More than any other factors, the texture, bend and amount of your hair must govern your choice of a hair­do. I emphasize this point because in my experience the failure to understand it is a leading cause of women's dissatisfaction with their hair, and their hairdressers.

The woman who is trying to work against nature must spend endless hours fussing with her hair and gets no better results than the one who has chosen an easily cared-for hairdo. A successful hairdo is one where the hair will spring easily back into place. Any other kind means you have to force the hair to do something that is not natural to it. If you choose one of the latter, a great deal more hair care will be required, and satis­factory results are questionable.

First you must examine your hair with a cold and im­personal eye. Study it as it actually is, not as you would like it to be or as it used to be. How fine or coarse is your hair? How thick or thin? Finally, and one of the most important questions, how much bend (natural wave or curl) does it have?

To answer these questions, first wash your hair. While it is wet, begin manipulating it with your fingers. Ex­amine the top, back and sides by sections. By doing so you will be able to determine the amount of bend in your hair. This bend will help you decide on the style. When you locate a natural bend, if there is any, you can utilize it for a style that will be practicable for you.

It is possible that some sections will have more bend, some less, some none. The bend which can be utilized best is that found at the temples, the sideburns, and the top of the hair.

You will realize, of course, that the amount of bend will vary with the length of the strand of hair.

If your hair is long and shows no bend, this is what to do: isolate several sections of your hair, each sec­tion containing between one dozen or two dozen hairs.

Cut these sections shorter and shorter till you get them down to one inch in length. At each cutting manipulate them with your fingers and comb, to test them for bend. When you find the length at which one or all the sec­tions respond, you should use that length as a measuring stick for the rest of the hair.

As I have said, it often happens that one section will have bend, the other none, so common sense will tell you to use the bend for movement or variation of line, and leave the rest as straight as possible.

When you discover one section with bend you must search carefully along its outer edges, to see how far it  goes.

While on this subject, I must make it clear that find­ing bend in the hair applies to curly as well as straight hair, because even curly hair has some straighter sec­tions which can be utilized for their straightness.

Once you have decided on the amount of bend your hair possesses, then you must think in terms of hairdos and whether you want to utilize all of the bend or just some of it.

TEXTURE

Your next step is to begin thinking about the texture (fine, medium or coarse).

Fine hair has a tendency to frizz when curled too tightly. It looks its best when allowed to fall softly and naturally, with a minimum of curling.

Coarse hair will hold a curl or wave if you don't curl it too tightly or wave it too much.

Medium hair is the most pliable and can assume many shapes.

AMOUNT

Thin hair must be made to look thicker. One of the best ways is to wash it frequently and keep it free from oil. When hair is freshly washed it looks twice as thick.

Thick hair can always be thinned if necessary to assume a shape in conformity with your hairdo.

Medium-fine hair has been skillfully cut to take advantage of its natural qualities: a tendency to curl around the face, and cowlicks at the crown. The whole form is an in­teresting pattern, without setting.

SUMMARY

There are certain things you cannot make hair do.

When you try to make short straight hair go back from the face you are going against the natural ten­dencies of your hair.

Straight hair should be worn toward the face, be­cause you must proceed on the assumption that the most natural thing for straight hair to do, following the laws of gravity, is to fall down toward the face. Taking advantage of this knowledge would mean cutting the hair to the exact length you want the finished hairdo to be, and then curling it ever so slightly to give a bend to the ends. Curls should never make more than one com­plete turn when brushed out. Hair is at its best when it makes half a turn.

Curly hair can be worn either down or back. The reason it will stay back or up at the sides is that each hair is self-supporting. It needs no other hair to rest on to support it.

Curly hair, wavy or bent hair can stay free of the head and assume some shape other than straight.

Curly hair, when left one length, will wave. Cut it short, confuse it, -and it will curl. The more you con­fuse it, the more variety of patterns it will assume.

Confuse straight hair and you will have- holes or steps.

Approaching your choice of hairdo with this knowl­edge will not only help you to understand your hair but will eliminate many a problem that is caused by trying for hairdos that the hair simply cannot retain.

In the light of your answers to the points I have raised, choose the hairdo you want, in some version that will be becoming to you. Then consider the time and the amount of care it will entail.

CARE

Hair care depends almost entirely on how much curl your hair has. If you have fairly straight hair and are in the habit of pin-curling it tightly, you will find that the pin-curling will not last as long as when you barely turn up the ends. This is true because the hair still re­tains its barely straight shape, causing it to fall into its own natural straight patterns. Fairly curly hair can be brushed into shape, and very curly hair can be pin-curled when washed to get the desired effect.

STRAIGHT HAIR

I have always been an exponent of the beauties of straight hair and have devoted much time to the study of its styling. Contrary to the opinion of many straight-haired girls, it has a very definite place in the fashion picture, because simplicity of line in hair styling is the most beautiful. My aim has always been to find new ways of cutting hair and to add more hairdos for the straight-haired woman.

To look really well, straight hair depends almost en­tirely on the cutting. When cut, it should not have the body or thickness cut out. When the body is left in, there will be more chance for any slight natural wave to be developed. Body also helps the hairdo to hold its shape better.

There are all kinds of straight hairdos, most of them smart and attractive, but those that hold their shape longest are the down and forward styles, since the nat­ural line of straight hair tends to fall down.

By proper cutting and shaping this tendency can be utilized for a hairdo with a very good line.

Therefore, if you are bewailing your straight hair, and think the only solution is to have it curled, re­consider and try some of the straight coiffures. You'll be pleased to find that they not only look better but that they will save you time, trouble and money.

CURLY HAIR

If you have the type of hair that refuses to lie flat, that refuses to lie straight and close to the head, it means that your hair is too wavy or curly to wear in a straight hairdo. In order to get the full benefit of your waves or curls you must choose a hairdo that utilizes your hair's natural tendency to curl.

Exception to the straight-haired rule. Bang was combed into shape when wet, back was curled into six large No. 4 curls, then combed out and secured with band into soft, straightish hank of hair.

 

Excellent for a full face — the sides add length. The two front side pieces were combed into No. 3 pin-curls (two on each side). The back can be simply combed over the hand.

 

 Side hair is cut much shorter than in preceding picture. Here the sides are curled up in No. 3 curls. This is the same hairdo as above adapted to add width.

In cutting curly hair, in most cases it requires a cer­tain amount of thinning, especially around the crown. Curly hairdos run the gamut from just a bit of fluff at the bottom to as much curl as a poodle cut.

Summing up, there are plenty of styles in both cate­gories. The most important thing to remember is that either a straight or curly hairdo depends on a good haircut so that the ends will fall in the right places. By working within the realm of what is possible for you, the minimum of hair care will be needed. There should be no pin-curling every night or sleeping with your hair in a net. Some hairdos require a daily shampoo and brushing into place. Some need a twice-a-week set­ting. For others a weekly wash and set would be enough.

Appoint that will help in your hair care is to observe what part of the setting comes out first after the sham­poo. You may find that

trouble usually develops in one or two sections, such as the side tendrils. If this is your case, pin-curls in a few strategic spots each morning may help to keep it looking exactly as it should. If cer­tain sections of your hair invariably collapse, it is a simple matter to catch those spots immediately. Since the rest of the coiffure retains its shape properly, a little attention at the right places will assure the success of the whole.

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