The Ultimate Question: All one length or layers for wavy hair?

[Tangles]

I restrict this discussion for wavies, because the general consensus is that layers look awkward on very straight hair and help define curly hair. (I'm not saying straighties can't rock layers or that curlies need them, but this is sort of the "safe" rule of thumb). But what about wavies?

When I don't layer my hair, it looks pretty straight once past around BSL, but it also has the tendency to look rattier if it's not perfectly healthy, whereas layers give bounce and distract from less than perfect ends. *However,* I find the general look of all one length more mesmerizing *if* the ends are in great shape.

From a style standpoint, layers look more modern and edgy and "lift" the face up, whereas all one length is classic, sedate.

What do you all think? Let's end the debate once and for all, or at least have a good time trying.

[manderly]

My hair tends to mat up on itself if my layers get too grown out and my hair appears shorter and bigger. An excellent example is to look at the photo of my meet with Mishka_84 (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=14475&highlight=meet+paradise) and my avatar. Both were taken on the same day, yet my avatar hair appears much longer, because I just combed it. It was a bit matted up when I took the photo with Mishka_84.


I always joked that when I went to the salon, my hair would be longer when I left than when I went in.

Having layers "frees" my ends from themselves.

[Tangles]

My hair tends to mat up on itself if my layers get too grown out and my hair appears shorter and bigger. An excellent example is to look at the photo of my meet with Mishka_84 (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=14475&highlight=meet+paradise) and my avatar. Both were taken on the same day, yet my avatar hair appears much longer, because I just combed it. It was a bit matted up when I took the photo with Mishka_84.


I always joked that when I went to the salon, my hair would be longer when I left than when I went in.

Having layers "frees" my ends from themselves.

Hmm, very interesting. For me, layers make my hair more lightweight and thus fluffier (for a good example of this, there's a pic in my profile with poofy hair and straight hair on the same day). I don't have a lot of layers, though. And you're right, All One Length can mat more easily regardless.

[spidermom]

Length goal plays into it. Since I'm planning to keep growing it until my hair length passes my hiney, no layers for me. The bottom-most layer would be much too thin. The longer it gets, the fewer hairs actually make it to the longest lengths as it is. I shed out a lot of hairs shorter than that.

At BSL, however, layers were terrific. They'd probably be fine at waist length, too.

[Lamb]

I am not a wavy, but I have experienced something similar to what Manderly described. I let all my layers grow out during spring/summer, and to my dismay, it got tangly/knotty/damaged-looking by August. I thought it had something to do with layers vs. all one length, but wasn't sure - this time, as I am starting again from a layered short bob, I'll try to preserve some layers as my hair grows out, just to see if it makes any difference.

[Madam Librarian]

I am a huge fan of layers. My hair definitely knots up much, much more when one length.

I think my waves behave better with layers as well. They clump together and seem to just plain look better with layers. I don't get the classic triangle head that some curlies do with one length hair, but I do get a weird looking mess of something going on! :p

I'm on the wavier/almost curly end of the spectrum. I'm a little interested in whether more 2a's prefer one length hair while 2c's prefer layers, but I definitely preferred layers as a 2a too, so there is likely a good deal of personal preference thrown in to the mix as well.

[cuddledumplin]

Layers always look wonky on me. They stick out or just don't hang right or something. I prefer my hair all one length.

[Tangles]

I guess to me, all one length (except, perhaps, some face framing wispies) seems the ideal. It is what I picture when I think of beautiful long hair. *shrugs*

Sometimes I feel like layers look wonky on me, but then some mornings I'd wake up and they'd fall really nicely. I don't know.

[mommy101405]

First of all I will say that I think I am a bit wavier than I have in my profile. I need to look through the hair typing info again I've just been too lazy. :rolleyes:

But I personally like my layers. I'm at almost APL and if I don't have layers I feel like my hair just puffs out and makes me look like a triangle on a stick. Maybe as I get more length the weight will help tame it a little more and lay a little sleeker. I think its also b/c although my hair is quite fine I have a TON of hair.

