Long layers questions? (cut, head, shave, Sally)

[Sally_Sparrow]

I've been growing my hair out since 2011, when it was a bob just below the chin and very sleek, with bangs. I got tired of that, because I have just enough wave that I had to flat iron or blow dry it daily to keep it "sleek". I'd had a version of it for years and was bored so I decided to grow it out. Bangs included. It hadn't been long since I was 30 when it was waist length.

So, now it is about 3 inches past the bra strap.. maybe 3 or 4 inches above my elbow? Anyway, fairly long and my bangs finally grew to where they will stay back in a ponytail (high ponytail anyway), former bangs are now about 2 inches past my chin. And of course, I am bored with it!

I DO want it long but I want to avoid that witchy look that IMO comes from long and straight. Bits of gray not helping! My hair waves up when I cut it but then when it gets longer the weight pulls out the waves. So I was thinking maybe I could do long layers, but where the shortest were still as long as my bangs, and if that would help bring out the natural wave and look like somehow "purposeful" rather than just having hair that grew out and I had no idea what to do with it.

Also, I like to braid it to keep cool in summer.. if I do layers will it look funny and stick out of the braids? I know that is a silly question but i haven't had layers since high school when I had silly hair band "big hair" and a perm.

[Mikala43]

My hair is about your length.... I don't layers because your hair is thin at the ends. I have, what is essentially a very long (inch below my chin) swing bang as my "layer" (it's cut farther back then a traditional bang), with a couple of layers cut close to the face.

This gives my hair more movement, while maintaining the "weight" and keeps the fullness around the bottom.

[Sally_Sparrow]

Originally Posted by Mikala43

My hair is about your length.... I don't layers because your hair is thin at the ends. I have, what is essentially a very long (inch below my chin) swing bang as my "layer" (it's cut farther back then a traditional bang), with a couple of layers cut close to the face.

This gives my hair more movement, while maintaining the "weight" and keeps the fullness around the bottom.

Sounds good but I am having a hard time visualizing.. any celebs with similar cut if you don't feel comfy sharing a pic?

[LoveBMW]

Yes you will have hairs sticking out of your braid if you have layers.

[Mikala43]

Originally Posted by Sally_Sparrow

Sounds good but I am having a hard time visualizing.. any celebs with similar cut if you don't feel comfy sharing a pic?

I looked for something similar but hard to google. I'll try and send you a pic if I ever flat iron my hair and not have it in a pony tail.

[Sally_Sparrow]

Originally Posted by Mikala43

I looked for something similar but hard to google. I'll try and send you a pic if I ever flat iron my hair and not have it in a pony tail.

I started out asking about long layers but I think that my bigger issue is that I just want to avoid "sister wife" hair as I saw it referred to around here once. I want long but with style.

What I really want are 40's style big waves, but what my hair naturally does is that wave that looks like it's been braided so I always look like I have beach hair. Which was fine when I was a teenager and lived at the beach every weekend. Not so much now.

I wish I could figure out the easiest/fastest way to get big, sleek waves like this with minimal effort. I don't think I would even need a cut. Just time? I just don't want to spend an hour on it every day. Ever just feel like you should shave your head and call it a day?