Hairstyles

Hairstyles are easy to define: they are simply the ways in which we wear our hair. And hair can be worn in so many different ways. Even people who have no hair can be said to have a hairstyle -- bald is in. There are many kinds of hairstyles out there, but hairstyles are usually determined by the kind of hair you have. Short, long, and medium hair, layered and unlayered, can be worn in different ways, and a variety of hairstyles is available to both men and women. If your hair is not long enough or you just feel like a change then an option for you is to get hair extensions.

People with short hair have fewer options of hairstyles, but a cropped haircut or a slightly longer pixie cut would frame a delicate face nicely, as would a bob, with its chin-length style (whether with bangs or no).

Women with medium-length (longer than chin-length but not below the shoulders) and long hair can put their hair up in ponytails and buns.

Hairstyles for men

In theory, men can wear any of the hairstyles above, but you'll find that most won't. Hairstyles for men are usually restricted to several short styles like crewcuts and buzzcuts.Long-haired men have co-opted many certain hairstyles that have long been associated more with women, such as braids and ponytails. Other hairstyles such as chignons and buns, however, remain choices for women only.

There are also unconventional hairstyles out there like the unfashionable but ubiquitous mullet, or the mohawk, which has never really gone out of style since the days of punk rock.

Popular hairstyles

Many people choose their hairstyles from their favorite celebrities. The pixie cut was popularized by the likes of Mia Farrow and Jean Seberg, while the big manes of the 80s were inspired by Brooke Shields. Today, people wear hairstyles taken from every decade and icon of fashion.

Ethnicity and cultural tradition can play a part in choice of hairstyles as well. African people can wear Afros of different sizes, or put their hair in cornrows (usually seen among African Americans, though the trend has spread around the world among people of all races). People going for that West Indies flavor can go for dreadlocks.

Hairstyles vary with our hair texture and curl as well. Some people have strong hair that can be easily manipulated into the hairstyles they want. Others have fine hair that won't cooperate with any styling method. People also often curl or straighten their hair to fit the hairstyles they want.

Hairstyles say a lot about us: our culture, our tastes, our personal style.