I currently have a few very light layers. I think they flatter my face and make my hair lay better. On the other hand they can be tricky to style and it's easy to get over-layered.

I'm thinking of keeping them. I wanted to get some perspectives of the longhairs here of the advantages and disadvantages of layered hair!

I have some layers because the woman who hacked off my hair put them in. They're pretty much pointless on curly hair. My hair looks messy with *or* without them.

I have circa 2,5 cm/an inch in layers and it makes my hair curl at the ends! Grrr! Hate them! :evil: But I wont cut them until its all shoulder length :?

I had some layers a few years ago (some face framing and some long layers along the back and sides) sort of like a really long shag. It made my hair swing a lot. I liked them fine, but as my hair grew and I began going to GM (they ONLY cut one length and encourage you to grow it even), I have found I like my hair more in a light U instead of the V shape of the layers.

i had layers a couple of years ago. My hair looked so horrible! Never again, never again.Of course my hair was above my shoulders....w/e

I had layers when I was at and below shoulder length. Actually the longest would get to BS. It looked great, but I chopped it all off one day, back to shoulder, and haven't regretted it.

I had layers put in that are now just about grown out, I don't think it does much for my hair at my current length, maybe when it gets to my first goal of BSL I might think about putting some in again.

I just got rid of the last of my layers & voted that I'd never have them again. They never looked "right" on me.

I think it depends on your hair. When mine was pretty short, the layers were cute — I really liked them. Now that I'm growing out, I want it all one length. It looks thicker and healthier that way. I think the curly types can get away with layers better than us straight-hairs.

Well, I just had some trimmed back in. My hair is approaching bra strap (it may be there already) and is really thick and fine. That means the heavier it gets, the thinner it looks. Layers encourage my waves to come out and give my hair much more body and movement.

I just had these cut on Friday--I'm so glad I did. And I find a hidden advantage--it gets rid of the oldest ends so younger hair is revealed underneath. The layers are only on the last four inches or so. They are not for all hair types. I think I am in the minority for liking layers, but hubs likes my hair down best and it looks better layered. The shorter layers also hold curl better and I roll my hair a couple times a week.

I have a love-hate relationshiop with layers..
I had one length, straight, 'long' hair for ever.. then one day got layers cut. It was awful!! Hated it. I eventually had to cut my hair to my shoulders.. and I had never had short hair.
I do have layers now, and I currently hate them. I love the look of layers, and if I could ever find someone to cut them correctly, I might like them. At this point, I want one length, but as it gets much longer, I will probably get layers again.. If I ever get long, and even :)
I think I am in denial about my own hair though.. maybe I just can't the layered look I want?

I have had layers before. I don't even remember if I liked them. I think I was impartial to them.
I wouldn't get them again, though. Too much maintenance, and as my hair is getting longer, I need as much thickness/horizontal volume as I can get! Plus, I don't like those pieces sticking out of my buns!

I voted for :

I currently have layers and am growing them out

but......... I liked my layers when my hair was shorter, I have quite a mass of hair, and the layers tamed it ! But now that I'm going for waistlength, I want it all one length when I get there. Maybe if I go longer after that, I get it layered a little from there on again, just to smooth it out a little....
They are a pain to grow out though !!!!!

Niphredil

When my hair was shorter I had layers and although I loved them at the time I regretted it afterwards. If my hair was very thick then maybe I would have some but as it is I am spending all my time now trying to grow them out. They just don't look right on me with longer hair it makes the ends look too thin. :(

The only thing I have given in on is bangs/fringe. I tried growing them out and decided that I don't like that look on me after all. I have ended up with a light fringe that I can easily sweep back should I feel like it.
:rolleyes:

I had them I did love them but they my hair look thinner - so I finally grew them out over 3 or 4 years and I love it better.

i had uncountable layers till june 2003 - hated the layers till then. :( cant go around brushing my hair every five mins to make it look presentable. can i?

then i cut off 3.5 inches off. and then 'very' recently, i started liking my layers. i still have so many layers to go... but i think i'll keep atleast some of them. i think it softens my face.

i voted for : 4. I currently have layers and love them.

i'd love layers if people knew how to trim them back right. i'm so lame that i keep goign back to the same person who keeps screwing up my hair (seriously, no more...the vicious cycle has ended! yay!), and she'd ALWAYS add MORE layers...when all I want is to maintain the few layers i already had.

pro: hair feels lighter..well i notice it anyway...

con: unless you can find someone who knows how to trim layered hair/shape it properly, you'll find yourself getting hacked every time you get a trim...or maybe that's just me :)

They don't work for me. I have very fine wavy hair. I end up looking like the loser in a battle with a weedwhacker. On another hair type, they might be fine.

