|
 |
Curly Hair Styling Progression
From Short to Shoulder-length in Different Stages
We’ve all been in the position of having a haircut that we liked once upon a time, but that is
beginning to get “old hat” now that we’ve had it for a while. The trouble is that it’s a short style and sometimes we can’t see how we’re
going to make the transition to a longer style. So, we end up staying with what we know because we fear what we might have to deal with
in between.
Well, I’m here to try and help you see the way to go from short to long without a lot of
stress and struggle. As with the previous discussion of straight hair types in a progression from short to long styles, the key is to
find “stages” to move toward in making these transitions. This way, the length of time you spend in your “in-between” looks is
minimized.
These “stages” can be either several specific cuts that will change as your hair grows
longer, or a basic style that can be allowed to grow longer (with trimming to keep it neat) in order to take you to the length you
desire. Here we’re using a very short curly style as a starting point and showing you the transitions through five stages.
The Starting Point
Our starting style is an almost gamine-short style. Only the length of the top of the head
allows for the full femininity of the hairstyle to be apparent. For women with naturally curly hair, this is a basic “low-maintenance”
style. All that is needed - after shampooing and conditioning - is the addition of a little gel or mousse, and blow-drying with a
diffuser and the fingers to scrunch the curls and finger comb the hair into shape to create a flattering and long-wearing style. This
style is ideally suited to those with a round or wide face, but can be adjusted to compensate for other face shapes.
Stage One:
To reach stage one of our transition from short to long, we simply have to let the hair on the
back and sides grow out naturally for a couple of months, and shift to a more uniform-layered style. Bulky areas of growth can be
thinned to maintain an even distribution of the volume of the hair as needed.
Once again, styling is easily managed, by using a diffused hair dryer and the fingers to
scrunch and direct the curls. The change here takes us from the super short style to one that is more closely identified with a
“bubble cut”. The time needed between the starting point and stage one should be about four to six months of growth, depending on the
rate of hair growth for the individual.
Stage Two:
Stage two sees the “bubble cut” growing out further on the top, back and sides and the
emergence of a weight line at the temples as the length on top reaches critical mass. The sides and back are trimmed to begin the shift
from uniform layers to a more blunt style. The effect created is almost a “wedge”.
The styling of this stage/style should still be easy. It is a matter of diffused blow-drying
and finger combing. Style additional volume in the top of the hair as much as needed to balance the features, and prevent the look from
becoming too wide. Stage two should be reachable in another six to eight months after reaching stage one.
Stage Three:
Stage three’s style is more of the same, with a slight shift in the way the hair is parted,
offering a little bit more change while the transition continues. The weight line moves lower on the head as the hair’s length
increases, and the angle of the layering at the lower ends grows shallower.
The hair at this stage can be styled to maximize the curl by diffuse-drying and scrunching,
or minimized by using a large wide-tined brush and pulling the curls into waves as the hair is dried. The option to do either is simply
a matter of personal preference. The time between stages two and three should be three to five months depending on the rate of hair
growth of the individual.
Next Page
|
|
|
