Would you 'fix' this hemline?

[ClareDee]

I'm not totally happy with the hemline of my hair, and wondered if I could get some opinions.
I had this idea that I'd do a full year of leaving my hair alone and would then start trimming in September (the end of the leaving-it-alone year). But I wonder if I should maybe just fix it now, because I think it's starting to look ragged, with the thin underlayer jutting out from under the main bulk of hair.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v139/frogmella/hairmeasuringMAYcopy.jpg

What do you think? Does that hemline call out to you for help? :D Your honest opinion is appreciated :flower: Thanks

(P.S. that's my hair-measuring top, which could also pass as high-visibility gear for nighttime cyclists :p)

[Heavenly Locks]

IF you decided to 'fix' it, how much are you wanting to take off?

[ClareDee]

IF you decided to 'fix' it, how much are you wanting to take off?

To the top of the pink stripe, where most of the hair ends. Just to even it up. :)

That'd be maybe 2" off the underlayer I think :hmm: I haven't measured it exactly.

[Delilah]

Fix it? It's not broken.

Also your hairs will grow at different speeds, it may get more uneven in a good way as it grows and resolve the 2-layer issue.
I say leave it be and save the trimming for a year or so down the line when you have damage and splits to trim off.

[cindy58]

If it were me, I would trim to the top of your pink stripe and then enjoy the thick, even hem for the summer. I've had a couple trims like that along the way, and after a bit of a shock, I was happy with it.

[Heidi_234]

I have the same dilemma now... My bottom thin layer is 2"-3" longer, could you imagine that? But I'm reluctant to cut it to the bulk of my hair as it is alot of length there, and I'll be back to waist.
Anyway, I guess, first of all try to not think about your hemline. It won't bug you if you won't think about it. If that doesn't work, take the two week rule, and then come back in two week and see if you got over the urge or didn't. If you didn't, the top of the pink stripe seems to be the ultimate hemline, but - maybe you could trim less at first and see how that's working for you.
Your hair have grown so fast! I remember you barely brushing the pink stripe... :)

[Heavenly Locks]

To the top of the pink stripe, where most of the hair ends. Just to even it up. :)


That's what I thought you would say, but I wasn't sure. :)



If it were me, I would trim to the top of your pink stripe and then enjoy the thick, even hem for the summer.

I agree with Cindy58! :flower:

[Kitara]

I would probably trim it. Maybe you could split the difference and do 1" trim to see if you were pleased with it.

[AJoifulNoise]

If it is bothering you, then I'd say trim it to the top of that pink stripe.

[spidermom]

It depends. If you wear it down most of the time, then yes, it would look better with a trim (to me). But if you plan to wear it up most of the time, then every extra inch of length helps, so no trim.

[Arctic]

First of all: wow you hair grows FAST!

You know, I would cut the underlayer to the level of canopy. Then you could enjoy your hair more and wear it down with feeling good about it. I am all for having a hair I love during the growing our period.

ETA. It looks like your hair maybe grows in an inverted U shape?

[ravenreed]

I would trim it if it were me. I am a fairly aggressive trimmer and while I am not getting length very quickly, I am very happy with how my hair looks as it is, because the ends look nice. Unless, of course, you wear your hair up all the time, in which case it doesn't matter, does it? I wear mine down often enough to want things even. But if I wore it up all the time, I don't think I would care so much.

It is kind of amazing how fast different parts of our hair grows. I notice a serious difference between the right and left side of my hair, which is one reason I don't think I would last a whole year with no trims. If I go 5 months, there is almost a 1.5" difference.

[wintersun99]

If it were me, I would trim to the top of your pink stripe and then enjoy the thick, even hem for the summer. I've had a couple trims like that along the way, and after a bit of a shock, I was happy with it.

I would too. I think it's important to enjoy your hair as you grow, so if you are unhappy with it, than don't feel bad or guilty for trimming a little now.

[kdaniels8811]

Good advice, Spidermom! I find my fairytale ends really help with updo's.

[jivete]

I'm having a similar dilemma. My hair is wavy, so it hides the difference a little better. I do agree with Spidermom, if you want to wear your hair down a lot, I'd go ahead and trim it because I do think it would look better.

If you don't want to sacrifice length, you could do small trims to let the top layer catch up. That's what I'm doing, but I haven't been as agressive as I should. So while I think you should go ahead and trim it, I haven't had the guts to do mine yet. I keep saying, when it gets a little longer, I'll trim more off. That day still hasn't come.

Maybe trim 1/2", see if it looks better to you and then go from there.

