Your hair is talking about you behind your back. So what’s it saying? And how do you get it to reveal the real you? Our top celebrity stylists share hair personality secrets and tips to get your best hairstyle ever. Plus, test how much you know about hair with our quiz...
Many women cringe at the thought of switching up their tried-and-true hairstyle. Could it be those distant memories of a haircut gone bad? Or are you afraid you just won’t feel “yourself”?
Our identities are intricately linked to the face we show others.
“Have a bad hair day and you feel low, a good one and you can conquer the world,” says Susan Sommers, personal style coach and founder of DressZing.com. “Finding the right style not only empowers you but makes everyone who sees you feel confident about your abilities.”
You may not realize that what you do with your hair in the morning matters as much as a first hello.
“Your hairstyle communicates who you are at a glance,” Sommers explains. “It's a shortcut to your personality and allows you to express yourself without saying a word.”
So what message is your 'do sending? Find your perfect look in these 7 hairstyles:
1. Long, flowing hair
Says: Sexy, ultra-feminine, pretty
Celebrity signature style: The late Farrah Fawcett made long, flowing hair popular in the ‘70s.
Other celebs: Sarah Jessica Parker, Gisele Bundchen (pictured right)
Long hair suits most people, says Carmine Minardi, co-owner of Minardi Salon and hair-care products in New York City. “For an inexpensive haircut, people felt like they could look like Farrah Fawcett.”
Looks best on: “This is great for women 5’7” and taller with a medium to slim body shape,” says Antoinette Beenders, Global Creative Director for Aveda and an award-winning stylist.
Doesn’t work on: Petite women with small faces and bodies. They tend to get lost in long, flowing tresses.
2. Long, straight hair
Says: Sensual, flirty, low-maintenance, playful
Celebrity signature style: Jennifer Aniston’s (pictured right) long, straight angles continue to be coveted and copied long after “Friends” went off the air. Her hair always looks healthy and perfectly styled, even though she rarely uses styling tools and prefers to let it dry naturally.
Other celebs: Lauren Conrad, Blake Lively
“Long, straight hair is great for women who want to feel sexier,” Beenders says. No-frills hair can also send the message that you’re low-maintenance.
Looks best on: “The tall and youthful,” says Sam Brocato, owner of Sam Brocato Salon in New York City and red-carpet stylist.
Doesn’t work on: Long, thin face shapes and petite women.
“Long, straight hair hides their shoulders, necks, collarbones and makes them look more petite,” Minardi says.
3. The bob
Says: Power, elegance, strength, simplicity
Celebrity signature style: Katie Holmes makes it look easy to juggle family and career. Her low-maintenance hair looks great even if she doesn’t have time to blow-dry and style her hair. Her cut uses gravity to pull her hair into a picture-perfect style.
Other celebs: Dorothy Hamill, Eva Longoria Parker (pictured right)
Looks best on: “For this look, you’ll need a great set of eyes and a cute nose,” Beenders says.
Doesn’t work on: “This look isn’t great for narrow face shapes, but can work well on rounder ones,” she says. “Women with square jaw lines should stay away from this shape because it accentuates the jaw.”
4. The short bob
Says: Assertive, chic, classic, sexy, stylish
Celebrity signature style: Anna Wintour
“Her short hair shows sex appeal and assertiveness,” Minardi says. As a professional woman, she needs to look the same all the time as part of her "power-look," he says.
Other celebs: Victoria Beckham (pictured right), Mary J. Blige, Ana May Wong
Looks best on: “You have to have a good jaw line,” Minardi says.
And great bones: Victoria Beckham’s backward angled bob was shorter in the back to reveal her long, sexy neck and longer in the front to frame her bone structure.
Doesn’t work on: A round face. This cut will make the face look even rounder.
5. The ponytail
Says: Creative, straightforward, powerful, no-nonsense, assertive, confident
Celebrity signature style: “Beyonce (pictured right) rocks the ponytail on the red carpet and looks chic while shopping,” Brocato says. “Depending on the placement, it can completely change the feel and attitude of the style.”
Other celebs: Jessica Alba, Portia de Rossi
Looks best on: “Ponytails are big for the 20- to 40-year-old group,” Minardi says. “It exposes your features and becomes about the makeup, skin and eyes.”
If you’re looking to play up your features, this is a great look for any occasion.
Doesn’t work on: More self-conscious women or women who want to hide certain features.
6. Bangs
Says: Youthful, cute, playful, sassy with a strong personality
Celebrity signature style: Beenders likes Reese Witherspoon’s bangs (pictured right).
“Women with fringes tend to have stronger personalities – feminine mixed with strength,” she says.
Other celebs: Nicole Richie, Marlo Thomas, Goldie Hawn
Looks best on: “Fringes look best on foreheads that aren’t too short and can be a great cover up for larger foreheads,” Beenders says.
They’re a great way to have a dramatic new look without losing the length of your style.
Doesn’t work as well: “Fringes shorten the face, so they’re not the best on square face shapes,” she adds.
Check out the Best Hairstyles for Your Face Shape.
7. The pixie
Says: Confident, self-assured, daring
Celebrity signature style: Minardi loves Halle Berry’s (pictured right) pixie cut. “That was the best look she ever had."
Other celebs: Annie Lennox, Sharon Stone, Jamie Lee Curtis
Looks best on: “A petite head and frame work best with this style in someone with a great face, strong eyes and ideally an oval face shape," Beenders says.
Doesn’t work on: “If you’re 5’ 9” or taller, it might create the pinhead effect,” she explains.
Another caution: “You have to put on a face (makeup) every time you wake up or you could look masculine,” Minardi says.
More haircut advice
Want more haircut secrets? Check out these other tips from the stylists:
Opposites attract: “If your hair is straight, attempt a curly or wavy look” to transform your style,” Beenders says. It’s easy to do with a curling iron.
“Go from long to short by pinning your locks into the nape of the neck.”
Add enhancements: “Clip- or glue- in hair extensions for length, volume, texture and color are a great, affordable way to change up a hairstyle,” says Robert Hallowell, hairstylist to the stars and creator of a line of natural hair-care products, TheKitchenBeautician.com.
Don’t always follow the rules: “Yes, there are rules or strong ideas about what is appropriate for certain head shapes and body shapes – we all pretty much know what they are – but at the same time, if you like a style and you wear it with conviction and work the look, it will work for you,” Hallowell says.
Go for products: Besides a haircut, Minardi says “there are waxes, pomades, root lifts, bodifying foams and even products that make you look like you’ve been at the beach.”
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