Changing up your hairstyle is fun, and if you’ve never seen yourself with short hair, you might be wondering what you look like with a cute bob. Sure, there are plenty of apps that will help you visualize it, but as it turns out, there’s an even easier, low-tech way to figure it out: following the six-centimetre rule.
According to Elle, this measurement was discovered by hair expert John Frieda, who studied faces and found that the angle of the jawbone determines if someone would look better with short or long hair.
You’re going to need a mirror, a pencil and a ruler. To take the test, stand in front of the mirror so you can see the side of your face, and hold the pencil horizontally under your chin and a ruler under your ear vertically. Measure the distance from your ear to the pencil. If it’s less than six centimetres, short hair (like a chin-length bob) should look great on you. Over six centimetres, a longer cut might be a better option.
Great, but why is this the case? Per the John Frieda website:
Apparently, it’s less about face shape and more about the angle of your jawbone (says John Frieda stylist Giles Robinson). There are exceptions to the rule, of course, but this is a good test if you’re toying with the idea of shorter hair.
Face shape plays into this too, but the ruler test is a quick and easy way to stop wondering about short locks.
But also keep in mind that there are exceptions to every rule, so if you want short hair, don’t let a ruler stand in your way. This is just a general guide.
This Test Tells You If Short Hair Looks Good on You [Elle]
This article has been updated since its original publication.
Comments
5 responses to “The Best Way to Figure Out If Short Hair Will Look Good on You”
Do you want short hair? Yes/No
Yes: What you want will look good on you.
No: What you want will look good on you.
Tadaaaaaa.
This whole “wear whatever you want because you’ll rock it” movement is getting tiresome. Newsflash: not everything looks good on everyone.
What looks good is subjective, so rather than worrying about external influences worry about what you like. You’re the only person you have any control over.
Unfortunately (or rather fortunately) we are social creatures, and we don’t live in a bubble of our own individuality. Feel free to look odd or even ridiculous if you want, and feel free to be treated accordingly. Also, what looks good isn’t as subjective as you think. Symmetry and features which tend towards the average (i.e. nothing out of proportion, which is what this article is alluding to) are key drivers on what human beings find attractive.
I don’t disagree with you entirely
I was going to say more, but let’s just leave it at that. It’s a complex and touchy issue. 🙂