Layers or Same Length

[MeganE]

Hello friends,

I'm new to this group, so I don't know if this has been addressed elsewhere in the site. I did do a search for layers and didn't find a topic with the emphasis that I had in mind.

This is actually my first night on here, and I'm really enjoying looking at all the gorgeous photos of everyone's long and lovely hair.

I wanted to start this topic, because I'm noticing a trend towards long hair of the same length, especially among those with hair past classic length (a term I just learned tonight, go me!). And now that I think about it, almost always when I see someone with classic or even longer hair, it seems like it's always cut to a single length.

Is there a reason for the preference?

I stated in my bio that I've been studying bellydance for over six years, and have had one goal in mind from the beginning: long and beautiful hair!!

My personal battle with growing out my hair has been affected most dramatically by my inability to successfully develop a style that I like. Everytime I started to achieve some serious length, I became unhappy with the results. My hair is stick straight, very fine, and rather thick.

The longer it got, the more it weighed down, and the more I disliked the overall effect it had on my facial features. I have a very round face, and long straight hair hanging limply around it isn't a good look for me. And if I had to choose, I'd choose to have a flattering hair style rather than long hair. I have tried for years to reach some sort of compromise, to find some way to have hair that is long and beautiful, and also flattering on me.

And so every time I got to that stage in the hair growth process, I would try to have some layers put in. Usually the stylists would cut off much more of my hair than I intended---What is that about? How hard is it to leave the longest layer of hair at the current length? Why do they always have to take off as much as five inches or more every time??---and I would lose the progress I had made.

Sometimes a stylist would give me a great (and much shorter) cut, and then a few weeks later, the ends would be splitting and need a trim, and another stylist would recommend that I cut it all off to the same length, for optimum health, and it would start all over again. I've had enough setbacks that I'm sure I could have grown my hair down to the floor by now.

But in the last two years, I have managed to achieve some serious length by cutting it on my own. And I can keep myself happy with the overall effect by trying to copy the layered styles I have liked before. This has the added benefit of not having to subject my hair to a willy-nilly stylist and those scissors of death.

So basically, using methods that have taken me years to develop, my hair has finally reached my waist, and I anticipate reaching my goal fairly soon. That goal is to have my hair be an inch or so above my dance belt in the back, so that it completely covers my back, but leaves the back of my belt visible, so my hair doesn't hide my hip work when I'm facing away from an audience).

Have others of you had similar problems with deciding what you want your hair to look like? Have you been set back by trying to have layers? And the question I'm most curious about, is there a reason why most women with exceptionally long hair opt for a single layer look? I know I would prefer hair of one length, because of how thick and healthy it looks, if I could just figure out how to make it work for me.

[UltraBella]

I have never NOT had layers, so I can't answer most of your questions.
I have never had a stylist cut my length shorter when giving me layers. My hair is hip length, I recently cut it from tailbone and refreshed my layers. I was very clear that I only wanted those few inches cut off my length, my longest layer to be left a bit thicker than normal since I hate a thin hemline and for my layers to be blended very well. I think it's important to be very specific.
I am sure some of the other members will share their reasons for all one length locks :)

[Zefyra]

I imagine it must just be more convenient to have hair of one length when it is nearing classic or longer. When hair gets that long, it naturally thins and tapers alot of the time. To have layers as well would make the longest layers appear even thinner. Also, many of the women, around here especially, want to be able to do intricate updo's and having little bits of hair sticking out all over the place from layers isnt quite a pretty look... Just my assumptions though, as my hair is still quite short.

I am currently trying to decide whether I will keep my layers or eventually aim for single length hair. I have thick hair, with a few random flippy bits (one even tries to be a curl sometimes, its the weirdest thing) and so I need to have it layered when its shorter, but as its growing its developing a more uniform pattern and I do need the layers so much to keep it tame... But I still love the look of layered hair..

Oh and, Welcome to LHC!

[teela1978]

I think layers look awesome in thick hair, like Ultra Bella's. My hair looks awesome with layers around shoulder length... but mine thins out very quickly and my ends are thin enough, I'd rather not cut layers and make the ends even more wispy. I think that's a large part of the trend towards blunt cuts on this site, the longer your hair is the thinner the ends are. If you want that nice thick hemline and you don't have super thick hair, layers just won't work. Plus most of us either trim ourselves or have a friend do it, much cheaper than a hairstylist and generally more consistent results.

