one length and what I like about it is that I can curl it really easily. Do layers make this a bit harder? Thanks for educating me!

lacqueredlover

If you do short layers like this, it may be hard to throw it up.  I've had shorter layers before and hated it because it made it harder for me to put it in a bun or a ponytail when my hair was around shoulder length (I also have thick, curly hair so I found it made it kinda poofy.)  Now that my hair is super long, I have some long layers in it but the shortest layers start about an inch below my shoulders (except fo rmy bangs which are grown out to just below my jawline now.)

climbingsingle

I have long hair, and do long layers, so putting my hair up is never an issue. I'm a big fan of layers. It makes my hair look much fuller. 

Maggie0829

I really wouldn't call those long layers.  They are more short layers to me.  I currently have long layers in my hair and you really can't tell.  The layers, IMO, just provide my hair with a bit more bounce and take away some of the heft of my hair.  My hair is about boob length so throwing it up is no problem. It all easily goes back into a ponytail.  Now if you go with short layers like in the picture, you may have to pin back the front to get it to stay off your face because those front pieces may not be long enough to go into a ponytail.  As for curling, layers will give your curls more bounce, but depending on how you curl your hair it could be a bit more of a pain because of the different lengths going on.

charlieyankee03

I have super thin hair, so my current hairdresser doesn't suggest that I do layers since it will just thin it out even more. But my old hairdresser wasn't as informed so I had them for years. I second PPs about doing long layers if you want to pull it up. I had shorter layers that would always fall out of my ponytail and hang down. It looked weird if I didn't braid or pin it back.

theartistformerlyknownas

I would definitely consider those to be short layers. Long layers will be less noticeable and just give your hair more volume toward the bottom. When you curl it, it'll look more waterfall-y because you'll see more curled ends. When I just blow each layer out a bit with a round brush, it looks like this:

but the shortest pieces are still long enough to pull into a ponytail.

beethery

I have weird hair. It is wavy but also not, and I have a big stupid cowlick on each side of my head. When I was a child and grew my bangs out, I looked like this:

I have to do loooooong long layers if I'm going to have long hair. If I do anything shorter than collarbone length, I HAVE to blow dry and straighten it or I look like if Janis Joplin stuck her finger in a light socket. My hair is extremely fine and the only way to make it not look crazy without styling is to let it weigh itself down.

Choppy layers can work, but it REALLY depends on your hair type and how much work you're willing to put into styling every morning. And how many bobby pins you can have on hand for when you want to put your hair up.

theartistformerlyknownas

This is what I would consider long layers on shorter hair. Should still be able to get into a high pony.

loro929

You girls have some rocking hair.

Mine gets all limp and ratty looking after about an hour - no matter what I try to do with it. I really envy all of your with thick luscious locks!

That being said, the only way I can ever get volume is with some layers, though I do agree with PPs, if one of your concerns is putting it up, you might have some wispys flying around at all times.

levioosa

Agree with PPs.  While the hair in your photo is cute, I don't think it will be long enough to put into a pony tail.  Lolo's picture would be closer to something you could just throw into a pony tail though.

I have long layers, and I feel like they give my hair more body.  I don't like when they're too short and I can't put them into a bun or pony tail because I'm lazy and also bad at being a girl. 

jenna8984

I thought this was going to be about layering clothes...I was like well that's an odd topic but I always wear a plain tank under my work shirts & sweaters....lol

My hair is pretty much this (except brunette). I like the few shorter pieces in the front but then the back is all the same length. I'm hair styling-challeneged so I can't use round brush or curling iron, just straightener and it looks nice. Plus it's long enough for bun/pony that I do 90% of the time.

sarawifenow

See how little I know about hair? Haha. Short layers is what I am going for, then.

 

I am ok with pinning my hair back. My hair is pretty thin, though, so now I am a little nervous about doing it. Maybe I will ease into it and have her just do a couple layers? Is that a thing?

dolewhipper

My sister/MOH went to Aveda. Aveda is known for their absolute knowledge of the Circle Layers. Get that, tell them where you want your first layer to fall and/or you want to be able to put it up in a pony, and you're golden. That's what I have and they're perfect. 

theartistformerlyknownas

sarawifenow said:

See how little I know about hair? Haha. Short layers is what I am going for, then.