As someone else said, I have a love-hate thing going on with layers. I'm currently trying to get rid of mine, as the longer my hair gets, the rattier they look. I also think that whether layers look good depend on your hair type and thickness.

I should have added that most stylists can't do layers. My stylist (after years of searching) is really good at it. She herself has longer than BS length. She only layers the top third of my hair (no stringy ends) and uses these special scissors half-open and runs them down my hair as she holds it. It is completely seamless layering. She is also expensive (and worth it) enough that I get my hair cut only twice a year and tip really well.

Hope she never moves.

I picked option 5, that I've had them and don't plan to again, but 6 is also sort of true. I did like them at the time, when my hair was shorter. But layers at my length would only serve to make the ends thinner. Actually I'm not completely done growing out my layers, but I'm really close.

I currently have layers and love them ;)

Back in June I got about 3 inches cut off and I was all one length. I tried that for about 2 months and hated it :evil:

Here's why they work for me:
I have a ton of thick heavy hair with a small face and close hair line
Layers make my updos look soft and easier to do
Helps bring out my natural wavy

Now, I love to see one length hair but I just cant wear it.
I just prefer long layers on me.

Angel Hugs and Love

I've never had them but I see them on other people and it looks good, some not so good. It depends on the hair.

i picked that i have layers and am growing them out, which i am, because i like them how they are and no stylist can get them that way. "my" stylist put them there and i hated them and i trimmed my hair twice since them, and i love them they way they are now, only like 1-2" of layer instead of 3-5"
i wish i could have my layers and have them the way i like them, but i can't . and i like thick ends so i will eventually grow them all the way out.
i love the look of layers in my hair at this length, they make the curl/wave work good.
so i just wanted to say i do love my layers and really want to keep them but it won't work that way so i am growing them out

I haven't had layers since my hair was short. I grew it while it was mostly one length. I've thought about layers.

If I ever decide to go shorter, maybe I'll try some layers for a change...

I've had layers and I liked them at the time. I don't think layers look too good on long hair unless it's thick. Mine is on the thinner side and I've got straight hair. Its about 2 inches from classic length. If I decide to cut my hair to waistlength, then I'd get them again. I've never had short layers, or layers on hair shorter than BS. I think layers would give my hair more movement when waistlength.

I've had my hair "razored" or "slithered", but it looks horrible on my hair. I need the traditional, but long layers. If I could find someone to layer lightly around my face, and then maybe the last 2-3 inches of my hair, I'd do them again.

Picked 3, but 4 is also true. Layers were a must for growing out my wavy/curly hair - o/w I get "pyramid head". But as my hair gets longer, the layers make it look too thin. Right now I plan to grow most of them out, but leave some around the face to soften it, and perhaps an inch or so in the back to show the stronger curls in the underlayer.

I picked "undecided" b/c while I currently have layers, I have way too many (which happens when you grow out a short cut). I'm not 100% sure if I am going to keep very long layers (in bottom 2" or so of hair) or if I'm going to grow them out completely (which makes for a nice, thick brad).

i've had them, i hate them, i think i've grown them all out and i pray i never have them again. period.

I currently have layers :evil: And am growing them out.
I dont like them on me at all, but they can look really nice on other people :flower:

I'm growing mine out. I hate them! the lady that put them in went way overboard, and cause my hair is so fine it just looks frizzy!

i had layers once in college as well, and i liked them much better, but they were cut much better as well, and of course, thats when i was using a blowdrier and curling iron all the time!

I have wanted long curly (mine is curly) all one length hair for years. Hairstylists always told me "you have to have layers", they don't generally believe in all one length hair. This board has helped me to realize I can have that goal after all.

On myself, layers are definitely on the avoid list. I've never had them, and I've stayed away from then on purpose. Stick straight, and fairly thin and fine...er...let's just say my length is thin enough, especially as it gets closer to the ends, and doesn't need to be much thinner. If I had thicker hair (or perhaps thicker ends) and perhaps my hair had some wave or slight curl to it, I think I might consider layers, as I've seen others pull that off well. I think, as several have mentioned, layers work better for some hair types than others.

