# How to Describe Hairstyles and Hair Movement?



## Marthix2011

I am wondering how best to describe certain hairstyles in my stories.  I have Googled some things, but have not found anything concrete regarding this.  This is important to me because I want to 'show' rather then 'tell' about my characters.  If someone is a musician, I don't want to tell my readers about them.  I want to show them.  

Take a look at this:  
http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mdc84ppFDq1rkib2oo1_500.jpg

How would you describe her hairstyle in a way that would 'show' her character?  You can tell a lot about a person by just knowing how they do their hair.  

Please help with any advice.  Thank you in advance!


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## JosephB

If you have to describe hair, you might just want to keep it simple. Shoulder length, chin length, wavy, spiked curly etc. Or you could use simile if you can think of something that sounds original or not too obtrusive.

This is one of the few bits I've written that includes a description of hair:

Cameron first saw Tilda on the train at the Five Points station, early Sunday morning after the clubs had closed. She was all arms, legs and sharp angles with skin whiter than bone and dyed red-purple hair cut like a boy’s.  Another black-clad, pseudo-bohemian, he thought. Maybe an art student.

Oh, here's another one:

Before she proceeds down the aisle arm-in-arm with her proud and beaming father, both Jamey and Kip remark that she’s gained weight. Good and much needed weight. She’s still winter-pale, but with skin now glowing like polished Carrera marble. It occurs to me I’ve never seen her natural hair color, and I believe that’s what I’m looking at now. A dark reddish-brown, cut into a thick wedge that perfectly frames an angelic and radiant expression that is completely new to me. I see that she is happy.

In both examples it seemed important -- the first to give a first impression of the who the character was in the eyes of the MC -- or what he thought she was. The second was about a big change that's taken place, not only in appearance, but in the character's life. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't mention it. With people in bands -- the hair is often part of the persona or look -- and can even say something about what kind of music they play -- so I can see where it might be important.


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## Robert_S

Pink is a start. Hot pink; stand out pink; eye catching pink; a waterfall of hot pink to either side of her head, landing on black leather. The part is not well defined. You see the hair goes to either side, but the scalp doesn't show in the part. Almost like a spray of hair in a fountain that's stuck on hot pink.

Notice I'm mostly describing the color. I love color and that type of non-conformity is hot in my eyes.


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## Outiboros

She had a surprisingly plain face. Then again, her hair looked like David Bowie's dipped in pink paint, so perhaps it did steal away the flair a bit.


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## Skodt

With a head of flashy pink hair , I wasn't sure if she meant for the style, or the wind had picked up only in her section of the world.


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## Robert_S

Outiboros said:


> She had a surprisingly plain face. Then again, her hair looked like David Bowie's dipped in pink paint, so perhaps it did steal away the flair a bit.



It looks like she doesn't use a lot of makeup. I can see a few blemishes that makeup would hide. Many celebs are surprisingly plain without makeup. And I also thought of Bowie when I looked closer at her hair style, but I didn't know how to describe without referencing Bowie.


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## Sam

You don't have to show everything. In fact, trying to show everything would be virtually impossible. Just say she had shoulder-length pink hair, frizzled at the top. It's best not to over-think these things.


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## Marthix2011

Wow!  Awesome responses everyone!  Thank you!  One of the things I've been struggling with is how to "show" hair properly.  With one of my most important characters having a rockstar persona, I think it will be important that I 'show' her hair right without overdoing every little detail of her face.  Musicians tend to wear a certain look(s) and that hairstyle does convey who they are.  I am very familiar with concerts (I go to many of them every year), so I know what the 'look' is.


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## ppsage

“[she's] JAFH—just another flamenco head—bright pink and skinny as a starving bird, peppering the music scene.”


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## JosephB

Gosh, I didn't think she was "plain" -- I think she's pretty cute.


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## Staff Deployment

JosephB said:


> Gosh



Gosh golly gee!
Restrain yourselves, everyone, it's just a picture.

Why don't you say "She's got hair like Bowie in a pink tornado" ?


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## JosephB

^ Heh. Do you really think that "gosh" is something I actually say with a straight face?


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## Staff Deployment

_Yes I do, you old softy._


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## JosephB

You're on to me.


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## Marthix2011

Staff Deployment said:


> Gosh golly gee!
> Restrain yourselves, everyone, it's just a picture.
> 
> Why don't you say "She's got hair like Bowie in a pink tornado" ?