[MeganE]

I have never NOT had layers, so I can't answer most of your questions.
I have never had a stylist cut my length shorter when giving me layers. My hair is hip length, I recently cut it from tailbone and refreshed my layers. I was very clear that I only wanted those few inches cut off my length, my longest layer to be left a bit thicker than normal since I hate a thin hemline and for my layers to be blended very well. I think it's important to be very specific.
I am sure some of the other members will share their reasons for all one length locks :)

Your hair looks amazing, what kind of layers do you ask for? I know what you mean about being clear when you talk to hairdressers, but I've had some bad experiences where I clearly stated I was trying to grow my hair out, I just wanted a trim, an inch or less, and they still chop it all to pieces. At this point I don't trust salons anymore, but that's probably an overreaction. You definitely are getting some good results!!

[MeganE]

I imagine it must just be more convenient to have hair of one length when it is nearing classic or longer. When hair gets that long, it naturally thins and tapers alot of the time. To have layers as well would make the longest layers appear even thinner. Also, many of the women, around here especially, want to be able to do intricate updo's and having little bits of hair sticking out all over the place from layers isnt quite a pretty look... Just my assumptions though, as my hair is still quite short.

I am currently trying to decide whether I will keep my layers or eventually aim for single length hair. I have thick hair, with a few random flippy bits (one even tries to be a curl sometimes, its the weirdest thing) and so I need to have it layered when its shorter, but as its growing its developing a more uniform pattern and I do need the layers so much to keep it tame... But I still love the look of layered hair..

Oh and, Welcome to LHC!

Those were some things I had considered, and it makes sense. I just wondered if there was some other reason that I was missing. But it does seem to be about personal preference. :) Thanks for the welcome!

[MeganE]

I think layers look awesome in thick hair, like Ultra Bella's. My hair looks awesome with layers around shoulder length... but mine thins out very quickly and my ends are thin enough, I'd rather not cut layers and make the ends even more wispy. I think that's a large part of the trend towards blunt cuts on this site, the longer your hair is the thinner the ends are. If you want that nice thick hemline and you don't have super thick hair, layers just won't work. Plus most of us either trim ourselves or have a friend do it, much cheaper than a hairstylist and generally more consistent results.


Yeah I'm having trouble with wispy ends right now myself. And I definitely see how a single layer cut is easier to do at home. Thanks for replying!

[Mesmerise]

If you do choose to go to a salon again, TAKE a trusted friend with you!! Ensure they're watching every snip and can comment if the hairdresser starts taking too much off.

I honestly think a lot of people with really long hair don't have layers simply because the ends become too thin. Obviously this isn't the case with someone who has thick lovely hair like ultrabella! For me, at the moment I avoid layers like the plague because I've had shedding and my hair's sooo thin at the ends already! But I've had layers in the past and liked them (sometimes lol...I've also had bad layers!).

But yeah, at classic length if you've had any thinning or shedding by the time it gets to that long, and if it's not that thick to start off with, you can end up with a seriously thin hemline that's exacerbated by layers. That's why at the moment I'm keeping my hair to one length! If it ends up thickening up considerably I may go back to having some long layers again!

[UltraBella]

Your hair looks amazing, what kind of layers do you ask for? I know what you mean about being clear when you talk to hairdressers, but I've had some bad experiences where I clearly stated I was trying to grow my hair out, I just wanted a trim, an inch or less, and they still chop it all to pieces. At this point I don't trust salons anymore, but that's probably an overreaction. You definitely are getting some good results!!

Thank you ! I always ask for long, blended layers with a thick hemline, please.

[Aleria]

Though I've never been longer than waist (I have perpetually dry ends after BSL ><), I love layers. My hair is so thick that I don't even want to think about it being one length! It'd be very unmanageable, and also, layers flatter wavy hair in my opinion. If I do get to the longer lengths after waist, I'll definitely still have layers.

