I hate my long hair will I look fatter if I cut it short?

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littlecrystal
littlecrystal Posts: 110 Member
in Motivation and Support
I am in my mid-30ties and have always had a long(ish) hair, below shoulders. I have been longing for a shorter/more mature/more solid hairstyle for few years now, but so afraid to cut it short(ish) because I am afraid I will look bigger, my back and neck will look big, the disproportion of face and body will be even more visible. I have seen quite a few pictures on here where “before” picture was with a long hair and “after” was with much shorter hair. Does it mean shorter hair decision comes with confidence, but only after losing weight?

Or it really, does not matter?

Replies

  • pkw58
    pkw58 Posts: 2,038 Member
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    I did the same thing in my late 30's- cut my hair to chin length. Hated it, I keep my hair sweeping my collar bone with side swept bangs.

    I had the same thing, it made my face look fat. And it was hard to maintain. (OK, I am hair challenged and lazy)...

    However, many of my friends love their hair shorter. Go for it, it will grow out.
  • lambchoplewis
    lambchoplewis Posts: 797
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    hair length depends on your face shape - not your weight. I have a square, long face and the longer my hair got, the longer my face. I looked at pics and looked terrible. Got my hair just to jaw bone length with angled bangs. I put it behind ears and it looks great. Also, got a darker color that makes my eyes pop.
  • faeriewings1
    faeriewings1 Posts: 98 Member
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    ^^ this
    It's more about the shape of your face, I too have a long face and long hair makes me feel like I look horse, as soon as I cut if off I'm happier and think I look instantly thinner.
  • Iron_Duchess
    Iron_Duchess Posts: 429 Member
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    There are a few factors that you need to consider before cutting your hair. First; do you have the time to style it, if you do not it can look messy and unkempt and will make you feel worst about your hair. Second; do you have a good hair stylist that can do a precise job. A short hairstyle is not that same as long, it could be time consuming to make it look good and your styling options go down.

    In the last two years I've had short , long, and everything in between hair, and I definitely like the in between stages. Not too long that it takes me more than an hour to style it correctly, and not too short that my face looks chubby. Now if you are feeling adventurous, go for it, there is always the "what if" and maybe you can find an "in between length" style that you really adore. Good luck.
  • kelly101386
    kelly101386 Posts: 389 Member
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    I had hair down to my waist, I chopped it off in December so it was just above my shoulders and people remarked my face looked thinner.
  • BeachGingerOnTheRocks
    BeachGingerOnTheRocks Posts: 3,927 Member
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    I've been bald, had a buzz cut, pixie, and super long. The super short and the super long seem to work on me with my face shape.

    I've had a hairdresser tell me I was too fat to go super short. Besides losing my business, she encouraged me to do it. It was the 90s, so I went with a fringed short bob, and it was great.

    I'm growing mine out now, but my profile pics are all various lengths from none to super short.

    Try it out and if you don't love it, it will grow.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
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    Nah,. I've had a bob through thick and thin (ignoring today's throwback photo). The size I looked had nothing to do with my hairstyle!
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/BerryH/view/my-before-before-picture-95514
  • nicolenayima
    nicolenayima Posts: 19 Member
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    I cut my hair to a longish pixie style (so it's still pretty short) a few years ago and love it. Before I cut it I got all sorts of advice from people saying short hair doesn't go well with "round faces" etc., but eventually I just decided I need to go for it. Now the same people tell me it is a great style for me! Before when I had long hair I just pulled it back all the time anyway, and it got pretty boring. Now I love my hair. I guess what I am saying is, go for it!
  • ValerieMartini2Olives
    ValerieMartini2Olives Posts: 3,024 Member
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    I recently cut about 8 inches off my hair. I did something I never did before. I walked into the salon and told the stylist "Do whatever you want to it but here are the rules: no spikes, no bangs, and no layers up to the scalp." She gave me a great haircut and I don't think it made my face look fatter at all. I think it frames my face much nicer. Sometimes long hair adds too much unintended bulk to your face and that makes you look fat.
  • aakokopelli7
    aakokopelli7 Posts: 196 Member
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    I usually have long hair, and then I get some wild hare in me to chop it off. Every time I do I end up hating it, and for me shorter hair makes my face look chubbier and older. Not sure what it is, but I have cut my hair short, and once VERY short about 4 times and loathed it every time. I cut it from mid-back to shoulder length plus bangs in the summer and have regretted it ever since.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    It also depends on the kind of hair you have. I've got curly hair so whether it's long or short, it makes my head look a lot rounder than it is. However, when it was long, I could at least put it up and that had a kind of thinning effect. Plus, as someone else pointed out, long hair tends to mean a lot less maintenance since you can throw it up in a braid or ponytail without much effort. When it's short, you're forced to spend a bit more time on it to make sure it looks just right as is.

    I'm currently growing mine out to donate and last time I did that I was nearly at my heaviest weight so I'm curious to see how I'll look with shorter hair with my thinner face. It can be annoying sometimes but I just think of the folks who have no hair because of chemo or other illnesses and thank my lucky stars.
  • mousepaws22
    mousepaws22 Posts: 380 Member
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    I don't think it will make your face look fatter but I know my face is too fat to cut my hair short again now. Although a lot of people would say it was short because it's only a bob.

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