Grow Out Your Cut Gracefully

"You need to have a game plan when you're growing out your hair," says N.Y.C. hairstylist Patrick Melville, who has worked with Heidi Klum. "First, add interest in the front, like sweeping bangs, so the hair has style as it's getting longer." Trimming ends as little as ¼ inch every six to eight weeks helps keep hair looking polished as it grows. And once you get it past shoulder length, snip in long, soft layers for movement. "While you're waiting, switch things up so you don't get bored," adds Melville. "If your hair is straight, wear it wavy; if it's wavy, style it straight."

Dec. 2, 2008
"Heidi started out with an A-line bob and sweeping fringe," says Melville. "The side part was extremely flattering on her strong jaw."

To hide choppy ends, Klum switched up her style. "Curls were easy to achieve because her hair has good texture," says Melville.

As shorter layers grew out, she slicked her hair back with an extreme side part. Even in between, Melville says, "the cut's very versatile."

Another trick for camouflaging her half-grown layers? Straightening them with a flatiron. "It gave her a very rock and roll look," Melville says.

"By now, the bangs had essentially grown into a long layer," says Melville. "You can see how the fringe was flipping up at the sides here."

As her hair approached her shoulders, Klum had long layers added in to prevent her growing tresses from getting too heavy and bulky.

With the luxury of extra length, she could wear intricate styles. "This double bun is dramatic and modern," says Michel Aleman, who styled this updo.

A momentary lapse in patience: "She wanted long hair right away," Melville says. "So she got clip-on extensions."

Straight hair looks "simple and chic" on Klum, says Melville.

It's liberating to cut off all your hair, says stylist Chris McMillan, who gave Michelle Williams this cropped cut. But what happens when you're ready for another reinvention? A pixie naturally grows into a shag. If you prefer something more polished, McMillan suggests a trim every 10 weeks. "Cut the back and the bangs, shaping hair into a bob as the sides catch up in length," he says. Ride out in-between stages with Williams's go-to trick: off-center buns and ponies. Both give you the flattering look of a short cut from the front while hiding any stray hairs in the back, says L.A. stylist Guy Riggio.

Feb. 24, 2007
Inspired by Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby, Chris McMillan created this chic pixie.

A gamine-like cut grows out more evenly when trimmed with scissors, not a razor.

With trims every 2½ months, the shortest layers hit her jawline.

Styling it straight revealed how far her hair had grown-to her chin.

Williams's chin-length hair was now long enough for an updo, albeit a tiny, wispy bun.

Finally, a full-fledged bun with side layers long enough to wear loose.

"We cleaned it up a bit by trimming her layers," says McMillan. "Just watch-she'll cut her hair off again!" Right he was! Try on Williams's super blond new pixie now!

Growing out a short hairstyle can be especially challenging for some black women because their strands tend to be drier and break more easily, says Los Angeles hairstylist Larry Sims. That's why keeping your hair healthy and hydrated is so important, adds Dante Blandshaw, Taraji P. Henson's stylist. The best way to protect tresses from the damaging effects of daily heat styling, says Blandshaw, is by getting a weave. While Henson was growing out her hair, she used weaves to experiment with many different looks.

Jan. 8, 2009
Henson wanted a new style that was "chic and elegant," says stylist Dante Blandshaw.

Changing the direction of the side part gave her more volume for the Oscars.

Henson stuck to her natural length, but added loose curls (with the help of extensions).

Her hair was safely braided under this choppy weave, explains Blandshaw.

Ready for an updo, Henson made it happen with a new super-long weave.

The last hurrah for her long extensions: sleek and straight.

A deep side part and fully grown-out bangs lengthen and define Henson's heart-shaped face, says Blandshaw.

Beckham debuts her gamine cut, wearing it this cropped for about a month.

Stylist Garren cleverly disguised any uneven length with tousled pieces and a black headband.

Regular trims helped it grow out stylishly, says Garren, who shaped it into a side-parted pixie.

Voilà!-the look evolves into a girlie, layered shag.