I Said Shoulder Length And It's Cut Too Short, Frequently Posted Situation

[PurpleBubba]

"I said shoulder length and it's cut too short"
Frequently Posted Situation

I often see this posted so I thought I would post my thoughts on this as if someone was really posting this.

Over the years I have watched many makeover shows and looked at many hairstyle magazines. Many stylists seem to think that shoulder length means that some of the hair is going to be near the shoulders.

Here is an example of what I mean. You might be asking for the picture with the longest length
(Posted Image)
but the stylist might assume you mean the first one or the middle one. Therefore you need to be very specific about where you want your hair to reach. If you have to point to a spot on your body then do it.

Also be very clear as to which sections of your hair you want to stay at your version of shoulder length. Many stylists like to layer hair. If you ask for layers make sure you understand that they may want to layer all of your hair and not just the front. Be specific if you just want a few pieces cut.

Think of it this way. Make sure that you can explain it to anyone before you try explaining it to the stylist. If you need to write down your words on a notebook and take that with you then do it. It's a lot easier to read your words than to try to remember what you meant to say.

[Georgy]

Good point Robert! :applaud:

[Messyhair]

The new stylist I just went to called the picture on the right "between the shoulder blades" length rather than shoulder length. I thought that was interesting. But really the shoulder blades are a few inches deep, so it could be anywhere in between the shoulder blades.

[SchnauzerMom]

It's really not fair to get mad at a stylist for cutting our hair wrong if we're not specific and clear about what we want. :freak1:

[PurpleBubba]

I agree SM, we do need to be specific.
That makes me think about how everyone has their own version of where long hair is on the body. If you tell the stylist to keep it long and you think waist length is long don't be shocked when the stylist cuts it up to one of the pictures above. Well you can be shocked but don't blame the stylist because you didn't actually say where you want the hair to be cut.

The problem is that you have to be extra specific and tell the stylist exactly what you mean. And then after that there are still some stylists who screw up or do what they feel like. And that will be their fault and time to get mad at them.

It's like telling the stylist to give you bangs without saying which ones. Now if you tell them to give you long side swept bangs and they cut them straight across and an inch above your eyes then you can get mad. But if you don't specify which kind then you get whatever the stylist thinks bangs are. What if he just moved to this country and has only heard of fringe and not bangs? What if he thinks bangs are some sort of layers?

[Messyhair]

Yup, yup. In my case, "leave it at waist length" for some reason meant "cut it just past my shoulders" to the hairdresser. Sigh. On the complete flip side of that is the new stylist that I just went to, cause she was very careful in cutting off only a tiny amount at a time and making sure it was okay by having me look at it before she continued. :) I like this new gal.

I've noticed that stylists seem to have different ideas of how big an inch is, too. My new gal said she cut off 4", but it's not even 2" off. I don't get that cause it's a basic measurement.