[Wavelength]

You've already received some good advice. I just wanted to say that I like your "hair-measuring top"! :D

[Tabitha]

If it were me, I would trim. Especially if you enjoy wearing it down, as Spidermom says. I'm a great believer in loving the hair you have, rather than being unhappy for the sake of a little extra length. My personal preference is for a blunt hemline or deliberate layers rather than fairytale ends, and I think this shows more on straight hair rather than wavy or curly hair.

My last haircut ended up a little more layered than I bargained for and I'm due to have a few inches trimmed at the end of the month to even out a bit. For me, I like a shallow U with slightly bevelled edge rather than solid line, and the slight bevelling helps the ends tuck into updos - but too much of a difference between layer lengths, and I get the problem of "sprouts" sticking out of braids and buns, making them look untidy.

[Akiko]

Your hair is beautiful.:) I think it would be nice to wear it down sometimes without being bothered by uneven ends.

If you trim to the top of the pink line, can you still do ponytail or other updos you currently like to wear? If you can, I would trim. If you cannot, then it might be better to wait a little so that you can wear updos, too.

I did not trim for six months or so and realized my ends were getting quite uneven. I felt I had to wear up all the time. So I trimmed. Now I feel so much better about my hair. I like updos. But it's quite nice to feel free to wear in various ways including down or a half-up.

[enfys]

If it were me I'd trim, and have a fear that if I left it, it could get worse. What if it always grows twice as fast and by September it's almost 4" longer than the rest?!

It does depend on your favoured way of wearing your hair, but I imagine even a pony tail might look a bit funky with the longer bits underneath.

[enfys]

For me, I like a shallow U with slightly bevelled edge rather than solid line, and the slight bevelling helps the ends tuck into updos - but too much of a difference between layer lengths, and I get the problem of "sprouts" sticking out of braids and buns, making them look untidy.

Sprouts is the perfect word for them! I don't have as much layering as you, but I still have a sprout problem.

[janeytilllie]

I would say trim to the pink stripe.

In my IMHO I think your hair looks fine.:) But if it’s bother you and you don’t feel happy with it. Trim it

2 inches would grow back quickly. Your hair has super duper growth speed! It would grow back in no time.:D

I love your hair growth top! It’s really cool! :D

HTH :flower:

[mugglemomof3]

You've had some great replies. I'd personally cut to the top of the pink stripe too, and enjoy it from there. I've done something similar in the past and was very pleased with the results.\

That is a FANtastic top for length comparison shots. Way to go you!

[Heidi_234]

2 inches would grow back quickly. Your hair has super duper growth speed! It would grow back in no time.:D
Mind you, 2" are 4 months of growth for me. Not always that fast. :flower:

[ClareDee]

Thanks to you all for the replies :flowers: It's great to hear so many opinions (and thanks for the comments on my top too :D )
I think I'll go for it... I do want to wear my hair down quite a lot. I've been bunning my hair since January when it was 2" shorter anyway, so I'll still be able to bun it (even if not as neatly as I can do it now).
I'm taking a look at Feye's self-trim method at the moment and I might try it. Thanks again all.

[Natalia]

Your hair is lovely with beautiful shine but i personally prefer very wide U shaped hems or blunt. Its doesnt look bad by any means i just like a tidier look. Its all up to you darling :D

[Niphredil]

It depends. If you wear it down most of the time, then yes, it would look better with a trim (to me). But if you plan to wear it up most of the time, then every extra inch of length helps, so no trim.
That is what I was going to say!

Also, is this difference because of growing-out layers or is it a difference in growth-rate ? If it is the latter, you might to schedule trims to keep it even if that is the look you are after. In the first case, you probably want to get rid of the ends anyway so trimming now is just a good as in September, plus you get the nice looking hemline for summer. Your hairtype is the only one I (personally!) like a blunt hemline on.

[magpielaura]

At first I thought trimming to the pink stripe would be good...But then I wondered if the contrast between the colours in your 'measuring top' was giving the impression that there was more of a 'step' in thickness than there really is. Have you only looked at back-of-head shots taken with this top? Try a solid colour background and see if it still looks so distinct. It would be really annoying to find it looks exactly the same in a few months time when it is back at this length!

[lora410]

If you can pull it up and hide it until the rest catches up that would work. If you trim and even it ou tthen next thing you know the top will be outgrowing the bottom and you never get anywhere :p

[LisaJaney]

I'd do the BOTTOM of the pink stripe and see what you think. Take off LESS than you want; you can always take off more later. Do you have a friend who could/would do this for you, or are you paying someone to do this? (that may affect my decision).

