I'm hoping if I just cut it all, like, 5 inches long, it'll sort itself out.

That's kind of an in between length which will tend to create uh...horizontal volume. Though if you get a curl cutting specialist they could get it to settle down a bit (by cutting the curls to nestle against each other). On the other hand, five inches isn't supershort and allows for more styling options. On the other other hand, it will spring back more tightly once you take off the length.

Also at shorter lengths the product will be more efficacious for separating out the ringlets and allowing you an easy and quick coif.

So, shorter than 5 inches. The idea of having the curls sliced into so they'll nestle actually bothers me; I can't visualize how it works. My curls are the best thing about my hair; I don't want to fuck with them.

Here's the question: do I want it ~3 inches when it's wet and straight, or ~3 inches once it's dry and curly?

Zenkitty, this is my OThaircut: [link] but because my natural curls are way different from Charlize's (and/or her hot rollers) it comes out looking a lot different, and on those days when the curl is not working, on me it comes out as either a cute flip. You might find that the basic cut here is flatteringly right for you as well, and yet won't look a thing like mine.

Edited to finish a thought.

ETA2: I should note that I have success even with taking a print-out of this picture to the cheap haircut places around here. When I don't bring the pic, I get wildly varying results, generally unsatisfactory. (Although there is this genius of a girl who has been cutting some of the group home residents' hair, and making a brilliant job of it - so she may become my trusted hairstylist.

I like that cut, WindSparrow. I think it would look good on me, if it would do that. But my main problem right now is that the top layer of hair is damaged and tends to frizz and stick up wildly. So I'm hoping to get a short-on-top thing to get rid of the damage.

The power has been out since 7:30AM. It's now 8:30PM.

That just plain sucks, GC.

that's horrid, Glamcookie

and I think that would work,Zenkitty, even with bangs. just get them cut so the sweep back as they get longer.And long layers --meaning layered but not not much difference in the length keeps the horizontal volume in more control.

I miss having a trusted hairstylist.

I got mine cut and spent 30 bucks and came out looking exactly the same. She talked me out of bobbing it and just trimmed, selling me that I didn't want to lose my layers (and the extra length) while I was growing it out. But I don't care about the extra length, and the layers look goofy right now, as they're just the last shaved cut growing out.

Then she backcombed it, so it looked bumpy that day, and that was it. I find backcombing weird anyway.

I just don't have the patience to make it all turn in every morning, so it's flippy. And with my layers, the top bit is flippy in the opposite direction of the bottom bit. It's a bit of a disaster, really.

But I have no more cash, zero, zip, this month. So I live with it. Oh well.

That's a pretty cut, Windsparrow.

Blah for power outage, Glam.

I'm thinking of getting my hair cut, but I have no trusted stylist, since I trim my hair myself. I tried to search stuff using that site, but I don't actually know what my face shape is and I don't want to look like Rumer Willis.

The idea of having the curls sliced into so they'll nestle actually bothers me; I can't visualize how it works.

Zen, here's a primer on the recommended Ouidad curly cutting technique.

Their philosophy is that straight hair cutting techniques are both damaging and counter productive to curly hair. So they advocate cutting curly hair dry, among other things.

As you can see, though, they do have good results.

Anyway, even if you don't go to a Ouidad specialist it's still a good resource for the curly headed.

If you get it cut as short as 3 inches that'll be a very drastic change for you, so you'd really need to prepare yourself psychologically for taking that kind of plunge. Get yourself into a radical acceptance mood for it. Focus on removing the damaged hair and moving forward.

Just remember that when you cut curls they will spring back when they're relieved of the weight of the longer hair. Also it will seem like it takes longer to grow out because the curls aren't going to just hang down right away.

So my advice is to not do an impulse cut on this one. Have a strategy, find a stylist that specializes in curly hair, consult before you book an appointment, and be ready for the change.

My curly headed ex used to find curly specialist stylists by stopping people on the street that had good curly haircuts. That's usually a good way to find them.