How the media makes long hair look

[Longlegs]

Almost every 'makeover' I've seen cuts a womens hair shorter. If it's grey they will dye it and say "you look 10 years younger'"! I think that's the only dramatic way they can jazz-up a makeover

[plonter]

A few theories:
1. Especially now everyone's bored and at home and hair chop videos are cathartic in a way.
2. Short hair is supposedly the mark of a "liberated woman" in some sense, even though conforming to someone's definition of "liberated" is not "liberated".
3. It's all the rage these days is to dye dark/black hair to white-blonde/pastel, and for people with fragile hair maintenance means chopping it regularly.
4. And as others have said, short blunt cuts require more styling and more maintenance cuts so they sell products better

[Servana]

I agree with the PP who said it's all about money. I think that's the main reason.

They do that with everything.

They tell you your body isn't good enough, so you need a gym membership or these weight loss shakes or whatever. Your hair is too boring - you need to pay to have it cut and dyed, buy this curling iron, etc. Your skin colour isn't right - you need whitening products or fake tan.

They do it for absolutely everything. They try to make people feel insecure through marketing so they will buy stuff. It's just how our economic system works - everyone is trying to sell something.

You just have to be secure enough in yourself (and your financial decisions) to not become prey to their marketing campaigns. You do what makes you happy and only spend money on things you actually want and need, not what they tell you that you want or need.

[Feral_]

Absolutely it’s all about money. And fakeness. Celebrities promoting their new hair styles, people want to look like them, and in order to do that they’ll need ALL the products... kerchiing! Same with clothes and accessories isn’t it. The makeover programmes always seem to do the opposite of what a woman’s hair is - they cut it and dye it which makes me sad, they could just re-style. Same with make up, they’re all heavily made up in the ‘after’ stage. Though how much is for the actual person versus the viewing masses of the show is unclear. Maybe some people need a complete overhaul to feel good about themselves, I don’t understand it really.

[lilbee]

I don't know how having your hair cut short is so "liberating" : of the cumbersome length maybe ?... But certainly not of hairdressers, lol. All goes down to business.

[*Wednesday*]

The media is a small area of public opinion. Whether it’s Youtube, Instagram, TV news etc. It does not represent the entire world’s population. It is manufactured where the general population’s views are more organic.

A lot of people like long hair. Honestly, I think your average every day person does not care how long or short anyone’s hair is according to the media. Achieving long-er hair long takes time. Time most people don’t want to wait on. Cutting and dying hair is instant and quick and is profitable as some said here.

[Laurab]

A lot of people like long hair. Honestly, I think your average every day person does not care how long or short anyone’s hair is according to the media.

Very true!
Even just speaking for myself, I think most people can pull off most lengths. It's just about what they like on themselves.

I remember with a friend of mine, it'd been a while since I'd seen her and her hair got really long, like at least MBL. I was like "It's so pretty!"
Then she cut it to like shoulder length and I was like "It's so cute!"
Then she told me she decided she prefers her hair long so she's growing it out again and I was like "Sounds good, long hair suits you!"

She's a really pretty girl and I think she'd look good no matter what she did with her hair. It's best to just do what we're comfortable with.

[SleepyTangles]

My media (movies, cartoons, anime...) told me that long hair is awesome, since I was just a little kid!
But maybe I only pay attention to what I want to see!

[SleepyTangles]

I don't know how having your hair cut short is so "liberating" : of the cumbersome length maybe ?... But certainly not of hairdressers, lol. All goes down to business.

There are many things that could be liberating in changing a part of yourself

I´ve met so many women that are not really sure how their face would look, without hair to soften the edges. Most secretly fear they´d look "like men" or "like little boys" (words I´ve heard, I´m not inventing). Would their nose look too big, their jawlines too sharp, their lips too thin? Could they go around without makeup and still be recognized as women - at first glance, not just after a scrupulous scrutiny - by a random passerby?

For some women, it´s "liberating" to realize that their beauty doesn´t depend on hair - aka, that their hair is not hiding an ugly face, it´s just a part of their body that can mold as they please, growing long or cutting short.
Not sure if I´m explaining myself right, but hope I gave the idea

[spidermom]

I love makeovers, and some people truly do look better with shorter hair in my opinion. But that's just my opinion, o.k., I'm not saying anybody should agree with me.

I used to watch America's Next Top Model,and sometimes the contestants got long extensions, so "short is better" is not 100%.