 

I am ok with pinning my hair back. My hair is pretty thin, though, so now I am a little nervous about doing it. Maybe I will ease into it and have her just do a couple layers? Is that a thing?

Yeah, you could ask for "face framing layers" where the layers are only in the front, but the back is all one length. You'll definitely need to pin those when you pull your hair back. 

or

buttercup1958

I'm getting my haircut tomorrow! Honestly I love layers, but I'm not much an expert of pony tails really. I have not quite shoulder length but I'm cutting it to a bob. My haior has gotten too long ha. But I think the haircut you posted is pretty! Here's what I'm getting, this is the shape I want and the length.

and the length I want. My hair stylist is getting surgery so she will be gone for awhile so I'm getting it a tiny bit shorter than normal.

Cookie Pusher

I currently have long layers (a la Duchess Kate), which is great because I only need to style it if/when I want to - yay ponytails! I've done short layers with shoulder length hair and it was only annoying when I wanted to pull my hair back but not do a ponytail - the short layers wouldn't stay in a braid or a bun.

RebeccaB88

I think layers are the greatest thing ever.  I have super thick hair, so I use them to de-bulk it so I don't look like Gilda Radner as Roseann Roseannadanna (SNL in the 70s). 

What kind of layers I get depends on how long I want my hair at that time. In the summer I keep it chin length to just above my shoulders, and use the layers to de-bulk but also bring out the natural curl.  This way I can just put some curling product or Argan oil in my hair and let it dry naturally, or spritz it with water to reactivate the curl on the second or third days, and I'm good to go.  It's an easy, cool summer style. However, when it's this short and I want to wear it straight, I do have to spend some extra time with the blowdryer and flatiron to make it look smooth. The layers try to stick out in odd directions otherwise.

When I'm keeping it longer, I do long layers. I let those layers have some weight in them to pull the curl straighter, to make it easier to blowdry and flatiron. I rarely wear my hair curly when it's longer because I always have to flatiron it. But, it's ponytail length this way.  When it's above my shoulders, I can do a half back, but not all the way up. Too short.

The style you posted a picture of would take me forever to style with my hair, and would really just be too much work for me. It would always be in a ponytail.  I have to balance my time in front of the mirror with the amount of sleep I get in the morning. I remember reading something years ago when the Jennifer Aniston cut was so big and everyone was getting it, that stylists said that it was labor intensive to style and women figured that out really quick, and it was a big factor in it falling out of favor.  Be sure to tell the stylist how much time and effort you're willing to put into styling it.

southernbelle0915

My haircut is actually really similar to the one in the OP - except it rarely looks that good and I don't have long bangs/as short hair in the front. To make my hair look like that, I have to get it blown out or spend a bunch of time on it myself. 

Ask your friend to explain what long layers versus short layers technically are (to a hairdresser). They're the opposite of what you'd think. I keep it straight in my head by "long" distance between the layers and "short" distance between the layers.

Long layers (more dramatic layering with hair at various lengths):

Short layers (just a bit of layering at the bottom):

ETA: Oh, and at that length in the OP, I can pull mine back. I have a few pieces that hang out in front and if it's in a high ponytail, I need a bobby pin in the back. But it can all go up.

Aray82

I've always done layers because I have very thin, fine hair and I need the volume. IMO, layering gives you voluming and texture that makes your hair look full and healthy and is very easy to maintain. Just add in some styling cream to protect it from the blow dryer's heat and go. It's now growing back thicker and wavier after chemo, but I still think I'll do layers. I just like having dimension. The only time it becomes a PITA is when I workout, but I just stick it in a clip or headband. 

I don't curl often, but I have curled and straightened it before and it's been NBD with layers.

charlieyankee03

I'm getting my haircut tomorrow for the first time in months (i'm embarrassed to even say how long it's been) and that bob @buttercup1958 posted makes me want to do that! I'm going to be boring and just get a trim though since I want long hair for my wedding updo and it's currently about 4 inches below my bra strap. Then I'm totally chopping it.

ETA: Spelling is hard.

hellosweetie1015

I love layers. Without layers, I look like Weird Al. (No really. My hair looks just like his.)

