How do you decide what styles suit you best?

[gohan]

While I've wanted long hair for a long time, I'm relatively new to it, with my longest layers nearly APL when pulled straight. As a guy who's had short hair essentially his whole life having the ability to change up my look so easily is new and kind of fun. But I also am used to just having one style every day and not having to worry about it. I have mostly just been trying different things out at home right now. Some things look terrible but may be functional enough that I use them at home, but would never in a million years wear it around others. Others I'm less sure about. I can't do anything to fancy right now given the lack of length so mostly wear ponytails and messy buns since I can managed those, but realized that I can tie them high or low or in between and they really look different, but I can't really decide if I can pull some of the looks off or not. How do you all decide?

[lapushka]

APL stretched is still relatively short. And if your hair is thick, it might not be that bunnable yet even though you say it is, so options are still quite limited at this point. Have you tried half-ups? You take hair behind your ear up and make a pony or bun. That might be another option for you.

[Corvana]

Teach yourself to braid, as well. Braids are great! Dutch are my favorite after plain English ones.

I've found I like how my face looks best with a side part before I do other stuff. Preferably on the left. But double buns or low pigtails also look cute so I wear them as well. But I've warmed up to my face with my hair pulled back, and now don't mind that either.

I think, honestly, you just need to get used to seeing your face in these styles. You'll be most bothered by it as you see yourself mentally a certain way and then can get a bit of a shock when you see a mirror. At least I do! But other people notice way way less, and even less so think about it negatively.

[Jo Ann]

If in doubt, I get a second opinion--a trusted friend or I ask Youngest Dear Son (who's eighteen and in high school) if my hairdo would embarrass him if he was seen with me by one of his friends :p

[leayellena]

hmm well I´ve checked enough hairstyles to know what suit me best actually. a haircut definitely doesn´t suit me: scoliois is one of the reasons. the second reason is: hair is too short to put into buns or braids to be protected. and of course people always expect you to do something with your hair... the third reason would be: face framing: god I hate this word. face framing means to me hair must fluff all over your head, neck, clothes and of course sweaty face.
what suits me best is a braided bun or nautilus. the braided bun is flat, stays welll when I wear a hat, it looks neat when I take off my hat. the nautilus is good to show off no matter what. it´s the classic bun, the most stabile bun and I don´t have to look strange when re-doing my bun.
I either accept my flyaways or team them with conditionere (co-wash) or a leave.in. but I can´t do the same thing with wisps aka layers.
no fluffiness or volume looks good on me. I just don´t like it. I want sleak straight as possible hair. I am not a manequin that goes to a luxury party in las vegas. so that stuff with "dress your hair" definitely doesn´t work on me.
my body needs long hair (aka very long over waist length) for the reasons that I stopped pulling my hair when it reached waist length. I need to see my hair and act accordingly: see the split ends, trim it myself, up do or braid it myself for the plain reason that I don´t trust hairdressers anymore. I need to experiment with my hair and see how it reacts: shedding and growing rate, wasing methods, its reaction to weather, stress, etc.
I see the "hair courage" in having the hair that most of the people hate, find gross or any other things against long hair. the true courage can be find in doctors, firefighters, etc., not in a haircut or bleach, sorry.
I decide my today´s style based on how I feel my hair in my fingers. yes, in 3 years I´ve learned it: my hair is breakable, so not doing fancy stuff right now helps. I usually stick with my braided cinna or nautilus because they are easy. I can´t do a figure 8 anymore: my hair is too thin at the ends and too slippery overal (the "pros" of famaged fluffy hair lol).

[embee]

It took me quite a while to feel comfortable with a bun. I was used to having my hair down, around me, somewhat a protective veil. Buns made me feel exposed. Dangle earrings helped quite a bit. ;)

[LadyCelestina]

It took me quite a while to feel comfortable with a bun. I was used to having my hair down, around me, somewhat a protective veil. Buns made me feel exposed. Dangle earrings helped quite a bit. ;)

I'm / I was like this too, I wear/wore it down a lot because I feel it makes me look slimmer&prettier :D Now, to explain why I added the past tense: these past few months, I gradually started wearing my hair up more. First it was only at home and in an updo that shows off length (peacock twist, but the tail is about SL for me), but it was enough to make me get used to the comfort of wearing hair up and it also taught me that I don't look hideous with hair in a bun :).

Then there were styles which I wore for a long time before realising they look awful on me ... a plain braid for example :D But it happens.

[Anje]

I usually beg for advice from someone I trust, usually my husband. There's definitely an element of getting used to seeing yourself differently, though I'm the sort who normally has (well, had) hair pulled back out of my face, so that looks most normal to me.

Then again, the husband is the one who thought I'd look cute in bangs. Those were objectively terrible, and the yardstick by which all future bad hairstyles can be compared against, as far as I'm concerned.

[gohan]

Sorry to be slow to respond, but thanks for all your thoughts! And yes it is still too short for most styles (my buns are the tangle your hair with a hair tie kind). But I hadn't really thought about just needing to get used to seeing myself a certain way. I've just been pulling it straight back since it was long enough and definitely thought I looked odd when I decided to try a part recently. I think it wasn't that big a deal growing my hair since the change happens so gradually vs instantaneously when you put your hair up a particular way. I think I just have to get used to it like you've said and maybe gather some opinions from some family or friends. And I am sure that other people probably don't notice the differences nearly as much as I do, but it definitely makes me feel a bit self conscious.

[Jo Ann]

FWIW, Gohan, I always felt self-conscious about my ears (can you say "Dumbo"? Funny thing--I never had to worry about my hat falling in my eyes :p ), so wearing my hair up in a bun took some getting used to on my part! I get what you mean about feeling self-conscious--but I found the things one usually is self-conscious about usually aren't noticed by others.