[mrs_coffee]

I've only made it to slightly below shoulder length in the past, but if I don't have layers my hair ends up looking triangle shaped, flat on the top and bushy at the bottom. Maybe that won't matter at a length that is longer than shoulder.

[CrisDee]

UltraBella has my dream hair - it took me many years to realize that the reason my hair never looks like hers is because I have a completely different hair type. :-P Layers look amazingly fabulous in her hair - not so good in mine. My hair is much finer, less wavy and not as thick, so my hair looks much better blunt, all one length, when it gets long. I can't WAIT til mine's long enough to trim myself - many LHCers do that.

[enfys]

I tend to have some kind of "face framing" layers, but not layers throughout. I like braided styles and layers don't help with that, or with sleek buns in my experience. My hair is quite fine and slippery so layers don't flatter how it looks down, or stop it looking flat at the roots. A u-shape hemline gived me enough interest in my loose hair.

Of course, my loose hair is very rarely seen, which is a contributor. Why have layers if you wear your hair up and they serve no useful/decorative purpose in your mind?

[spidermom]

I like layers, but the longer my hair gets, the more wispy the ends get, and I want to keep them on the thicker side. Plus I braid my hair quite often, and my braids are messy enough without layers because of all the newer, shorter hairs that poke out.

Once I'm over the extremely long hair thing, I will get some layers because it really sets off my wave/curl pattern.

[elbow chic]

I've only made it to slightly below shoulder length in the past, but if I don't have layers my hair ends up looking triangle shaped, flat on the top and bushy at the bottom. Maybe that won't matter at a length that is longer than shoulder.

Ditto, ditto. I wonder the same. I once got a single-length bob, the style at the time, before I went to boot camp. On the other girls it looked sleek and high-speed.

On me, it looked like a really terrible perm.

My last cut.. spring of last year, had layers (which I loved then!) that look pretty shaggy now.

If I'm going to keep them they need to be freshened up. Buuttt I'm not quite ready to go to the salon yet. :D And I don't love the way the old layers pop out of my updos.

[JamieLeigh]

I'm around fingertip length, and I prefer a fuller hemline on myself too, for some of the reasons others have mentioned. My hair is closer to the F part of the F/M classifier (fine/medium), so my ends tend to look wispier as my hair gets longer if I don't keep my hemline trimmed. Also, I trim my own hair because I don't trust anyone else to do it, lol, so it's just easier to do a straight across trim using Feye's method. If you're interested, it's in the articles section of this site, under Styling. She discusses U-shaped, V-shaped and straight-across trimming. :)

[MeganE]

I tend to have some kind of "face framing" layers, but not layers throughout. I like braided styles and layers don't help with that, or with sleek buns in my experience. My hair is quite fine and slippery so layers don't flatter how it looks down, or stop it looking flat at the roots. A u-shape hemline gived me enough interest in my loose hair.

Of course, my loose hair is very rarely seen, which is a contributor. Why have layers if you wear your hair up and they serve no useful/decorative purpose in your mind?

Yeah since I got on this thread, I started really looking down the road to how long my hair could get. That's basically when I realized that layers will get in the way of all the pretty long-hair hairstyles, which is clearly most of the fun!


UltraBella has my dream hair - it took me many years to realize that the reason my hair never looks like hers is because I have a completely different hair type. :-P Layers look amazingly fabulous in her hair - not so good in mine. My hair is much finer, less wavy and not as thick, so my hair looks much better blunt, all one length, when it gets long. I can't WAIT til mine's long enough to trim myself - many LHCers do that.

My hair is finer, not wavy at all, and I'm thinking that my use of layers has sort of been trying to kid myself into pretending I have different hair than I do. I've decided to grow them out. :)


I've only made it to slightly below shoulder length in the past, but if I don't have layers my hair ends up looking triangle shaped, flat on the top and bushy at the bottom. Maybe that won't matter at a length that is longer than shoulder.

It sounds to me like your hair is going through a growing phase, and like it's going to have amazing thickness and body when it's long! Plus, the longer your hair is, the more it weighs and the more it lays down flat (something I usually try to avoid). But it sounds like you'll be lucky enough to benefit from the weight of long hair, when you reach it!