There are haircuts that have a way of looking their best only for the hour after you have put on your coat and left the salon.
The ones below are different; they are the kind that will see you through a regular morning with little trouble.
27. The Collarbone Cut
The collarbone cut is a case in point. It is long enough to be put back, yet short enough that the ends do not weigh down the rest of the style. Being as it has a natural stopping point, it is well suited to straight or wavy hair, even if there is some frizz.
Have the stylist give you a clean bottom line and some light movement up front. For those who are done with hair that will not do anything without a curling iron, this is a safe bet.
If you are tired of hair that only behaves with a curling iron, this is one of the safest places to start.
26. The Soft Bob
You do not need to put much work into a soft bob for it to look right; the shape is inherent in the cut. One can blow it smooth, let it dry with a little bend or tuck one side behind an ear.
But be careful with the word “soft”. A bob with too sharp an edge will expose every cowlick and unevenness. A softer one offers some leeway on a rushed morning.
You can blow it smooth, tuck one side behind your ear, or let it dry with a little bend.
25. The Long Pixie
With a long pixie there is less hair to contend with. The top is given enough room to move while the neck and sides remain presentable, no full blowout required.
Put a bit of cream or mousse in and put the top where it should be. You want it to appear relaxed, not glued down. If it calls for a helmet of hairspray then the cut is likely too stiff.
Use a small amount of cream or mousse and push the top where you want it. The style should look relaxed, not glued down.
24. The One-Length Lob
For polish without the bother of layers going in opposite directions, a one-length lob is ideal. The hair tends to fall together so it can be air-dried or brushed out in a hurry.
Fine or straight hair in particular benefits from this; having the ends look stronger at a uniform length is appealing, and a side tuck or loose wave keeps it feeling current.
This is especially useful if your hair is fine or straight. The ends look stronger when they finish at the same length, and the cut still feels current with a side tuck or loose wave.
23. The Grown-Out Shag
A shag that has been allowed to grow out is more manageable than one that has been freshly and heavily chopped. It has its movement but does not insist on being coaxed into shape every day.
It will accommodate waves and frizz rather than fight them. The key is to ask for blended layers as opposed to haphazard chunks. When you shake your head the hair should fall into place of its own accord.
You want the hair to fall into place when you shake it out, not require a round brush for every section.
22. The Jaw-Length Bob
If longer hair invariably gets put in a ponytail, a jaw-length bob is a sound option. It frames the face nicely and spares the ends from looking run down.
Let the cut follow what your hair wants to do. Should it flip out a bit, all the better for a fresh look. Do not force it to conform to something it will not hold.
If it flips out slightly, that can look fresh too. Do not force it into a shape it refuses to hold.
21. The Bixie
The bixie, being half bob and half pixie, is handy for anyone wanting to go shorter but not feel exposed.
It leaves some length about the face but rids you of the heavy ends that require styling. With a tidy neckline and texture on top it can be finger-styled in minutes, which is the idea.
This cut works best when the top has texture and the neckline is tidy. It can be finger-styled in a few minutes, which is the whole point.
20. The Shoulder-Length Cut With Long Layers
Shoulder-length hair is simpler to deal with when there are long layers to take off some weight and allow for movement. Provided they are not too short, the hair will still retain a straightforward shape once it has dried.
Have the stylist make the shortest layer start below the chin. While shorter ones can be appealing in the salon chair, they have a way of sticking out from the sides of your head for the next month or so.
Ask for the shortest layer to start below the chin. Shorter layers may look cute in the salon chair, then spend the next six weeks sticking out from the sides of your head.
19. The Rounded Crop
There is a neatness to a rounded crop that does not come off as severe. It imparts a soft shape to the head so the style appears put together even with minimal attention on your part.
Women who are fond of short hair but have no desire for a spiky pixie will find this a good option. A touch of root lift and a smooth neckline are all it takes.
Ask for soft rounding and a clean neckline, not a spiky crop that needs product every morning.