I have noticed that layers around the face don't like to be contained. They look fantastic, but they fall out of a lot of things - low ponytails, braids, buns. I am a fan of layers beginning at my shoulder myself. Layers also tend to look better with bangs, so there's that (not necessarily straight-across, but something to accentuate the face, I guess - I dunno, I'm not a hairdresser, I can't explain this shit). I do think that picture would look fantastic, but I also warn you from personal experience that short layers around the face can make a round face look rounder. I dunno if you HAVE a round face, but it'd definitely be worth considering. 

I really and truly don't know how it does with fine/thin hair. My mom has really thin, wavy hair and she has layers, and my sister has fairly fine, really curly (think Shirley Temple) hair and she has layers, but I have fairly coarse, thick, curly hair. Short hair in general, but especially short hair with layers, can make curly hair poofier, but wavy/straight hair looks gorgeous.

I am SO ready for a haircut. I promised my brother I'd be his model for Paul Mitchell's honor program, but then he wound up having to go to a cardiologist and they don't allow you to miss more than one or two classes, so he's putting it on hold. I really really cannot wait; his goal is to "transform" his model, and I've told him the only rule is he cannot take more than six inches off the final overall length and I cannot leave as a blonde.

theartistformerlyknownas

southernbelle0915 said:

My haircut is actually really similar to the one in the OP - except it rarely looks that good and I don't have long bangs/as short hair in the front. To make my hair look like that, I have to get it blown out or spend a bunch of time on it myself. 

Ask your friend to explain what long layers versus short layers technically are (to a hairdresser). They're the opposite of what you'd think. I keep it straight in my head by "long" distance between the layers and "short" distance between the layers.

Long layers (more dramatic layering with hair at various lengths):

Short layers (just a bit of layering at the bottom):

ETA: Oh, and at that length in the OP, I can pull mine back. I have a few pieces that hang out in front and if it's in a high ponytail, I need a bobby pin in the back. But it can all go up.

I think we define long layers and short layers in opposite ways. The way I understand it - long layers = the shortest layer is still "long" relative to the longest layer/overall length of the hair, and short layers = the shortest layer is much shorter than the longest layer/overall length. It has nothing to do with how long your hair is. You can have long layers in short hair and short layers in long hair. 

buttercup1958

charlieyankee03  I would say do it! But I'm baised ha. I do wish I could have pretty updos at times but then I remember the easiness of my haircut.

larrygaga

I love layers but I always get longer ones so I can put my hair up without a thousand pins. I have bone straight hair so having no layers makes it really boring and flat. I know that layers aren't usually good for curly hair. I usually get a trim every 6 months or so, and my layers don't really grow out or lose enough shape that it looks bad. 

amelisha

charlieyankee03 said:

I'm getting my haircut tomorrow for the first time in months (i'm embarrassed to even say how long it's been) and that bob @buttercup1958 posted makes me want to do that! I'm going to be boring and just get a trim though since I want long hair for my wedding updo and it's currently about 4 inches below my bra strap. Then I'm totally chopping it.

ETA: Spelling is hard.

I bet I can one-up you on the haircut thing, don't be embarrassed. I got a haircut when I graduated university a year and a half ago and haven't had one since and I have a really, really stupid reason why.

It's because I hate the socialization part where you have to make small talk with your stylist and let her feign interest in your job and hobbies and then let her tell her everything you're doing wrong with your hair. And now it's been so long that I am terrified to go back to a salon because I KNOW I'm going to get the world's snottiest lecture on my split ends and the cut (especially because I've been making FI cut the ends off with my sewing scissors whenever it starts to look too long and gross...he's no stylist but he can cut in a straight line, so it's good enough for me.)

lc07

PPs have given you great advice. As far as curling your hair when it's layered, you just need to section it off as you go when you curl. Because it's possible that it will get a little strange if you try to curl a piece of hair that consists of multiple layers if the curler doesn't catch all of the hair. But if you clip and separate your hair while you curl, it's no big deal. 

sarawifenow

Well, ladies, here is the final product. I curled it this morning, but I really need to practice because I have only ever curled one length before. I'll definitely be using @Ic07 's tips!

 

Front

 

Back

 

loro929

Gorgeous! I love it - so shiny and healthy looking!

sarawifenow

Thanks @loro929! It was so dead before and the ends were crazy split.

ashley8918

That looks so pretty!

larrygaga

Now that is a cute 'do! I love your color, is that natural?