Fed up with hip length hair - what to do?

[TruthSweet]

I have just turned 30 and I have realised I have had the same hair style since junior school - excepting my college years when I changed the colour frequently and had it all chopped off which I hated and grew it back - and now wear my hair in a low ponytail or plait everyday.

I need to do something with my hair now! It is hip length with no layers/fringe, straightish, reddy brown/auburn, has really bad split ends and is really wispy at the bottom.

I wear glasses all the time, have very pale skin, green eyes, tiny nose and an (plump) oval face. I have always felt I look rubbish with a fringe but that was probably down to me doing it!

I am willing to do almost anything to it so long as it's long enough to get a band in it.

Style Gurus it's over to you.....

I think you should consult a hair stylist. For the first cut I would splurge on a really good hairdresser who knows what they are doing.

Don't go to short at once. Go for just below shoulder length, with it shaped around your face, but not a fringe.

I agree, advice from hirstylist, preferably recommened by a freind is the way to go.

What texture is it? Unless it is very fine, I would think long shaggy layers, starting from neck length, keeping total length 3 inches below shoulder length, would be good start. Or maybe not go so short all at once, but defintely a few inches off and add layers - it will transform it. Get the best cut you can afford, I recommend Robert at Richard Ward in London. £££ but soo worth it, cut will look great and last for ages. Whatever he does, it looks fab.

I agree with both paula and Lynette - my hair was very similar to the way you describe yours until about 18 months ago (just before my 30th) I went to a really good hairdressers and had a consultation before I made any real decisions. I then went for just longer than shoulder length. I did have it chopped much shorter last summer but I think I prefer it around my shoulders.

Whatever you decide, remember that it will always grow again if you decide you don't like it

Thanks for the advice all.

MrsSeanBean - Hair texture is thick though not as thick as it should be as I'm a hair puller which is yet another reason for getting rid of the length!

Has anyone got any links to what sort of style I should be thinking of? I guess I might need to psyche my self up

Maybe something along these lines?

Or this - think Cheryl Cole -esque, but you have the length and thickness to have the style naturally, without extensions

MrsSB - Thank you, you are very sweet but in my WILDEST dreams I couldn't hope to look like that or have the time to try .
Would give the hairdresser a laugh if I took a pick of CC in and said make me 5 years younger, 20st lighter and trim my hair like that

Seriously the CC cut without the extra body would be an achieviable look for me.

Like this
or this maybe

Used to know an 23yr old that had waist length red hair, had an urchin crop like this one and started dancing in cages

I bet you look great anyway TruthSweet.

If you have thick hair you should be OK with natural body, especially when layered.

Do you have any natural wave? I have very wavy hair )goes into mad fuzzy ringlets if above shoulder length), but when it's very long I can just wash and leave and I get a 'has been curled with heated rollers' look without doing a thing (has to have long layers though and have shorter around the front - length and weight angled towards the back). HTH.

Ooh, if you have wavy hair how about something more radical like this or this one