Hey, JerkyFlea!

J.F.--In your experienced opinion, what are the physical characteristics that go well with long hair? Are there any parameters--such as height, neck length, etc.--or is it always a try-it-and-see prospect?For example, Gillian Anderson. That bob makes the difference between plain-jane and stone-cold knockout. (If you've ever seen pics of her with long hair....*shudder*)I'm curious.Ally

Ally wonders...> In your experienced opinion, what are the physical> characteristics that go well with long hair? Are there> any parameters--such as height, neck length, etc.--or> is it always a try-it-and-see prospect?Well, I'll answer this despite knowing that there will be a post below this from Dave that says, "EVERYONE looks better with long hair, darn it!" :)In general (let me repeat that, IN GENERAL)long hair looks best on taller women and/or women with long necks, since it serves to balance out those features. However, you can see how models who want a more dramatic look go exactly against this to emphasize those very aspects of their appearance. So that's not necessarily a limiting factor.Ok, let's shift to face shape. Eliminate oval faces because they can wear anything. Long hair works best on heart-shaped, round, and, to an extent, square faces (if the squareness comes mostly from the jawline). A rectangular face will look longer with long hair and a triangular face (prominant jawline) will get emphasized with long hair. Again, those are general guidelines that may not mean anything. For example, Demi Moore (square), Julianna Marguilles (square), Alanis Morisette (rectangular), Cher (rectangular), and Minnie Driver (triangular) all look great with long hair. For the most part, face shape only really enters the picture if you are talking about shorter styles.Lastly, what about weight? Again, not really a factor. With weight, it's more a function of volume than length. In other words, long stringy hair is just as bad as really short hair. As long as you have enough fullness to balance out the look, you can go by the other rules or what looks good.Next, Ally gave got specific...> For example, Gillian Anderson. That bob makes the> difference between plain-jane and stone-cold knockout.> (If you've ever seen pics of her with long> hair....*shudder*)Now you get into an area of not whether or not long hair works for the person, but what looks best. Gillian looks fine with long hair. However, since she has an average to short neck (and is shorter herself), the bob framed her face perfectly and emphasized her eyes. Same thing happened with country singer Martina McBride. She had gorgeous long,wavy hair in a great style. However, when she cut it short, you suddenly became aware of those giant blue eyes. Did she look better with short hair than long? Actually she looked good with both. However, in cutting her hair, she achieved the LOOK she wanted. A subtle, yet important difference.In fact, that's a subtle point that gets missed in discussion here a lot. Someone can have an absolutely fabulous hairstyle...and just doesn't look good on them. And, to further confuse the situation, according to all of the objective rules and guidelines (like those discussed above), some should be able to wear any style the want, but some just don't look right. Examples:- Janine Turner: Looks wrong in anything longer than just below chin length- Sarah Jessica Parker: Got to keep the curls shoulder length or below- Lorrie Morgan: Nothing below the chin- Lisa Rinna: Ditto- Kim Basinger: Absolute minimum is chin-length and should be well below- Sandra bullock: Ditto, again.So, now that I've rambled on this long, what does it all boil down to? It depends on the person. Yeah, I know that sounds like a cop out, but it's true. You can apply all of the general rules I've outlined, their personal preference, your personal preference, styles they admire, etc. All are valid. But even doing all that, you may not hit the perfect style until you just stumble across it though trial and error.Or discover you've screwed up a great style until after you've cut it. Just ask Julia Roberts. :)But, as we've all said here many times, the nice thing about hair is that it grows back.Wondering if he even answered the question after giving himself carpal tunnel syndrome writing the response,JerkyFleaRelated Link:JerkyFlea's Celebrity Hair Spray

JerkyFlea, you are, like, my favorite party game. Do Uma Thurman! Do Ashley Judd! ;)The reason /I'm/ so preoccupied with celeb hair is that I'm still trying to find the "perfect look" for myself. So I identify the stars who have similar features and then monitor their evolutions. Since they have more resources and need for change, I get to explore a LOT of looks.I'm forever wavering on long hair/medium hair, bangs/no bangs, layers/no layers...BTW, I have to disagree with you on Alanis Morissette: She needs layers, angles, a foot of hair lopped off...../something/, in my opinion.Thanks for the time.Your fan,Ally

