A. Talk about a mop top! Your hair was so long that you could sweep the Sahara dry. It's probably about time that you snipped off your dead head Tressy mane (ooh, you remember Tressy? That doll from the 1960's with the hair that grew and grew).

Most women keep their hair super long as a cop out to styling- all that they have to do is plunk in a ponytail or bun and they can then forget about their hair for the day. Unfortunately, there are very few women with hair in good enough condition and a face that warrants this kind of severe length.

"When your hair was long, you probably wore it in more of a blunt cut and your hairdresser may have chose to layer it a bit which will cause a lot of volume that you are probably not used to seeing" says Nigel of the Harpur Salon in New York City. "In the mean time, until your hair grows to be more blunt," Nigel suggests, "use a leave-in conditioner and a light pomade to smooth the style and calm down the volume."

Big, gorgeous, above-the-shoulder curls are a hot runway look now, as seen on the Baby Phat Fall 2002 catwalk, pictured above right, so why don't you also consider revisiting your hairdresser for some styling tips on how to make the most of your new cut. Try something more daring, you may learn to love it!

--February 18, 2002