Also I would think layers for those with very thick hair might help some with managing it, and I've seen where others have layers put in very thick hair to good effect (where they both liked them and it looked good). In these cases, I tend to like the look of layers on others better with curly or wavy (even very slightly, as it gives some definition to the layers).

I am growing out so many layers from a bad short cut of my curly hair. The pain! :brickwall

So my goal is to get the layers all grown out so I can enjoy a blunt cut for once (in many years)...But then I've learned that to avoid "pyramid head" with curly hair, long layers can help. So eventually I might add them back. :rolleyes:

I used to have layered hair a long time ago. It used to look really good - for about five minutes after combing! :jestor:

My hair is _much_ easier to manage without layers. It is so much nicer not to be have to comb my hair at five minute intervals, and there is no way I'm ever going back. It would drive me stark staring crazy if I did. :silly:

My hair is fine, thin and wavy, which probably makes a difference.

I voted for I have had layers in the past and liked them. Right now I just want my hair all one length. There are a few reasons for this. I want it to appear thicker than it is and when it was layered it looked thin and a bit scraggly. My ponytail circumference went up 3/4 inch due to my layers growing out and making it all around thicker.

Another reason for people having or not having layers has to do with their hair type. Whether it be curly, wavy, straight, fine, medium or coarse. Some look good with them and others dont but its a personal decision.

I voted undecided only because my hair has *natural* layers that have developed over time. I have shorter pieces but they're not really layers. The shorter pieces are around tailbone length while the rest is near my knees. They're the result of breakage from a time when I was not so gentle on my hair. And, quite frankly I can't stand them - they make my braid end look so wimpy. As soon as I settle on a maintenance length, I plan on allowing them to catch up.

I've had cuts where layering seemed part of the hair do, but I was so young I didn't know layers from anything. I remember growing them to one length though, and was so happy when I could pull all my hair out of my face.

I am personally not a fan of layers. Some hair types and styles look GREAT as layers especially curlies, but NOT me.

the only time I have had layers was when my hair as SHORT or growing out from that short over 20 years ago.

Irishred

I prefer a woman getting layers if that's what it takes for her to retain length. I have noticed, however, that many layer cuts are haphazard, making the wearer look like chunks were accidentally snipped. Only a minority of stylists are capable of cutting them well.
Fine hair usually does not take to layers well. One in this category must be willing to fuss with it daily to make it look good. My wife requested a shoulder length layered hairdo years ago, and it looked great for the rest of the day, awful thereafter. She's simply not a primper! (lol) Bob :smile:

I had them and I did like them, but they are a lot of trouble.

Meg

I've had layers in the past. I'll never have them again unless I take another dose of Stupid Pills like before. Layers are very high maintainance. Lots of styling time. And they usually looked horrible. I was never satisfied with the way they looked. So many bad hair days. Since the layers required so much styling they were more damaged than the rest of my hair. Hence more trims and less over all growth. Layers mean less fullness. Little hairs sticking out of a braid or bun, a wimpy ponytail. Layers meant hair in the face when I wore my hair down. Always in my mouth and sticking in my lipgloss. I still have a little bit due to growing out the old bangs. It is the most damaged part of my hair. :twisted: Layers can look nice but to me the hassle isn't worth it. We see all these women on tv with layered hair and they look great. We forget that they have a stylist making those layers look perfect for every take. Of course layers are a personal choice!

I voted, had them in the past and liked them.

When my hair was shoulder length I had layers and liked them as my hair is curly and thick and they looked good, gave me lots of volume. Now that I have let my hair grow longer, and I now trim it myself, I no longer have layers. I do however have bangs but don't consider that a layer.

I need layers because my hair is soooooooo thick and coarse. It's much more manageable at my length (shoulder length) when there are layers.

When it gets longer though, i may just grow out all the layers because long hair needs to look thicker, doesn't it? :grin:

But for now, i love layers because they really help to control my hair.

I have face framing layers which I love. I also have a little bit of layering near the ends so it doesn't end in a blunt cut. I can't decide if I really like these or not, they flip out a bit naturally which is nice, but it can sometimes look not so nice and kind of raggedy.

I voted that I've had them in the past and never will again. With very straight fine to medium hair they were just lots of work to look decent. I don't like having to fuss with my hair. If I want to play with it, that's one thing, but it should never be required.

I currently have some long layers, but I'm trying to grow them out. I do like them though, I just want to have one length right now.

I've had layers in the past when I was perming my hair.