But I'm really with (other than my thinking the bottom of the pink may do the trick) Spidermom: if the hair's mostly UP, then what's the harm in having an uneven hemline? :shrug: If it's down much, then I'd go with a trim to even it up a bit. My gosh but you have a lot of hair. :jealous: My hair would never do that. (too thin, too fairytale, almost nonexistant)

[ClareDee]

Done...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v139/frogmella/selftrim1.jpg

It was quite hard to do the U-shape self-trim... I was bringing my hair over my shoulders to cut it, but because it's so short it was too close to my face for me to properly see what I'm doing. Still it turned out well -- it looks better than it did anyway.
I do feel a bit sad that I'm back to where I was in December/Jan, length-wise. But, hair grows, right? :p
Thanks for the comments all :toast:

[Wavelength]

You did a great job! Congrats!

[janeytilllie]

Done...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v139/frogmella/selftrim1.jpg

It was quite hard to do the U-shape self-trim... I was bringing my hair over my shoulders to cut it, but because it's so short it was too close to my face for me to properly see what I'm doing. Still it turned out well -- it looks better than it did anyway.
I do feel a bit sad that I'm back to where I was in December/Jan, length-wise. But, hair grows, right? :p
Thanks for the comments all :toast:

Great job! It looks lovely! :)

[Akiko]

Excellent job! I felt sad when I trimmed, too. But every time I saw a new clean hemline in a mirror, I was happy. Soon I realized the trimming was good and did not feel sad anymore. I hope you feel the same way soon. And yes, hair will grow!:)

[Tabitha]

Great result, Claire! :thumbsup:

[magpielaura]

It looks great! I do self trims now I'm beyond waist and feel that I still can't see the ends to do it properly....I certainly don't achieve such a neat hemline as you have. I think you made the right decision compareing the before and after.

[ClareDee]

Thanks for the compliments :flowers: It feels quite a bit shorter at the sides, and thicker... I'll feel better about wearing it down in public now that it's neater.
:beerchug:

[Isilme]

wow, you should be really proud of yourself for doing such a neat and nice self trim! It turned out very well:)

[Tap Dancer]

I was too late to vote, but I would have said to trim the ends. You did a fantastic job and your hair looks thicker and healthier now. :thumbsup:

[Arctic]

It looks great!

[ClareDee]

Thanks Isilme, TapDancer, Arctic :toast:

Now I'm ready to leave it alone again :D

[Kiraela]

If it were my hair, I'd trim it.

I hope you are happy with whatever you decide to do, though. :)

ETA: I think you did a lovely job with the trim! Your color is beautiful, too.

[enfys]

I'm going to be naughty and say it feels good to be right heehee.

It looks fab now Clare, you did such a great job!

[GlennaGirl]

Done...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v139/frogmella/selftrim1.jpg

It was quite hard to do the U-shape self-trim... I was bringing my hair over my shoulders to cut it, but because it's so short it was too close to my face for me to properly see what I'm doing. Still it turned out well -- it looks better than it did anyway.
I do feel a bit sad that I'm back to where I was in December/Jan, length-wise. But, hair grows, right? :p
Thanks for the comments all :toast:

WOW. Good job.

[AmyJorgensen]

Here I was getting ready to vote trim and you already did it. It looks great! Nice job on the self trim.

[Speckla]

That looks great. I wasn't brave enough to cut mine so I enlisted my husband to do it.

[ClareDee]

Thanks all! Must say it is kind of scary when you do the first few point-of-no-return snips. After that, you get into it :)
I'll have to remeasure when I find my measuring tape, since I've probably gone back to 20" or so. I'm so used to going by stripes that I forget about inches :)

[lynnala]

I think I would trim too, up to the pink line where the next layer starts. It will look awesome!

Oh! I didn't see that you'd trimmed, it looks great!

