by Rebekah Wilson

Created on: July 03, 2010   Last Updated: July 05, 2010

Short hair has its benefits: it's easy to style, versatile, and low-maintenance. However, short hair isn't for everyone. Listed in this article are factors that will help you determine whether or not short hair is for you:

1. Your Face Shape and Features

Some face shapes and features are more suitable for short hair than others. Women with oval-shaped faces are blessed, as their equilateral features allow them to pull off nearly any hairstyle, short or long. Those with delicate, feminine facial features and just as delicate face shapes (i.e. triangle, heart) are excellent candidates for short hair, as the right cut can emphasize such features.

Women with rounder face shapes can still pull off short hair, but cuts with blunt edges can make their cheeks and jawlines appear rounder. A bi-level cut with length along the sides and short layers in the back is a good choice for a round-faced woman who wants to enjoy the versatility and ease of short hair. Long, chin- or nape-length layers are another good, versatile option. An oblong-faced woman, on the other hand, would fare best with layering and/or volume along the sides to create the illusion of an oval shape.

2. Your Personality

If you are the outgoing, confident, self-assured type, short hair is definitely for you, as it takes a very confident, self-assured woman to cut her hair short. If you have considered going short but don't feel you're confident or self-assured enough to do so, or you've had long hair most or all your life, sign up for a virtual makeover service such as The Hairstyler, upload a clear photo of yourself, and click around for hairstyles you like to see them on you before you actually go to the salon. Also, don't go short immediately. Start with a length you're comfortable with (i.e. shoulder- or nape-length) and then go shorter as you feel more confident and self-assured.

3. Your Lifestyle and Budget

Most short hairstyles are very easy to style and low-maintenance. The shorter and less complicated the hairstyle, the less maintenance that is required to style it and keep it in shape. Added bonus: less washing and drying. However, should you want to keep your hair short, trims would need to take place more often, resulting in a bigger dent in your budget. For long hair, a trim should take place every 6-8 weeks, sometimes as long as every 12 weeks (recommended if you're the frugal type). For short hair, the recommended time frame in which to get a trim is every 4-6 weeks.

4. Your Body Type

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