18. The Wavy Lob
With a wavy lob, one’s natural texture seems like an intentional choice. The length has room to move but is not such that the waves are stretched flat by midday. Apply some leave-in conditioner or a light mousse and let the hair dry on its own.
For those with thin, wavy hair, the fuller-hair suggestions at hairstyles that make thin hair look thicker after 50 will point you in the right direction.
Use light mousse or leave-in conditioner, then let waves dry without touching them too much.
17. The Tucked-Behind-The-Ear Bob
Certain bobs are meant to be tucked behind an ear. The gesture opens up the face and puts an earring or pair of glasses on display, lending the cut a more considered air. Make sure the front is long enough to tuck cleanly, otherwise you will be shoving it out of your eyes all day, hardly the definition of easy.
One should also consider how the hair complements one’s necklines and earrings; as is discussed in outfits that can make women over 50 look older, the two work in tandem more than is often realised.
Ask your stylist to leave the front long enough to tuck cleanly. If it is too short, you will spend the day pushing it away from your eyes, which is the opposite of easy.
16. The Layered Bob With A Blunt Base
You get the best of both with a layered bob over a blunt base: thickness below and movement above. It is lighter in appearance than a one-length bob yet retains its structure.
It is a useful cut if there is a slight wave or cowlick in the hair. The layers provide a place for the bends to go rather than making the whole thing into a flat curtain.
This cut is helpful if your hair has a slight wave or cowlick. The layers give those bends somewhere to go instead of forcing the whole bob into a flat curtain.
15. The Modern Pageboy
The pageboy of today is nothing like the stiff sort from childhood. This is a smooth, rounded affair that rests at the jaw or neck and requires little effort to look tidy. Do not let the shape become too perfect or it will age you; a bit of movement is more natural.
And for a measure of nostalgia, American department stores that quietly disappeared tells the story of how many “rules” took their cues from places we do not see any longer.
Keep the ends soft and the shape current. If the cut looks too perfect, it can age you.
14. The Short Cut With Side-Swept Bangs
Side-swept bangs simplify a short cut by giving the front some direction. There is no need to make every strand behave when you can just sweep them aside.
They are also a good compromise if your hairline has changed. The bangs put a softening effect on the forehead without the daily fuss and trimming of something heavy and straight across.
This is also forgiving if your hairline has changed. The bangs soften the forehead without requiring the daily trimming and fuss of heavy straight-across bangs.
13. The Easy Cut For Glasses
A haircut must work with your glasses if you are wearing them day in and day out. Hair that clumps around the arms of the frames will turn a fine cut into a mess.
Put the glasses on for the final check at your appointment. The fit around the temples and cheekbones needs to be clean. Such details are as important as the name of the style.
If you wear glasses every day, your haircut has to work with them. Hair that bunches around the arms of your frames can make even a good cut feel messy.
12. The Cut That Air-Dries With Your Part
For an easy haircut to be of any use, it has to work with your natural part or something very close to it. A stylist may put a fine shape on you with a deep salon part, but if that is not what you wear, the style will be gone after the first wash.
It is better to point out where your hair really wants to split after a shower before the scissors come out. Any competent stylist can work the layers to suit that pattern. Consider your true part as useful data, not a flaw.
If the stylist creates a beautiful shape with a deep salon part you never wear, you will lose the style as soon as you wash it.
11. The Soft A-Line Bob
You do not need a dramatic angle to give a soft A-line bob its form. The idea is for the back to be shorter and the front to have a little more length. The simpler version is one with a gentle slope and edges that are well blended.
If the back is stacked too aggressively it can grow out in an odd way and put you back in the salon chair sooner than you like. There is no need to be severe when soft will do.
If the back is stacked too aggressively, you may need more salon visits to keep it from growing out oddly.
10. The No-Heat Medium Cut
A medium cut should be built for air-drying, a clip or two and some product. You ought not to have to reach for a curling iron to make it presentable.