I'm not planning on having layers again, though. I like my hair all one length. :smile:

I really wanted to vote twice! I can not say enough how evil I think layers are. I have them now because I am growing out a "pixie" cut. I have kinda thick hair and it has been the joy of every single stylist I have visited to thin out my hair by layering the crap out of it. I have also had it razored by a rabid stylist once. it is a lot like layering, except even worse. I think layers may be nice if you have curls, because it MAY make the hair lighter and therefore curlier, but in general? No layers are the evilist

I chose option 4 (currently have layers and love them), but will caveat that by saying that they are "long" layers. Actually, I am trying to grow my hair to be less layered, as the front seems quite a bit shorter than the back, but will still want slight layering. Seems to work best with curly hair, in my experience.

Julie

i wish my hair was full enough to pull off nice layers! On me, they would just make my hair look even thiner.
~Slava

There exist people on whom layers look very good; I, however, am not one of them.

Miuku

I"ve had layers in the past. I'm more fond of long layers. (layers that begin under your chin. don't like hair rubbing my cheeks)

I really am undecided on this one; I guess the only way to find out is to try.

Personally, I hate layers, b/c when I wear my hair up (most of the time), they stick out all over the place & look ridiculous. I'm almost done growing out the layers an evil stylist cut into my hair *without my permission, when I specifically requested a blunt cut!* :hatchet:

What I'm doing to grow them out is just to get regular trims (with a less scissors-happy stylist) to maintain my length, and wear my hair down a lot until they're gone. Unfortunately, wearing it down so much has damaged it so I have broken hairs all over the place that I'll have to grow out now too. :brickwall But at least the layers are almot gone!:smile:

I'm undecided. I had decided to not have layers any more, but now that I've discovered waves in my hair, I don't know what to do. Maybe layers would make it wavier, and maybe it would be awful because it is so fine. I don't know if length weighs down the wave much because my hair is so lightweight.

Straight I wanted it all one length. Now I don't know.

I have layers now, and I like them when my hair is down. However, since joinging this board, I wear my hair up a lot more, and the layers are a pain, cause they stick out all over. I'm going back to one length.

I think I've had the same style for so long that I'm sick of it. So I think growing out the layers and the hair will be a wonderful change.

Hate Them, I have fine, wavy hair anf if the weather is really humid I look like bozo the clown in them. Always have prefered my hair in one length

I'm another undecided. I have lots of razored layers right now, and it prevents what someone else on this thread called Pyramid Head. My hair is and always has been a frizzy mess, and the layers also cut down on the frizz, and give my waves more movement. On the other hand, I don't like that my hair looks like it has a "shelf" in the back where the layers start, and the layered bits around my face, where the hair is finer, are crazy frizzy.

I have layers and grow them out - not completely, though :wink:
Herbi

I#ve had some 2 years ago. My hair wasn't much longer than today... My new hairdresser said, that hair which is all the same length looks boring. I'll never do this again... It was so difficult to bun my hair and didn't looked good - I hate the haircut on my wedding photos :boohoo:

I have layers all over(growing out though).. They start in the front at chin lentgh and go all the way down..Got them at the back of my head around shoulderlength.
When I was below BSL I got a haircut with extrem layers and razor textured.

EXCUSE THE POOR QUALITY OF MY WEBCAM

Hair was pulled all the way in the front and tied into a ponytail
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h294/Emichiee/haircut.jpg
Then cut off at the desired length for the layers to start(was a dangerous picture I tell ya.)
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h294/Emichiee/cut.jpg
Leaving you with the same length of hair just layered all over and a few long ends..(yaaah I know I cheated ^^')
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h294/Emichiee/aftercut.jpg
Then the cut got razored to add texture..
I loved that cut..but when my hair grew longer it was just too much with the layers.
Thats why Im growing them out now.
I will only keep my bangs and maybe a few layers in the front.

It's a great question! I think layers look fabulous on some lucky people, and not so great on others. And I don't know if it's easy to predict!

My hair is wavy, about BSL. I've tried getting the last couple of inches layered, maybe twice in the past couple of years. My goal was not to have such "wide" hair. But both times, I found the ends looked kind of ratty, so I grew them out.

I was glad I didn't agree to longer layers because it would have taken longer to grow out.

I voted that I have layers and am growing them out.

I think that layers are "beautiful" when they are kept up and healthy...but the growing them out is the tough part, it takes forever.

