The Easiest Way (Ever!) To Find Out If You’d Look Good With Short Hair.

A simple test to determine whether you should make the cut.

It happens every year: Summer finally hits, and you get that overwhelming urge to cut your hair. We get it! But how do you know if a drastic chop is right for you? Simple math—no calculator required. Meet the 2.25-inch test.

Color Wow International Training Director Giles Robinson picked up the trick from his mentor, John Frieda. According to Robinson, the measurement works because it helps you find “… the angle of the jawbone, which determines whether or not someone would look best with short or long hair.”
To take the 2.25-test, start by placing a pencil on the point of your chin horizontally, then hold a ruler to your earlobe vertically (the two should create a square, see below). The intersection where the two meet is your measurement. If it’s less than 2.25 inches, your face is made for short hair, like the style Lily Collins (above) is totally working. More than 2.25 inches, and the cut might not be the most flattering one for you.