[RavennaNight]

I prefer one length. My hair swings wildly between 2A-2c, lately more 2a. I had layers once and it made my hair too big. It was also a bit shorter. The layers ended up getting on my nerves and I ended up cutting to one-length. Face framing layers don't count though.

[nicolezoie]

When my hair was shorter, and before I came to the realization that I even had wavy hair, my wave pattern NEVER was the same day in and day out. More often than not it looked rumpled and was described as "wild" by some people. It didn't seem to matter if it was one length, natural shaped, or with some layering. I preferred one length, although it tended to go more towards a natural U shape. Anyhow, the point is, for my hair and hair type, it didn't matter what I did about my shape, it did what it wanted to. Sorry if I'm not much help.

One good thing about my hair since it's gotten uberlong, I've figured out my waves and how to make them look all right. My shape is more or less U with a natural taper, but closer to one-length than not, and the way my ends hang (when I let them) is in wavelet-ringlets. It's tangly, but looks cool.

[joyellen]

Before finding LHC, I would flat iron my hair whenever I wore it down, so layers looked fine for me. Now that I'm not flat ironing my hair anymore, I find that they make my hair look much frizzier than it is. I'm going to grow out the layers because they don't look good. At least not heavy ones.

[Tangles]

NicoleZoie, your hair looks pretty straight to me--I bet the length really weighs it down. It's lovely--straight with texture!

[Isblå]

My hair despises bluntness. Anything blunt looks just plain weird. My hair is a circus with all kinds of wave patterns, from almost straight to ringlets. If I see a ringlet that ends bluntly I take out my scissors. Right now I have my shortest layer at shoulder length, this is too short and will be grown out now.

[skay]

I restrict this discussion for wavies, because the general consensus is that layers look awkward on very straight hair and help define curly hair. (I'm not saying straighties can't rock layers or that curlies need them, but this is sort of the "safe" rule of thumb). But what about wavies?

When I don't layer my hair, it looks pretty straight once past around BSL, but it also has the tendency to look rattier if it's not perfectly healthy, whereas layers give bounce and distract from less than perfect ends. *However,* I find the general look of all one length more mesmerizing *if* the ends are in great shape.

From a style standpoint, layers look more modern and edgy and "lift" the face up, whereas all one length is classic, sedate.

What do you all think? Let's end the debate once and for all, or at least have a good time trying.


I have wavy hair and in general prefer one length hair.

I think it may be easier to take care of and I feel I have longer hair with one length instead of staggered levels of hair.

[ilovelonghair]

I naturally have layers, due to hair growing different at the front. Not so sure if that will stay like that though, they seem to be growing out now, which is good for lenght, but I think they'll come back when hair gets terminal.
I think layers can look good on some people, it depends on the type of hair. I have seen straight layered hair that looked good, but it was only with layers around the face, not the backside of the hair.

[psimons]

I have very thick wavy hair. When it was longer it was all one length and it lacked movement - just basically sat on my back like a heavy hair-hat. I think I'll keep the layers I have now and see what difference they make. If I don't like them, I can always chop them off.

[misstwist]

I have modified Feye's self-trimming technique (in a way I can't really describe, I just do it) so that I end up with a U-shaped hemline with very light layering in the last two inches.

I like the movement it gives to my hair when it's down but those layers and that hemline shape are a major pain when braided.

Since my preferred updo is a braided bun or a rosestem bun I intend to groom my hemline back to one length as I pass waist (my goal is hair long enough for a coronet braid, that looks like it will be thigh length on me).

If my goal was waist and I planned to wear it down most of the time I would leave the layering.

[noelgirl]

I prefer some layering - I have a major tendency towards triangle head with canopy frizz, and layers seem to alleviate both problems for me.