[tiny_teesha]

I'm too late to vote, but my first intinct when i trim is to trim half way that i want to, because if your hair grows like that it will just grow like that again. If you go half way it will look better and by the time it becomes original length again it will have thickened up so you then again let it grow that bit more and then trim half way- so effectively you grow at half pace, but have neater looking ends as it slowly catches up.
That said your hair cut turned out FAB and your ends look extremely neat and blunt and symmetrical. You did a wonderful job! *pats you on back* :)

[Flynn]

Done...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v139/frogmella/selftrim1.jpg

It was quite hard to do the U-shape self-trim... I was bringing my hair over my shoulders to cut it, but because it's so short it was too close to my face for me to properly see what I'm doing. Still it turned out well -- it looks better than it did anyway.
I do feel a bit sad that I'm back to where I was in December/Jan, length-wise. But, hair grows, right? :p
Thanks for the comments all :toast:

I was looking at your original pic, thinking "a U-shape would look really good in that hair... particularly as the underlayer likes to poke out like that. Let's see if she's done anything yet..." and, lo and behold, you've done it and it looks lovely. If it hadn't been cut so straight before, I would have said the trim was unnecessary. I imagine if you get pokey-out underlayers again (if those bits grow faster, or whatever) it will actually look quite nice with this softer shape.

[wahmof9]

I was going to say "yes. I'd trim" when I saw your new picture! I LOVE IT! Great job and your hair is beautiful!

[ClareDee]

Thanks lynnala, tiny_teesha, Flynn and wahmof9 ;)

[Julesn]

Yes, I would def. cut off those last (looks to be) 2 inches. Your hair is gorgeous & I think cutting that section will tidy things up :)

[Julesn]

Ok, I just saw your after pic & you did a GREAT job!!! It looks awesome :)

[paper]

Done...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v139/frogmella/selftrim1.jpg

It was quite hard to do the U-shape self-trim... I was bringing my hair over my shoulders to cut it, but because it's so short it was too close to my face for me to properly see what I'm doing. Still it turned out well -- it looks better than it did anyway.
I do feel a bit sad that I'm back to where I was in December/Jan, length-wise. But, hair grows, right? :p
Thanks for the comments all :toast:


Wow, you did an excellent job! Good choice too, your hair looks terrific! :thumbsup:

[ClareDee]

Thanks Julesn and Paper :) It's nice to have blunt ends after more than a year of layers and an unruly hemline :thumbsup:

[Tangles]

I'd trim halfway to the pink stripe. :D

ETA: You already did it! Well it looks beautiful, uneven ends would have bothered me too.

[Carolyn]

I would trim to get a nice thick even hemline. You have a nice length for wearing it down.

[Rosamunde]

Wow, you did a great job with the self-trim, and I love the U-hemline! Also, I know this is slightly off-topic, but I LOVE your hair color - have you hennaed it?

[jahof45]

ClareDee, my daughter paid $65 to get her hair cut exactly like yours is right now. I'd leave it grow. I used to have the problem that once I start cutting, I can't seem to stop.

ETA: guess I should have read the whole thread. You did a great job in your self trim.

[Anje]

Looks good, ClareDee!

I hate the constant battle between thick hemline and length. Whacked off about 1.5 inches this morning, myself, because the ends are getting quite fairytailed. It's sad, though, because now I'm 1.5 inches further from fingertip.

[ClareDee]

Thanks to you all for the replies! Rosamunde, no I've never hennaed. I dyed it in January '08 with a semi-permanent colour, but I think most of that has faded out now, since I have no visible 'roots' or obvious two-toneness. The colour does look pretty different depending on the light. Thanks for the compliment :)

[Deborah]

It looks great! Also, you did a very good job for a first self-trim. :)

[girlcat36]

You did a great job! You have pretty, shiny hair!

[curls2grow]

First of all, I have to say that I love your shirt/sweater! Perfect for hair pics, IMO. :) And your hair is very pretty.

My hair grows soooo slowly, so I would prefer not to part with that much hair cut at one time. Maybe cut 1/4-1/2" now and then more every month or 2 until you get your hemline even.

That being said, if you will love your hair more with a more even hemline, bite the bullet now to get it trimmed. Maybe you are one of the lucky people whose hair grows more in summer months, and you will be back to your current length in no time.

[jojo]

You did the best thing, it looks lovely and hardly looks any shorter either.

[ClareDee]

Maybe you are one of the lucky people whose hair grows more in summer months, and you will be back to your current length in no time.

Hope so ;)
Thanks for the nice words, all.

[curls2grow]

Sorry, when I posted earlier, I didn't realize you'd already done the trim! It looks great! :)

[Debra83]

It depends. If you wear it down most of the time, then yes, it would look better with a trim (to me). But if you plan to wear it up most of the time, then every extra inch of length helps, so no trim.

I agree with Spidermom. If up alot, forget it. If down alot - I would try to even up the hemline. It begs to be evened!!! It will look really, really nice.

I wish my hair was straight like yours. (texture I mean, not wavy, or frizzy)

[jessie58]

Fantastic job on the trimming, your hair looks very healthy and pretty.