Put in for long layers and face-framing pieces with sufficient weight at the bottom to stave off puffiness. Those who travel would find this goes well with carry-on packing habits that keep the bathroom bag lighter.
Ask for layers that air-dry smoothly so the cut still works when you skip heat tools.
9. The Short Shaggy Bob
There is a certain freedom of movement in a short shaggy bob without having to go all the way to a full shag. It is ideal for textured hair that improves when left unbrushed.
Let the bangs be soft and broken up rather than thick and heavy. The right amount of layering will see to the cheekbones and neck. In fact, a bit of imperfection is to be preferred.
The bangs should be soft and broken up, not thick and heavy. The layers should move around the cheekbones and neck.
8. The Low-Maintenance Silver Cut
Silver has a texture of its own, whether wiry or soft, and an easy cut should be made to accommodate it. One might be neat and layered to lend the colour a healthy, intentional air.
Do not over-thin or try to subdue every strand. Keep the outline clean and let the shine and shape speak for themselves.
Keep the outline clean and avoid over-thinning. The goal is shine and shape, not fighting every strand into submission.
7. The Cut That Works With A Clip
When half the hair is clipped back it should still be a good look. On humid days, or when cooking, having hair in one’s face is hardly charming. Make sure the front pieces can fall nicely or clip back without creating thin gaps.
It is a small test of practicality that spares you from irritation. Much like the utility of secret kitchen tips that actually work, it is a daily fix that does not feel fussy.
Ask for front pieces that can either fall nicely or clip back without leaving thin gaps.
6. The Chin-To-Collarbone Cut
Many women find the chin-to-collarbone range offers the best in options. You can tuck it, wave it, or leave it down. It is also quite forgiving while you are putting length back on.
Should your wardrobe be in flux, do not put this easy style together with the outfit mistakes that can make women over 50 look older than they are.
Keep the length between chin and collarbone so it frames the face without needing daily shaping.
5. The Simple Cut With Healthy Ends
At times the most straightforward approach is not a new shape but to take two inches off the dry, see-through ends that complicate things.
Good ends will hold a bend and put a cleaner line on a ponytail. If a major overhaul is not in the cards, start with the ends and let the hair tell you what it will do.
If you are not ready for a big change, start with the ends and see what the hair does.
4. The Soft Fringe Cut
Even with a simple back, a soft fringe puts a finished look on the front and brings the eyes into focus. One should be wary of cutting the fringe too wide.
A broad section of bangs can rob the sides of hair and make for difficult styling. A narrower, softer line is easier to get along with.
Avoid cutting fringe too wide. A wide bang section can steal too much hair from the sides and make styling harder.
3. The Cut That Survives Humidity
Hair that swells in the humidity calls for a cut with some texture. What looks perfect in the chair can puff up once you are outside in July. Long layers and soft edges with a touch of weight at the bottom will help.
Before a trip where you are limited to a hotel dryer and an outlet, this is a sensible choice. For light packing it complements unexpected packing items for international trips.
Ask for blended layers that let humidity look intentional instead of fluffy or uneven.
2. The Haircut You Can Wash At Night
Not everyone can wash and style in the morning. An easy cut must be able to withstand an evening wash.
Find out from your stylist how it dries if you sleep on it. If the result is a morning reset, it is not low-maintenance. Your hair should be accommodating of your schedule.
Ask your stylist how the cut will dry if you sleep on it. If the answer requires a full reset every morning, it is not low-maintenance.
1. The Cut That Looks Like You On A Normal Day
What makes for the best easy haircut is one that fits the life you actually lead, not the one you have on vacation or in the salon.
Give your stylist the straight facts: your tolerance for product and heat, how often you wash, what gets under your skin by noon. A cut that respects those answers will always be superior to a trend you are dreading to upkeep.
A haircut that respects those answers will look better than a trend you secretly dread maintaining.
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