[atlantaz3]

I asked this same question not to long ago. I decided not to cut layers at this time. The DH didn't like the sample picture I had in mind. My crown hair is very straight with the under layers very wavy. However cut short all my hair has a tendency to go straight - the longer my hair gets the wavier - which I would have thought the weight would pull it straight. For me, I wanted layers to produce a more natural look, not to straighten my hair with the blow dryer. But I decided my waves were probably too ratty looking to look as nice as I wanted the layers to look. Plus I like my thick hair and grew out layers and bangs. I remember how painful growing out bangs was for me. I'm not saying I won't ever cut layers back in just not yet or soon.
All that said there are some very nice pictures of people with long wavy layers here that I envy!

[chloeishere]

I prefer one-length for longer hair (personal preference, I just like my hair to look as thick as possible!), but I've had layers in the past. I tend to get the "flip" look with layers-- very Mary Tyler Moore-- and I don't like the look. I'm growing out layers right now, and I feel like the ends get more damaged feeling in the shorter layers, as well.

I think I'd like layers more if my hair was more curly, but stuck with mini-waves as I have... nah, they aren't for me. :)

[Stacy_E]

I'd like to know the answer to this for my hair. I started growing my hair with layers already in it, and I have been trimming them too. My longest hair is now grown to just past BSL, and my goal is waist. I recently decided that I might prefer the look my wavy hair as one length vs. layers (hair like Snowymoon's, Shell's, and Faepirate's are in part my inspiration for this), so my growing plan is to grow to waist, then gradually trim away the layers to achieve all one length. Whether my hair would look better with layers maintained or all one length is something I do not know yet.

But I suspect that because my hair is fine, I'm not seeing the advantage of layers to "free my waves", but rather I have a somewhat thin-looking hemline at times, and would prefer to have a thicker hemline.

[Raven69]

UGH!!! I hate layers! It takes FOREVER to get all the layers to grow out to one length once I can't stand being a layer anymore. Yeah it looks good on me. But layers should be restricted for 'shorties' (BSL and shorter...yeah I know you prob think your hair is already long - been there, felt that...but no it isn't - not yet anyways!) I couldn't imagine having my hair that is past my bottom be turned into layers...even with the stylist styling it - it wouldn't look right.

When I was BSL and shorter, I would "let" the stylist layer it cause I knew it looked good. My hair used to be super wavy/curly when I was a kid, and by having layers it would cut down on the super thickness of my hair and lower the volumization. But to try and sit there with a curling iron trying to get it to curl the way its supposed to - is tedious! I am not a morning person so I procrastinate getting up till the last possible second!

[Red Jezebel]

I prefer all one length on myself. But then that's because I'm a bit obsessive about symmetry and if I had layers I'd be forever tormented if they didn't look even, I prefer neat hair. The nearest I'd get to layers would be maybe a U or V blunt cut.

[Boudicca]

It depends who thick your hair is. I was going to have layers done when my hair was bsl and I was trying to grow my fringe out. The hairdresser, however, told me that although it looked like I had a lot of hair, my hair wasn't actually too thick - so layers would have been very thinning.

[Babyfine]

I need all one length if my hair is going to be anything more than a couple of inches below shoulders. My hair is thin, so I don't have the triangle or mushroom look even when it's shorter.

[maskedrose]

Well, I'm growing out my layers right now as well. Because mine is very fine (although there is a lot of it), layers make my hair floaty and wild-looking. When I was at shoulder and APL, I always felt like a bush-woman, due to the layered ends sticking out all over the place. Not to mention that I was a poofy diamond head for months. Now that my hair is nearing waist and my shortest layers are now about APL, I'm much happier with how it lays. I love blunt, thick hemlines, so I will be slowly trimming the rest of the layers out when I get to waist, but I will definitely be keeping my few face-framing layers to give my hair a bit of "lift" in front. As they get longer, I've also found that I like my wave pattern even more - my hair now ripples down my back to end in pretty ringlets.

