In the social arts, appearance is importance. One of my sticking points is finding the right hairstyle for me. This has been difficult, and a lot of hairstylists have asked me what I want when I'm in the salon. The problem is, I don't know what I want, because I don't know what suits my face and features. After months of trial and error, I've decided to do some proper research and condense what I've found here, so that my readers may benefit and choose a hairstyle that flatters them.
If you're completely clueless, like I was, a great guide to hairstyles and terminology can be found at Hudson's guide to Men's Short haircuts. There's also a Hudson's guide for facial hair and grooming, but I didn't really bother about that since I don't have much facial hair.
So basically, you want to pick a hairstyle that accentuates your best features and covers your flaws. The features that I will address here are:
If you're completely clueless, like I was, a great guide to hairstyles and terminology can be found at Hudson's guide to Men's Short haircuts. There's also a Hudson's guide for facial hair and grooming, but I didn't really bother about that since I don't have much facial hair.
So basically, you want to pick a hairstyle that accentuates your best features and covers your flaws. The features that I will address here are:
- Forehead
- Ears
- Eyes
- Mouth
- Neck
- Overall face shape
- Body build
- Side profile
1. Forehead
If you have a high forehead (like me), it's generally good to consider fringe/bangs styled forward onto the face in the style that you choose, to minimise the amount of forehead visible. If you have a low forehead, style your hair away from your face, either backwards or to the sides.
For High foreheads, try:
- square bangs
- A sweeping bang which goes across the brow is a good styling option which will balance out any extra length that a high hairline/larger forehead can add to the face.
For High foreheads, try:
- square bangs
- A sweeping bang which goes across the brow is a good styling option which will balance out any extra length that a high hairline/larger forehead can add to the face.
2. Ears
If you have protruding ears, you will want to find a hairstyle that will cover your ears to at least half way down. People with large or protruding ears can still show off the lobes and disguise their size by hiding the top area. This is because many people do not have evenly balanced ears, and one ear may protrude more than the other(like me). Ideally, the top of your ear should align with the eyebrow and the bottom should align with the nose. Your hairstyle should not draw attention to your ears, and do not cut your hair too short behind your ears when choosing short styles.
If you have protruding ears, you will want to find a hairstyle that will cover your ears to at least half way down. People with large or protruding ears can still show off the lobes and disguise their size by hiding the top area. This is because many people do not have evenly balanced ears, and one ear may protrude more than the other(like me). Ideally, the top of your ear should align with the eyebrow and the bottom should align with the nose. Your hairstyle should not draw attention to your ears, and do not cut your hair too short behind your ears when choosing short styles.
In the long run, however, if your ears really stick out like Dumbo, you might want to consider otoplasty as a solution. Brad pitt reportedly underwent this procedure before.
3. Eyes
Check if you have Close Set Eyes - where the space between your eyes is shorter than the length of one of your eyes). Close Set Eyes may also give off the appearance that your eyes are too small. If so, style your hair forward on the sides of your face, and this makes the face more normally proportioned. Adding volume on the side makes the eyes appear wider.
With Wide Set Eyes (like me): Keep the hair away from the face, and avoid volume on the sides of the hairstyle. Keeping the style off the face increases the amount of skin visible on the outer sides of the eyes and makes the the balance seem in proportion.
Check if you have Close Set Eyes - where the space between your eyes is shorter than the length of one of your eyes). Close Set Eyes may also give off the appearance that your eyes are too small. If so, style your hair forward on the sides of your face, and this makes the face more normally proportioned. Adding volume on the side makes the eyes appear wider.
With Wide Set Eyes (like me): Keep the hair away from the face, and avoid volume on the sides of the hairstyle. Keeping the style off the face increases the amount of skin visible on the outer sides of the eyes and makes the the balance seem in proportion.
4.Mouth
Small mouth: Consider a shorter, blunt cut to draw the line of the face inward and make the jaw seem less wide and more balanced with the mouth.
Wide mouth: Choose longer sweeping styles that avoid crowding the face, but still act as a frame for the face as a whole
Wide mouth: Choose longer sweeping styles that avoid crowding the face, but still act as a frame for the face as a whole
5. Neck
Long Neck (like me): Avoid styles that are too short and up-swept at the nape(back of the neck). Try keeping longer hair on your neck.
Short Neck: Cut your hair shorter at the nape. Try a style that is mid level with your neck or above it in length.
6. Overall face shape
This is arguably the most important factor in determining a hairstyle, and there is so much material on this factor. There are roughly 8 face shape types, and you can find your face shape here. (Mine's Oval) Once you have determined your face shape, check out some styling guidelines here.
This is arguably the most important factor in determining a hairstyle, and there is so much material on this factor. There are roughly 8 face shape types, and you can find your face shape here. (Mine's Oval) Once you have determined your face shape, check out some styling guidelines here.
More on face shapes...what makes someone attractive? (from The Pretty Project)
The symmetrical face....
The symmetrical face....
Superficially, there is a formula for facial beauty involving symmetry … It happens to be the standard for learning to draw portraits. The eyes are just above half of the way down the front of the head and should be 1/5 of the width of the face. Ears should lay flat to the head for the most part and extend from mid eye to the opening of the mouth. Lip edges should line up with the pupil of the eye, no thicker than the closed eyelid. The nose should be at the base just larger than the eye width and sit not too far above the lips. The bridge of the nose should extend straight and not be too protruding or flat. The chin should be gently rounded and smooth. The face in general should be oval shaped with smooth skin and clear cheekbones. And the eyebrows should be tame and separate, but not too thin.
Unfortunately for our perpetually youthful-looking friends of both sexes, babyfaceness isn’t associated with attractiveness.
Lastly, there's an interesting video here from the discovery channel about what constitutes attractive facial features.
Unfortunately for our perpetually youthful-looking friends of both sexes, babyfaceness isn’t associated with attractiveness.
Lastly, there's an interesting video here from the discovery channel about what constitutes attractive facial features.
7. Body Build
Slim Body Build (like me): Choose a style that is bigger in proportion. A style that is fuller and has more volume. Adding waves and curls will help. Layering is good as well.
Average Body Build: Anything is good for you
Large Body Build: Don't choose a style such as a full high hair as this will make you larger. Don't choose wavy or curly hair. Try short cuts!
Original source here.
8. Side profile
For flat features, choose a style that pulls the hair back from the face and add volume along the top and back to add depth to your profile.(ie spiky hair) A short layered, or graduated cut styled with additional volume can have the desired effect.
original source here.
If you don't wish to understand any of this, you can just use the online simulator here to help you pick some good hairstyles. They'll even compile a short report based on your inputs and recommend some good hairstyles for you. If you're in the Aura Academy, there is also the option of having a one-on-one fashion consultation for an additional fee.
So for me, I have determined that the best hairstyle for me is one with bangs on my face to minimise the forehead, hair that covers at least half of my ears, some volume on the side(ears>eyes), some length on the back of my head covering the neck, and layer the haircut. Something like that:
Some spikes would be good as well.
And checkout coolmenshair.
Have fun experimenting!