Hmmm...not a bad idea.  But here's my dilemma with comparing to to Bowie.  Everything in my story is going to be realistic...not magic, no dragons, etc.  None of that stuff.  Gonna be as real as life is gonna get.  But I also want to make this story take place in a fictional world...create my own nations, cities, etc.  I very well could make this take place in today's USA.  Hmm...is it possible that I could compare her to Bowie if I have this story take place in a fictional universe (not sure about comparing her to Bowie in a fictional place...I guess he could make a cameo? ).  Hmmm.  Thoughts on that?  Can I compare her to Bowie in a fictional universe?  Or would I have to compare her to Bowie in today's 'real life' USA?


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## PiP

The colour reminds me of vivid pink/striking pink and the style funky or even quirky. I actually noticed her eyes before her hair.


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## Outiboros

JosephB said:


> Gosh, I didn't think she was "plain" -- I think she's pretty cute.


She is, I wouldn't contest that. I just thought the description would work better with a contradiction, and it was the hair I was describing.


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## Staff Deployment

Marthix2011 said:


> Hmmm...not a bad idea.  But here's my dilemma with comparing to to Bowie.  Everything in my story is going to be realistic...not magic, no dragons, etc.  None of that stuff.  Gonna be as real as life is gonna get.  But I also want to make this story take place in a fictional world...create my own nations, cities, etc.  I very well could make this take place in today's USA.  Hmm...is it possible that I could compare her to Bowie if I have this story take place in a fictional universe (not sure about comparing her to Bowie in a fictional place...I guess he could make a cameo? ).  Hmmm.  Thoughts on that?  Can I compare her to Bowie in a fictional universe?  Or would I have to compare her to Bowie in today's 'real life' USA?



Hmm.

Say her hair looks like "The Punk Bros" took a homoerotic journey into a tumble-dryer.

Where 'The Punk Bros' is a reference to a band that only exists in your world. You can name it whatever you like. To really sell it, have a few other characters mention the band in passing, or have their latest (fictional) hit album play on the radio once or twice.

_Worldbuilding!_


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## luckyscars

Marthix2011 said:


> This is important to me because I want to 'show' rather then 'tell' about my characters.  If someone is a musician, I don't want to tell my readers about them.  I want to show them.



This is a classic example of why the whole 'show, don't tell' thing is desperately overrated and misunderstood.




> You can tell a lot about a person by just knowing how they do their hair.



You can tell even more about them by knowing how they do things that actually matter.


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## JosephB

Outiboros said:


> She is, I wouldn't contest that. I just thought the description would work better with a contradiction, and it was the hair I was describing.



Gotcha. Because I was thinking about the bed/crackers scenario that you may or may not have heard about.


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## Kyle R

I like to use physical descriptions as a convenient way to kill two birds with one stone: 1) paint the visual storyworld for the reader to see, and 2) improve on character development.

By that I mean, the way another character looks is a great branching-off point into how the pov character feels about it, thus, introducing the reader to the povC's personality more.

The simplest way I've found to do that is to have the physical description (of the girl's hair, for example), accompanied with what your POV character thinks about it. Both of Joseph's examples on page one of this thread do that well--the reader isn't just seeing the other character, but also learning how the narrator feels about it. It not only gives a good visual picture, it also deepens the pov character.

It works especially well if the povC reacts in a unique way. For example:

_Her hair was a bristling pink, a short punk shag that made her shimmer in the sticky heat of the club. She was like a beacon in the dark sea of bodies twisting and grinding against each other. Johnny instantly fell in love._

While the first part is the description, the last sentence is where you decide how it _matters_ to the pov character. I think that's, ultimately, the most important part. :encouragement:


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## Marthix2011

KyleColorado said:


> I like to use physical descriptions as a convenient way to kill two birds with one stone: 1) paint the visual storyworld for the reader to see, and 2) improve on character development.
> 
> By that I mean, the way another character looks is a great branching-off point into how the pov character feels about it, thus, introducing the reader to the povC's personality more.
> 
> The simplest way I've found to do that is to have the physical description (of the girl's hair, for example), accompanied with what your POV character thinks about it. Both of Joseph's examples on page one of this thread do that well--the reader isn't just seeing the other character, but also learning how the narrator feels about it. It not only gives a good visual picture, it also deepens the pov character.
> 
> It works especially well if the povC reacts in a unique way. For example:
> 
> _Her hair was a bristling pink, a short punk shag that made her shimmer in the sticky heat of the club. She was like a beacon in the dark sea of bodies twisting and grinding against each other. Johnny instantly fell in love._
> 
> While the first part is the description, the last sentence is where you decide how it _matters_ to the pov character. I think that's, ultimately, the most important part. :encouragement:



KyleColorado, I like how you described the girl in the picture.  I like your approach and I think I should practice using such an approach more often.  How it _matters_ is an important part to her description.  Plus, it also allows the reader more freedom to imagine the scene, making it more vivid.


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## wancow

JosephB said:


> Cameron first saw Tilda on the train at the Five Points station, early Sunday morning after the clubs had closed. She was all arms, legs and sharp angles with skin whiter than bone and dyed red-purple hair cut like a boy’s.  Another black-clad, pseudo-bohemian, he thought. Maybe an art student.


I really like this.  I'd leave out: "Another black-clad, pseudo-bohemian, he thought." and just put "Art Student" or "Art Student, he thought." and mention somewhere else that she was clad in black.  The Pseudo-Bohemian part, imho, is too in your face for me. (That's my opinion, for what it's worth).



> Before she proceeds down the aisle arm-in-arm with her proud and beaming father, both Jamey and Kip remark that she’s gained weight. Good and much needed weight. She’s still winter-pale, but with skin now glowing like polished Carrera marble. It occurs to me I’ve never seen her natural hair color, and I believe that’s what I’m looking at now. A dark reddish-brown, cut into a thick wedge that perfectly frames an angelic and radiant expression that is completely new to me. I see that she is happy.



I love this.  If I were your editor, I might ask that you tell us that her hair looks healthy and cared for, or well groomed and silky... something like that.  I think the "radiant" expression needs to be part of another sentence.  This is having a huge impact on your narrator, and adding that extra sentence will punctuate that impact.  But it occurs to me that when you talk about her being winter pale, then add that her skin looks polished, perhaps you could move your radiant declaration there.  I'm a big fan of focus.  Let me take it in by focusing on one thing at a time.  Her face, then her hair, or her hair, then her face.  Again, that's just my opinion.  Nice word picture, by the way


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## JosephB

wancow said:


> I really like this.  I'd leave out: "Another black-clad, pseudo-bohemian, he thought." and just put "Art Student" or "Art Student, he thought." and mention somewhere else that she was clad in black.  The Pseudo-Bohemian part, imho, is too in your face for me. (That's my opinion, for what it's worth).



Hey, Wancow -- thanks for reading.

The vocabulary of "another black-clad, pseudo-bohemian" says something about the MC's first impression of Tilda --  the phrase indicates that he sees her initially as a bit of a poser -- someone who wants to look like a non-conformist, but who does in fact conform by wearing a uniform of sorts -- and it suggests that at first he is not particularly impressed. I could have preceded it with "typical" but that would have been somewhat redundant. I think removing it would really take the bite out of his observation.



wancow said:


> I love this.  If I were your editor, I might ask that you tell us that  her hair looks healthy and cared for, or well groomed and silky...  something like that.  I think the "radiant" expression needs to be part  of another sentence.  This is having a huge impact on your narrator, and  adding that extra sentence will punctuate that impact.  But it occurs  to me that when you talk about her being winter pale, then add that her  skin looks polished, perhaps you could move your radiant declaration  there.  I'm a big fan of focus.  Let me take it in by focusing on one  thing at a time.  Her face, then her hair, or her hair, then her face.   Again, that's just my opinion.  Nice word picture, by the way.



I think this does focus on one thing at time -- first her weight, then  her complexion, then her hair -- finally "angelic and radiant  expression" is a summation of the change she's undergone from her days  as a drug addict -- it's not really a physical attribute. "Radiant"  isn't meant to be taken literally -- brides (and pregnant women) are  often described radiant, or "glowing" as a way of saying they look happy  and content. It's not about her complexion or skin really. I think that  her hair looks healthy is adequately covered with "thick" and overall,  there's an implication that she's well groomed -- after all, it's her  wedding day.

I appreciate the comments and glad the bits mostly worked for you. I really don't analyze things to this extent -- but it was interesting to look at it more closely and see if I could support my choices.

Cheers!


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