If I was talking to a person who never had layers, my advice would be get them only if you plan to keep them for a few years...not because it's the trend of the month.

I currently have hair layers and I am growing them out! Yup that's me! I hate them. Probably because they are linked to a horrible hairchop I had a while ago. I love straight, unlayered hair. I can't wait until they are gone...gone...GONE!

Layers take forever to grow out. If I was going to keep short hair I would keep the layers. But I don't want layers in long hair. They make my hair look thinner.

I have two jawbone-length pieces that frame my face (bangs that are growing out), but I do not have and have never had actual layers.

I recently cut in some long layers, starting from BS length, creating a deep U in the back, and I love them. They add a lot more movement to my hair and make it look much better on me from the front. I have some face framing layers, too, which I was going to grow out but decided against it.

I have been keeping my hair BSL and longer for the last 10 years and always in layers.

I am going for a softer one right now, a very curvy U shape, eventually I want it to be shorter strand SL and longer strand tailbone.

I voted that I had them in the past, but probably won't have them again.

I've had layers pretty much ever since fifth or sixth grade, and this is the first time I ever had them all evened out since them. My hair is on the lower end of ii, so when it's layered, it looks a lot thinner. When it's one length, it gives me MUCH more volume, despite what hair dressers tell me about how layers will actually give me more. BS!

The longer my hair gets, the thinner the ends have a tendancy to look. Since I want to get to hip or maybe a bit longer, and I want to keep my hemline as thick as possible, a non-layered cut works better for me.

I've grown out many sets of layers and some how always end up getting talked into them again. I loved my layers when I was still straightening my hair, now I don't mind them but I'm getting more wave on the outside layer of my hair which causes this weird "shelf effect" that really bugs me.

When my hair was longer the guy that cut my hair would make very short layers at the bottom and I actually liked that a lot (like 1/2 inch from the ends), long layers don't work so well on me though.

This is why I voted undecided.

I didn't see my option in the poll - I have never had layers but I would like to have them, but with thin hair, if I had layers cut in, I don't think there would be anything left. I've always thought layered hair looked really pretty.

I've always loved layers on me and many other people, have had them off and on for years. Currently I'm growing them out and they are a huge pain in the ahhhhh
get them off of me..............Ack. :silly:

I have iii hair, and in the past whenever I almost reached BSL, I cut it much shorter to get rid of all the weight. My hair at that length really starts to get heavy and it pulls, especially if it has no-layers. I got layers now to try and grow it longer, but I will gradually grow them out (to try again) once I reach my first goal length of BSL. If that doesn't work, I'll cut the layers back in. I pretty much think waist length will be just about right for my hair. I also think the hair has to be layered.

I need layers because of pyramid head. Pay no attention to my icon, it was the best hair day of my life.

My hair does whatever it decides to do and I just go along for the ride. I gave up fighting a couple years ago and either braid, wear a ponytail or bun most of the time.

It's kind of like having a tiger by the tail. It's wavy, frizzy, sticks up and curls and uncurls depend on weather among other things. I'm still trimming off damage and maintaining BSL. I do my own cutting by the ponytail on top of your head method. all the layers are long enough to be in a low ponytail. if I braid, I start with a high ponytail so it's got less sticking out bits.

Every morning I wet my bangs, and hold them down with a sweatband until they are dry. That's my major styling. I've grown my hair mostly so I didn't have to style it. It won't hold a style. It does what it wants unless I use a whole can of hairspray everytime.

I currently have long layers and I hate them. They stick out every which way and give me the Bozo look as well. They also seem very prone to splits and frizz compared to my ends. I have no clue how or why this happens but it's frustrating. Never again!

My layers took what seemed like four years to grow out. Never again.

I am thinking of layers as being different than a hemline. I think when my hair got long enough I might like a deep U or V shaped hemline, but not layers. At this length, I am not liking the layers at all. These are natural layers from growing out very short hair, not actually cut into the hair to shape it. I am having a new issue of lots of new thick hair growing in at the scalp- about an inch or so long at this point, which is a mixed blessing, because I am looking forward to the new thickness I will have when all this grows out to some real length, but for the next few years, I am sure this will give me problems. At the moment, they poke out between the lengths, occasionally, threatenning to act like a mullet.

Somewhat related- does anyone remember those thinning shears that you go chopping throughout the length to thin it all? When I was a kid and still went out for haircuts, the stylist would always pull that out on me. I just don't see anymore why anyone would want to do that?:scared: