waist+ and layers - does it work?

[adrenaline]

Hey! Last week i was at a new hairdresser, and i got a simple trim. I asked if she can trim my layers as well, but she told me it's unusual to cut layers when someone has waist+ long hair. That's already the second time a hairdresser told me this. I actually don't understand why this shouldn't work (official statement: 'it doesn't look good'), i have already seen hip long hair with layers and it looked gorgeous (i think it was DreamSheep :D:D), but why do hairdresser refuse to cut them?
Anybody here who has waist+ long hair and layers? Do you cut them yourself or do you go to a hairdresser to trim your layers?

[vampyyri]

I do, but I'm growing mine out. There are no "rules" in hair, and they should be doing exactly what you pay them to do instead of thinking they know better than you.

ETA: I know the hair dresser that I used to go to has gotten progressively more scared to do my hair the longer it has become, so perhaps they're intimidated by the length?

[kendraf]

long hair specialists put layers in waist+ hair all the time and it looks great! Particularly for thicker hair types.

[turtlelover]

Perhaps she thinks your hair is too thin to handle the layering at the length it is? I see a lot of long hair with too much layering, and to me, it just looks thin and sad. On the other hand, just a little bit of layering on the right thicker hair types can look fantastic. Some layering is so subtle that it really doesn't detract from a nice thick hemline.

[pailin]

I think it depends on your hairtype and on what you're expecting from layers. There are some people around this board who find it makes really think hair more manageable. But for shorter hair (certainly for me it was like this), layers is a way of lightening it and getting more volume /lift around your face. I don't want them at this length because it's too long for that to be so helpful.
Also despite all the scary bad haircut experiences some people get, I think the majority of hairdressers really are aware that people with really long hair are pretty invested in it, and they're very afraid to get it wrong.

[spidermom]

Maybe that particular hair stylist isn't good at doing layers.

[Llama]

Hairdressers don't know how to handle long hair a lot of the time. Maybe they get nervous around it since most of their clients have short hair?

[Anya15]

Lapushka is at classic and has lovely layers. DreamSheep is another longhair with layers. There are lots of others I've seen on here, too.

I personally don't like short layers on long hair (for myself) and I am trying to grow mine out, maybe when I grow them out completely and reach a length I like, I might cut in some very subtle, long layers. I am a wavy so my hair tends to fall flat sometimes, the layers give it a bit of movement.

The compact cut method is a DIY layering method, I think there's a thread on it somewhere.

[nakima]

maybe the ones that told you that are afraid if they tried they might ruin your hair? I would ask around and see if anybody knows a hair dresser that specializes in long hair styles and talk to them, if that's what you really want to do. Just a thought :)

[Whirled_peas]

I think it depends a lot on texture.

[adrenaline]

Hairdressers don't know how to handle long hair a lot of the time. Maybe they get nervous around it since most of their clients have short hair?
Yes, i think, this is the case ... I don't think my hair is too thin since my circumference is almost 4 inch (10cm), it should work, shouldn't it? :confused: My layers look awful at the moment, my tips are healthy, but this year no hairdresser trimmed my layers. I will look for the tutorials to cut my hair on my own, maybe it works better :o i've seen pictures of DreamSheep, her hair is simply gorgeous and i would love to see lapushka's pictures as well :) unfortunately i didn't see any (so far), but maybe she drops over at this thread and wants to share :)

[lapushka]

If it's waist length, you could try layering it yourself with the compact cuts; you will have short(er) layers, though, so I'm not sure if everyone can handle that part of it.

You just put a ponytail in, then cut a bit off.
First method: on the top of the head (longer, more even layers throughout).
Second method: on the top of the forehead (shorter layers up front, longer ones in back).

I have classic length and my method is the second one. My shortest layers are BSL right now but I'm growing the first method out.

[Anya15]

If it's waist length, you could try layering it yourself with the compact cuts; you will have short(er) layers, though, so I'm not sure if everyone can handle that part of it.

You just put a ponytail in, then cut a bit off.
First method: on the top of the head (longer, more even layers throughout).
Second method: on the top of the forehead (shorter layers up front, longer ones in back).

I have classic length and my method is the second one. My shortest layers are BSL right now but I'm growing the first method out.

Lapushka, suppose one did this with the ponytail at the back of the head (i.e. much lower down than the usual top of the head) would it lead to longer and more subtle layers?

[lapushka]

Lapushka, suppose one did this with the ponytail at the back of the head (i.e. much lower down than the usual top of the head) would it lead to longer and more subtle layers?

The methods I describe come from the book, "Haircutting for dummies". And they only list these two methods for layering.

I can't find anything on the method you're suggesting, so I guess it's going to be trial & error. It makes sense, somehow, but whether the results are going to be any good, IDK. You might end up with a chunk out of your hair if you make the ponytail too low.