[gohan]

FWIW, Gohan, I always felt self-conscious about my ears (can you say "Dumbo"? Funny thing--I never had to worry about my hat falling in my eyes :p ), so wearing my hair up in a bun took some getting used to on my part! I get what you mean about feeling self-conscious--but I found the things one usually is self-conscious about usually aren't noticed by others.

I'm sure you're right. I find it ironic though, that I grew long hair because I wanted it and didn't care about what other thought of that even though it inherently makes me stand out as the guy with long hair. But now I worry about what people think about whether I have a part or not when I tie my hair back or if my ponytail/bun is lower or higher than normal. They probably just see the guy with long hair. Silly brain!

[cjk]

Work WITH your hair, and it will tend to lead you in the right direction. Beyond that, it's just personal preference, but with an eye towards the message you want to telegraph to others.

90% of communication is non-verbal.

[leayellena]

first of all: I discovered that bit combing my hair actually helps taming my hair. I can do a French braid!
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=28666&d=1505281452
second: I always try to work with yesterday´s braid. if my braid is too fuzzy or it "fell" appart, I will take it down and redo it (skipping the combing part from now on).
third: it depends on how my hair looks in the morning. in summer I would like to do more unbraided styles, let´s see how not combing my hair will help next summer. but when my hair is dry or frizzy I usually bun my braid.

[OhSuzi]

No one ever worries about how you look as much as you do yourself. Everyone else is usually too busy being self - conscious about themselves.

Bit of a sexist generalisation, but there is a culture of guys are supposed to just put up with ‘Banter’ & teasing
So if there is any one who says ooh yer bun looks girly or ooh hello side quiff or whatever – either have a comeback for them, because I bet their hair isn’t perfect.
Or just laugh & ignore it and accept this person is probably insecure or jealous, they’re probably the sort of person who's going to comment whatever it looks like - and it actually has no affect on them whether your hair is shaved or down or in a man bun, they don’t actually care – so you shouldn’t care what they think or change it for them or anyone else.

You could experiment, look at Pinterest and internet for some inspiration for a style you might like to try.
All the viking half up braid type things are very trendy at the mo & some of my fave styles.
Get a friend to help you / go to the hairdressers - if you ask they will give you tips about how to do a style for yourself / suggest products that may be good to use (you don’t have to buy theirs – unless you want to - but could find a cheaper alternative later)

There’s some people who just are not fans of long hair on guys – they’re entitled to their opinion, but its their problem, not yours.
And there’s other people, myself included - who loves long hair on guys and think it can be a really sexy attribute.

Try a hairstyle several times – at first it’s always going to look strange because you’re not used to it.
If you can get used to it & just own it everyone else will just accept it.

[spidermom]

I just go by what I personally like, although I will repeat a style if I get compliments on it even when I don't particularly like it.

[Snackpackdino]

I usually go for the styles that I find flattering for my face & forget about the others (even if someone else says it'd suit me :D ). If I'm unsure about a style, I try it at home few times with make up on and if I end up feeling comfortable with it, then I'll wear it.

If you can't decide, maybe search for a face shape analysis with hairstyle suggestions? :)

(New here, hello!)

[yahirwaO.o]

Well its a matter of try and failure and see if it fits my face or mood.

I know most people around think I look ok with the typical man bun however I hate it on me. For the unexpected attention and also because I have always hated my hair up no matter my lenght (I prefer having my hair down like hippie).

Honestly you are just new to the excitiment trying different styles and certainly im re discovering that feeling again as well since I chop my hair but try not to over fuzz about it for the persuade of looking good to others.

I have realized that i'll find people giving me bad looks no matter what my hair looks like and also if they do like me at fist I wouldnt stand them too long just for my personal looks, if that for my real personality and genuine me or my professional job etc.

Now the sleek all back works ok for most people (I hate it on me) and I personally favour middle parting because it screams 70's hippie and also goes my witn indigineous backgound too. Its classic yet unexpected for the avarage guy. Some people call me nerdy-outdated but I feel pretty confident rocking it ..........and that's the most important answer to know if you are diggin the style you see on the mirrror when you feel cool about it.

[AZDesertRose]

The short version is "trial and error."

Basically, try different styles. Wear them a few times and see how you like them, how well they do what you want them to do.

My list of What I Generally Want My Hairstyle To Do goes basically:

~The style keeps my hair out of my face/out of the way.

~The style stays put reasonably well.

~The style isn't uncomfortable in some way (doesn't pull on my scalp, doesn't rest at a point on my head that gives me a headache or neck pain, that sort of thing).

~The style doesn't require me to attempt to fashion it more than three times to get it to stay put; if that happens, it's not going to be the 'Do Of The Day for that day, at least.

Your list may and in fact probably will differ, because what any given person wants their hair to do is going to be a pretty individual set of requirements, based on their life and their priorities. There are no absolutely wrong or right answers; the right answers are the answers that are right for you, for the day, for the occasion, etc.

And yes, if you're used to wearing your hair short/down, getting used to wearing it up does require an adjustment. For me personally, I don't like how I look with any short hairstyle I've tried since early adolescence, but long hair pinned up looks fine on myself to my eyes. Go figure. :D

I hope you find something or several things that work for you! :flower:

[Ulessa]

I try and do styles that will match my face shape (elongate my round face) but at the same time have that feel of the style I'm going for. For example, if I was going for...say something gothic I'd have either lots of volume or have it slick and adjust according to what fits you better.