What do YOU consider a trim?

[hannabiss]

If there is already a thread I'm sorry.

For me I'd say it depends on the length. Basically anything that doesnt set you back a milestone. Example if you are at BSL and cut to APL thats a cut. Where as if you trim to were youre in between to me it's still a trim. So perhaps any where from a dusting to 3 inches is a trim and more than that seems to be a full on hair cut. I started thinking about this when it came to the Vow never to cut my hair again thread. Because maybe you will never truly cut your hair again yet still trim. Would trim signify cutting it does never cutting simply mean never make it significantly shorter again.

What your idea of a cut vs trim? Or are they one in same in your eyes?

[mermaid lullaby]

Trim and cut are the same in my eyes and I typically cut my hair myself.

[Sarahlabyrinth]

I would say anything less than two inches.

[mizukitty]

Personally, 1/2 inch is a trim for me. Anything over that is a cut, and less is just maintenance, dusting, S&D whatever. I figure that it's only 1 month of hair growth, so you're not going to lose length unless you do it more than every month. Then again, my hair is only BSL, so this tiny amount makes a difference for me, whereas someone with FTL might consider it a bit differently!

[littlestarface]

A cut is more than an inch to me, a trim is less than an inch.

[RavenRose]

I would say anything less than two inches.

Yep, this for me too.

An inch and a half is a big trim, but sometimes happens in the realm of evening out hems, especially if you have uneven growth, or chemical damage to trim out. If It is still is retaining the shape and basic style of the hair.

Although if you are changing the shape of your hair, even with a inch or so taken off I consider that a cut. like going from blunt to V hem, and you only take off a dusting at the center back, but the sides are much shorter, or putting in layers that weren't there previously, those are cuts.

[Nique1202]

Personally, I think a trim is when you're cutting hair to either maintain near a certain length or to even out a nearly-right hemline, and a chop/cut is when you're cutting hair to lose length. If you meet both criteria (cutting back 2-3 inches to fix the hemline or change its shape all at once instead of in smaller trims, sort of thing) then it's still mainly a cut because of the significant lost length.

[hannabiss]

I should say when it came to the 3 inch mark I mainly think of straightening a hemline as well. Personally I only ever trim an inch max.

[Anje]

Depends on the length, and whether you're maintaining length or actively growing.

When I was maintaining at tailbone or classic, a trim could be 3 or maybe even 4 inches. It just got me back to where I was keeping my hair after several months of not trimming. On the other hand, if your hair were only at APL or collarbone, that certainly would be more of a cut. It probably would be a legitimate cut too, if one were actively growing the hair longer, because it's a fairly significant step back in length and time needed to get to where you were.

[lapushka]

I basically consider anything over 1-2 inches a "chop", and BTW there's a thread on that, figure I'd link it here:
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=138615

[lulikrueger]

Depends on the case, mostly I'd say a trim is something that won't be a big visual difference. But when it comes to evening out hemlines, no matter how much you chop, I still think it's a trim if you're evening it out to the bulk of your hair.

[vampyyri]

1/2" or less is a trim to me.

ETA: Anje, I love your new avatar!! :D

[hanne jensen]

Personally I consider everything above 1 cm to be a trim. Below that dusting. Anything over 5 cm I consider a chop.

[turtlelover]

I would say that anything around a half inch for me would be considered a trim. Micro-trim would be more like an eighth to a quarter of an inch.

[Dark40]

I would say 1cm is trim. Just only the tips of your ends are a trim.

[patienceneeded]

To me, a cut is anything that alters the look/length/shape of the hair enough that OTHERS will notice. 1-2" is not something that most people will notice right away, so IMO, that's a trim. Anything beyond that is potentially a cut.

Or, trim is maintaining current style, a cut is changing the current style.

[Obsidian]

1/2 inch is a trim, anymore is a cut.

[Dark40]

A cut to me is taking off 2 or more inches, and a trim to me is only taking 1cm.

[Jo Ann]

Trim: What I tell the stylist I want

Cut/Chop: What the stylist DOES

But that's just me... :p

[Soj]

A trim is not a set amount in inches. It is the MINIMUM amount to even up ends/bangs or to remove ONLY damage near the ends such as split ends.

