How To Know If Short Hair Will Suit You: Pencil & Ruler Hair Test, Face Shape, Hair Texture & Lifestyle

It's a question you've probably asked your friends, family and yourself: "will short hair look good on me?" Looking at celebrities with cute short cuts, you may be seriously considering taking the plunge, but not before being quite sure that short hair will look good on you and suit your lifestyle.

Read on to find out how to determine if short hair will suit you!

#1 Consider Your Face Shape

Your face shape plays a big part on whether short hair will suit you. If you have an oval face shape, most short hairstyles will suit you.

If you have a round face, you may have heard that short hair won't look good on you but that's not necessarily true. The best haircuts for you are are those that are not too short - hair that ends at least a few inches below your chin.

For those with a square or rectangular face shape, a short haircut may not be the best look for you as it tends to emphasise angular features. If you want to have shorter hair, the style that will probably suit you is a longer bob with layers and side swept bangs which will soften the angles around your jawline.

#2 Consider Your Hair Texture

Those blessed with thick hair might find it tricky to find a flattering short haircut. One trick is to ask your stylist to hide layers underneath your short haircut to avoid that not-so-flattering triangle shape. If you have a high forehead, a good way to take some of the load off your mane is to cut thick bangs.

At the other end of the scale, people with fine, thin hair will benefit from having a shorter 'do. Your natural instinct is probably to cut your hair shorter to avoid weighing down your hair. But while cutting your hair short will give it more volume, you can pull off longer bobs as well with some styling effort like creating messy waves.

#3 The John Frieda Hair Test

For this test, you will need a pencil, a ruler and a mirror. First, stand in front of the mirror so you can see the side of your face. Then, hold the pencil horizontally under your chin and the ruler under your ear vertically. Measure the distance from your ear to the pencil. If it's less than 5.7cm, short hair will probably look great on you. If it's over 5.7cm, longer hair may be the more flattering option for you.

#4 Consider Your Lifestyle

Last but not least, consider your daily habits and preferences! Even if you look stunning in short hair, it may not be the right choice if it doesn't suit your lifestyle. Short hair can be quite high maintenance as it will require regular visits to the hair salon to maintain the length and style. If you tend to get 'bed head', you won't have the option of tying your hair up and will have to spend time styling your short hair.

We hope these quick tips have helped you decide if short hair is the right choice for you. But bear in mind, these are just general tips, there are no rules when it comes to hair!

Share this post with your friends who are considering going for the big chop!

Text by: GirlStyle SG