Did I just start a war with Canada?To make it clear: Love Alanis. Hate her hair. Love her music. Hate her hair. Love her videos. Hate her hair. I was loving Alanis before most folks had ever heard of her. I reserve the right to (1) hate her hairstyle--or lack thereof--and (2) say so without it becoming an international incident.I think Ben Franklin was an American hero, but I'm not going to defend his hair.Incidentally, I think Alan Thicke and Celine Dion have GREAT hair. AND I like ice hockey. ;)Ally

> To make it clear: Love Alanis. Hate her hair. Love her> music. Hate her hair. Love her videos. Hate her hair.Now, please clarify for me, because I'm not quite sure howyou feel, Ally... how do you feel about Alanis' hair? LOLYou made it clear in your first post on the subject :-)> I was loving Alanis before most folks had ever heard> of her.That's pretty neat!I reserve the right to (1) hate her> hairstyle--or lack thereof--and (2) say so without it> becoming an international incident.You have that right!> I think Ben Franklin was an American hero, but I'm not> going to defend his hair.Aren't you proud of the man? (teasing)> Incidentally, I think Alan Thicke and Celine Dion have> GREAT hair.Okay. I love the way Alanis' hair looks, and I think itlooks better than Celine Dion's for one primary reason.Because Alanis' hair is real, and it moves beautifully.Hair extensions just don't move as freely and naturally,IMO. (I noticed this during the Grammy's...)Dave

> Ally wonders...> Well, I'll answer this despite knowing that there will> be a post below this from Dave that says,> "EVERYONE looks better with long hair, darn> it!" :)Is this my cue to participate? ;-)> In general (let me repeat that, IN GENERAL)long hair> looks best on taller women and/or women with long> necks, since it serves to balance out those features.> However, you can see how models who want a more> dramatic look go exactly against this to emphasize> those very aspects of their appearance. So that's not> necessarily a limiting factor.> Ok, let's shift to face shape. Eliminate oval faces> because they can wear anything. Long hair works best> on heart-shaped, round, and, to an extent, square> faces (if the squareness comes mostly from the> jawline). A rectangular face will look longer with> long hair and a triangular face (prominant jawline)> will get emphasized with long hair. Again, those are> general guidelines that may not mean anything. For> example, Demi Moore (square), Julianna Marguilles> (square), Alanis Morisette (rectangular), Cher> (rectangular), and Minnie Driver (triangular) all look> great with long hair. For the most part, face shape> only really enters the picture if you are talking> about shorter styles.Interesting analysis. No wonder I feel the way I do :-)(seriously)> Next, Ally gave got specific...> In fact, that's a subtle point that gets missed in> discussion here a lot. Someone can have an absolutely> fabulous hairstyle...and just doesn't look good on> them. And, to further confuse the situation, according> to all of the objective rules and guidelines (like> those discussed above), some should be able to wear> any style the want, but some just don't look right.> Examples:> - Janine Turner: Looks wrong in anything longer than> just below chin length> - Sarah Jessica Parker: Got to keep the curls shoulder> length or below> - Lorrie Morgan: Nothing below the chin> - Lisa Rinna: Ditto> - Kim Basinger: Absolute minimum is chin-length and> should be well below> - Sandra bullock: Ditto, again.> So, now that I've rambled on this long, what does it> all boil down to? It depends on the person. Yeah, I> know that sounds like a cop out, but it's true. You> can apply all of the general rules I've outlined,> their personal preference, your personal preference,> styles they admire, etc. All are valid. But even doing> all that, you may not hit the perfect style until you> just stumble across it though trial and error.Perhaps this is proof that the "objective rules and guidelines"are actually just subjective.> Or discover you've screwed up a great style until> after you've cut it. Just ask Julia Roberts. :)Or Cheryl Crow.Dave

> Aren't you proud of the man? (teasing)** Dave, he may have been a Founding Father, but he should have asked Jefferson to include conditioner and regular trims in the Bill of Rights. ;)> Okay. I love the way Alanis' hair looks, and I think> it> looks better than Celine Dion's for one primary> reason.> Because Alanis' hair is real, and it moves> beautifully.> Hair extensions just don't move as freely and> naturally,> IMO. (I noticed this during the Grammy's...)** This is tough for me, because my usual stance is: "Wear long hair if you possibly can, because it's the prettiest, sexiest, most natural look." Short hair looks wrong to me--as though something has been truncated from the woman's body. I find long hair more romantic. But I must admit that some folks just don't pull it off very well.Alanis's hair is what I DON'T want mine to look like. It's stringy and lies flat to her head. It also does nothing, in my opinion, for her rectangular face and unconventional features. I must applaud her, though, for refusing to cut it despite barbs from the media.I guess the reason I started this thread is to explore why long hair suits some people so well, and others not at all.Because /I/ listen to others too much, my hair is forever in "that growing-out stage." This time I'm going to do it, though, because I've realized that nothing less than long hair will make me happy. I may be turning to this group for support the next time a friend pushes me to cut it, so stand by...Anyway, I'm off to the Canadian Embassy on a diplomatic mission to stop WWIII.Laters,Ally ;)