Unless the damage is bubblegum in the hair. That'd be a cut unless the bubblegum is only stuck in the very bottom part of the hair. LOL!

[pastina]

Trim: What I tell the stylist I want

Cut/Chop: What the stylist DOES

But that's just me... :p

Not just you, lol! This rang very true for me as well!

[moon_witch]

Personally, I think a trim is when you're cutting hair to either maintain near a certain length or to even out a nearly-right hemline, and a chop/cut is when you're cutting hair to lose length. If you meet both criteria (cutting back 2-3 inches to fix the hemline or change its shape all at once instead of in smaller trims, sort of thing) then it's still mainly a cut because of the significant lost length.

i totally agree with this!

[Rhodugune]

How interesting that what different things it can mean to people to have a cut or a trim.
I was just thinking about it the other day and as I see it trims is about trimming off damage for me and cuts are about changing the shape of your hair, maybe in cutting it in a different hairstyle or shaping your hemline going from a straight hemline to a deep V for an example.

So for me it's not about how much that is trimmed/cut off but the reason for it that makes it into a trim or a cut, as I considered I haven't had a cut since I was about 6 years old as I only have had trims to get rid of damage since then, having had my hair in the same hairstyle just different lengths depending on how much damage I have trimmed off.

[lithostoic]

A trim is to maintain the same style or just change the hemline. Even things out.

[browneyedsusan]

Warning: rambly post because I'm in a mood! :)

IMHO, it isn't a specific length, it's something we do to keep our ends nice.

Before TLHC, I always thought that a trim was what you did to maintain your "hairstyle". Trims keep pixies and bobs and other styles looking neat and tidy. Now, I view trims as something we do to keep our ends good.

A pixie can get 1/2" cut, and it will look different to other people; but that amount on WL wouldn't be noticeable to anyone else. DD20, trims a couple of inches off her length a few times a year, maintaining her hair between hip and waist length.

In my mind, a haircut is a departure from the previous hairstyle. I suppose for a "longhair" it could be defined as going back to the previous marker: from WL to BSL or shorter?

The term "chop" conjures negative -- almost painful-- feelings in my head when it's used to describe hair, but that just me. It's fine for vegetables or trees, but feels wrong for hair.

[Angelica]

No more than half an inch! Anything more is a proper haircut!

[Greenfire]

I see it differently, more like, a trim is a cut but not all cuts are trims type thing. A trim is just a little bit off though yes. (but quite often for me, I'll say cut even though it's just the same thing) So I'll say I cut my hair or trimmed my hair, but if I say something like, I got a new haircut, then I'm talking more about what @browneyedsusan is saying above, that it's a different hairstyle.

Like all lions are cats, not all cats are lions type thing!

[Aunty Miki]

I cut 1"/year for my trimming needs. Hair to my waist going for knee.

[Rebeccalaurenxx]

1\2" or less.

[ameliasuzanne]

Warning: rambly post because I'm in a mood! :)

IMHO, it isn't a specific length, it's something we do to keep our ends nice.

Before TLHC, I always thought that a trim was what you did to maintain your "hairstyle". Trims keep pixies and bobs and other styles looking neat and tidy. Now, I view trims as something we do to keep our ends good.

A pixie can get 1/2" cut, and it will look different to other people; but that amount on WL wouldn't be noticeable to anyone else. DD20, trims a couple of inches off her length a few times a year, maintaining her hair between hip and waist length.

In my mind, a haircut is a departure from the previous hairstyle. I suppose for a "longhair" it could be defined as going back to the previous marker: from WL to BSL or shorter?

The term "chop" conjures negative -- almost painful-- feelings in my head when it's used to describe hair, but that just me. It's fine for vegetables or trees, but feels wrong for hair.

I totally agree with this!!! When I first cut my hair into a pixie, everyone gasped and asked me, "Why did you chop off all your hair?!" And even though most people loved the way it looked, the language they used felt weird to me. I didn't get it hacked off... I got it styled really nicely!

Also agree with the definition of trim vs cut here. If it significantly changes the style, proportionate to the style/length, then it's a cut. If it's maintaining or just "cleaning up" for hair health, then it's a trim :)