[Anje]

I'm only slightly wavy, but I prefer one length, at least as much as I can get, because there just wouldn't be enough hair at the ends if I had layers. My hair is fine and floaty enough to have plenty of movement anyway (though not that awesome heavy swingy look I love on other longhairs), and because of the length I have a lot of natural layers starting to form as the front grows more slowly than the back.
(Speaking of enough hair at the ends, I need to take a new sig pic. The ends are looking thicker already...)

[RocketDog]

when my hair was hip-length and just had a few light, feathery layers in the front (shortest was collarbone length) it looked great.

Having my hair all one length at my current stage (longest hair at collarbone) looks bad - I have serious triangle-head floof going on unless I tame my hair down with oil. I'll probably keep one or two gradual layers in my hair until I'm past BSL, just so it looks less poofy at the hemline.

[jojo]

Hi, for me one length is much better, my hair sits better and doesn't get as knotty. with layers my hair feels thin and makes me look like the wild woman of borneo! however a lot of it comes down to thickness too I think!

[teela1978]

When I have layers they tend to cause the 'shelf effect' where all the layers above the bottom one look fine, but then kinda curl funny and make a definite line between the top and bottom layers. That may not make any sense :silly: I prefer a blunt cut though. Even when my hair was curling more the layers just made it do strange things.

[lyria]

I have wavy hair and I like my layers. they're not dramatic, but they give it shape and body and make it look sort of like a mane!

[rapunzhell13]

I have wavy hair and am leaning towards a blunt hemline for the future, but time will tell and this could very well change. I think it might be easier for up-dos, but since I've never had hair longer than APL, I wouldn't really know! :o

[Aditi]

I have wavy hairs but lately they are turning straight(i.e. loosing my wavy's) don't know the reason why? Anyways i am a big fan :cheer: of layers. But i prefer layers which give length and body to hairs and defines facial features, that way if they are not properly managed still they look natural on your face.

[Arctic_Mama]

This is a tough one for me. I have ridiculous amounts of hair and so while layers help alleviate the super triangle head when it is short in the end it's no good - I end up with more splits because layered ends are hard to properly trim, even with s&d, and beyond BSL I find all one length much more flattering and impressive looking. It looks less conventional, I think, which I find attractive. My ends do get more tangly, but that's the price to pay for extreme lengths. One of my biggest goals is cutting off my layers at butt length, actually.

[Katze]

I don't like my layers. The shortest official 'layer' - as opposed to all my 'face framing' ones, bangs, baby hairs, wispies - is where my hair is at its finest, but gets the most damaged. If it were as long as my long layer, I could trim it more easily, but the ends are just wispy and thin. Because of these layers, my ends look thin, and my hair seems ratty and unhealthy even though I have cut maybe 12 inches off since coming here.

When my hair is wavier, layers and the natural taper I have look OK. But my hair seems to be going straight, so perhaps that is why I don't like the layers?

[Bun15]

Before finding LHC, I would flat iron my hair whenever I wore it down, so layers looked fine for me. Now that I'm not flat ironing my hair anymore, I find that they make my hair look much frizzier than it is. I'm going to grow out the layers because they don't look good. At least not heavy ones.
OMG YES
The downside for me is that layers, even if it's 1 or 2, make my hair look very frizzy.
My hair is naturally pretty thick, so it gets heavy the longer it gets. That and my waves are not defined and are large so the definition of the actual wave is taken away. On one hand, layers can be pretty cool to my hair, however, they make it look really frizzy, even thought it's not. On the other, no layers looks neater and better, but there's only so much length I can allow my hair to grow with no layers.
What I'll probably do is just let the current layers grow out really long and keep them not too far off from the actual length of my hair. So basically just a few long layers. Might change my mind over time though.
Anybody got suggestions?

[biogirl87]

All that said there are some very nice pictures of people with long wavy layers here that I envy!atlanta, I think the grass is always greener on the other side. I think my hair is going to look better (thicker) when I grow out the layers.