I was just thinking: It'd be /awful/ if we went to war with Canada, because then where would people go to dodge the draft???And you know Dave would dodge, because there's no way he's shaving his head.... ;)Ally

First, Jade sez:> Something tells me you know what you're talking about.> I could have read even more.Thanks!> Sarah J. Parker is one of my favorite actresses and I> have been wondering why she won't let her hair get> really long because she looks great with it, much> better than with shorter hair. She has most prominent> features and I think that even with shorter hair which> is curled, she looks a bit hard. I often wondered> whether that wasn't her objective.Sarah Jessica's hair is currently almost mid-back again, by the way.> Sandra Bullock is an interesting case. With her too, I> think the longer the better, but for a different> reason. Sandra has what my grandmother would have> called "apple cheeks". They're lovely and> they are balanced with longer hair. Also, she has> large, deep-set eyes which are localized with longer> hair. Sandra is a very beautiful woman in a very> understated way which I think more and more people are> realizing.If you've read my columns, you'll know you are preaching to the choir here. :)> My question concerns Jennifer Lopez.Jennifer has an oval/round face and high forehead. So, she can pretty much wear what she wants, however, either short or long looks best. Her current style is about shoulder length or so and doesn't look bad. However, she is doing at least three things wrong, IMHO. First, the center part doesn't work for her at all, tending to make her face look rounder than it is. Second, she has great natural curl that she virtually never takes advantage of anymore (a crime also being committed by Salma Hayek). The possible third thing she could do is get bangs to offset her high forehead. She could easily conceal then when she wanted and they would blend in when she went curly.Something you may have forgotten about Jennifer is that she was a dancer on "In Living Color". When she joined the dance group she had REALLY short hair which actually looked pretty cute on her.> Also, if your hand doesn't cramp up too much, give me> your opinion of Tina Turner's hair.You know, on VH1's "Pop-Up Video" the other day, one of the pop ups said that Tina's scalp got burned (or something like that) while over processing her hair back in when she and Ike first started and now she always wears wigs. If it is a wig, then I have to compliment Tina on essentially keeping a similar color and style and simple going a bit longer and shorter at times, rather than changing completely like Cher does, because she sure fooled me. Even given that, I've always like Tina's rather wild blonde mess. Compliments her well.Next, back to Ally who wanted to know my opinion on:> Uma ThurmanUma has the interesting combination of having long hair, but still having most of the interest in her face being drawn to her eyes. Since she has rather fine hair, she could go short, which would draw even MORE attention to her eyes and face...and work just as well. Picture her with her hair up or in the "Pulp Fiction" brunette wig and you can see what I mean. That said, I have no problem with her having longer hair and actually prefer it since it does balance out her features. She just needs to make sure she has some curl and/or volume in the style.> Ashley JuddThis one is easy. I haven't seen Ashley in a hairstyle or hair color that didn't work for her. Long, short, red, blonde, brunette - she's one of the very lucky ones. Though (big shock here), I prefer her as a brunette. :)As usual,JerkyFleaRelated Link:JerkyFlea's Celebrity Hair Spray

> ** Dave, he may have been a Founding Father, but he> should have asked Jefferson to include conditioner and> regular trims in the Bill of Rights. ;)LOL... but... ouch! You are hard to please ;-)> ** This is tough for me, because my usual stance is:> "Wear long hair if you possibly can, because it's> the prettiest, sexiest, most natural look." Short> hair looks wrong to me--as though something has been> truncated from the woman's body. I find long hair more> romantic.Gee, are you reading my mind? :-)> Alanis's hair is what I DON'T want mine to look like.Oh, I guess not entirely :-)> It's stringy and lies flat to her head. It also does> nothing, in my opinion, for her rectangular face and> unconventional features.What do you mean by "stringy?" My hair (I think, anyway) is a lot likehers (except she's a wavy brunette). So I guess that would make my hairstringy, too?> I must applaud her, though,> for refusing to cut it despite barbs from the media.I wasn't aware of media critiques of her. Perhaps if *I* were not soresolute in my determination to have long hair, I might have given into the pressure to cut that I have received over the years. Which wouldnot have pleased me, since I love long hair. I just don't understandwhy some people feel so compelled to "rain on my parade." People candislike it all you want, they are entitled to their opinion. I justwish they would not "volunteer" their negative opinion UNLESS I askfor their opinion!So, good for her for keeping her hair the way she likes it despitethe media's criticism.> I guess the reason I started this thread is to explore> why long hair suits some people so well, and others> not at all.> Because /I/ listen to others too much, my hair is> forever in "that growing-out stage." This> time I'm going to do it, though, because I've realized> that nothing less than long hair will make me happy.I am sorry to hear that you have been distracted from having that whichyou desire in the past, but I am happy for you to hear that you nowknow what will make you happy and that you are growing for it!> I may be turning to this group for support the next time> a friend pushes me to cut it, so stand by...We will be here for you :-) And ask your friend to respect your wishes.Dave

> I was just thinking: It'd be /awful/ if we went to war> with Canada, because then where would people go to> dodge the draft???> And you know Dave would dodge, because there's no way> he's shaving his head.... ;)> AllyThankfully the United States and Canada are at peace withone another :-)Maybe I'll pursue a new job in the business of strengtheningUS-Canada relations? :-)

> What do you mean by "stringy?" My hair (I> think, anyway) is a lot like> hers (except she's a wavy brunette). So I guess that> would make my hair> stringy, too?** Silly Dave! As I've asserted before, your hair is awesome. Your face is also more symmetrical and better-proportioned than Alanis's, so it's a good look for you. (Long hair usually can't "balance" any features.)Of course, beauty is subjective a large degree. I think Uma Thurman is the most beautiful woman on earth, hands down. But a lot of people will go as far as to call her homely. So it's possible that a lot of others find Alanis lovely, stringy hair and all.Go figure.Ally

> Maybe I'll pursue a new job in the business of> strengthening> US-Canada relations? :-)** I was thinking instead that you should run a ranch/spa for people who are trying to grow their hair out. It would be like those weight loss and fitness retreats, except it would cater to those who crave long hair in a short-hair world.Instead of five-star chefs, you could have have chemists and cosmetologists mixing customized conditioners. You could teach classes on how to take care of your hair, how to rebuff unsolicited comments, and basically shield guests from the hypercritical world until the most difficult stages of "growing out" were over.Horseback-riding would be a nice touch, too. I was thinking you could build it on the U.S./Canada border.Let me know. I can pack my bags tonight.Ally

Hi Ally,Thank you for the compliment :-)I'm still trying to understand how you see her hair as being "stringy,"but not my somewhat-similar hair? Surely it isn't the proportion ofone's face that actually makes hair less "stringy" (you are describingthe hair as being stringy). Perhaps you are suggesting that some faces"help" make hair appear to be not (or less) "stringy?"> Of course, beauty is subjective a large degree.Absolutely true. And these perceptions change over time.> I think Uma Thurman is the most beautiful woman on earth, hands down.Proof of the subjectivity of beauty (not intended as a slight to you orto her).> So it's possible that a lot of others find Alanis lovely, stringy> hair and all. Go figure.I'm sure that many people find her appearance lovely. Count me amongthem :-)Dave

Ally, LOL!Great ideas!!Wouldn't that be nice, though? :-)Karen Shelton would be the keynote speaker. And then, of course, therewould be Dawn teaching the art of hair-jewelry making, and of coursethe classes that you mention. Sounds like a full agenda. We couldstart by scheduling an outing at an existing retreat, and grow from there.Hmmmm... what say, all? :-)Dave

This could be the start of something and perhaps a simple outing would be the way to start.I'd be glad to help with the classes on how to respond to those negative comments plus any other help that would encourage people.I say go for it!Kent

> Okay gang but what is the exact distance between the> borders.Is this a trick question? There is no distance betweenadjoining borders... :-)> Maybe Dave could start a new village and name it.Utopia?

> Dave and All,> Count me in to!! Id love to do some fancy updo styles> for the after hours crowd. Something for a romantic> evening or a heavy night of Dancing till ya drop!!> Sounds like a great time!> When is this bus leaving town because Im on it!:)> Diane K.Another great idea, Diane K!I almost forgot to include H.Taylor, Regina, et. al. for adissertation on the effects of Viviscal...Sounds like quite a good time ... :-)

> Is this a trick question? There is no distance between> adjoining borders... :-)> Utopia?How about Hairtopia?

> How about Hairtopia?LOL Jeff!Good one.