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A London-based study reinforces what your mom always told you men love girls with long hair. iTalk gets experts to help all you ladies decide which way to swing

Men find women with long wavy hair like TV presenter Kelly Brook the sexiest, says a study. Pic/AFP

If you thought splurging on make-up and designer labels is the best way to woo a man, you are wrong. Sporting long, wavy hair could be the easy, inexpensive way to bag that hunk you've been eyeing. At least, that's what a new survey says.

Based on a survey conducted among 3,000 men, a poll that took place in London revealed that men find long, wavy locks, like TV presenter Kelly Brook's, the sexiest, with 43% men voting it their favourite hairdo.

Hollywood actress Jennifer Aniston's long straight locks came second, followed by the classic short bob sported by singer Rihanna and Coronation Street actress Kym Marsh. Straight, mid-length styles, like that worn by Gwyneth Paltrow, came fourth while the pixie crop famously sported by Victoria Beckham, finished fifth. Long hair is strongly linked to femininity, which is the reason behind why almost half the men chose long wavy hair.


How to take care of a short crop

Aalim Hakim, Celeb hairstylist

Priyanka Gandhi, Sonali Bendre, Bipasha Basu, Mandira Bedi they are smart, sexy and sport a short crop. Aalim Halim helps you decide which way to go.

* A shorter cut is in vogue right now, thanks to the time constraints that women face. It's convenient to manage.

* It is more trendy, energetic and bold. Women who flaunt it are believed to possess strong personalities.

* The key to take care of your bob is to blow dry it at least twice a week, and iron it and trim it regularly.

* Women with shorter hair should experiment more with styling products.


The women stand divided

Sonalika Sahay Model

I prefer a short cut on myself since managing long hair is a big task. But people who think short hair needs less maintenance are wrong too!


Noyonika Chatterjee Model

With my look, a short crop might not look good. Consciously or unconsciously, I think men prefer women with long hair since they find it feminine.


Snigdha Kumari NIFT student

I prefer long hair; it looks graceful and you can try different styles. It goes well with a Western and Indian looks.


Avantika Sharma  Media professional

I prefer a short style. It's trendier and lets the focus stay on your face.


Long vs short

Long hair

Pros:

* It allows you to experiment, flip and play around suggestively, garnering more admiration.

* It provides natural protection to the head and scalp.

Cons

* If you are overweight, chances are it's going to make you appear heavier.

* If you have thin fine hair, keeping it long will make it look limp.


Some easy styles for long hair

* A high or low ponytail gives you an "instant facelift". For a more polished look, wrap a piece of your own hair around the elastic band and secure underneath the pony, with a bobby pin.

* A simple braid can be turned into an intricate-looking bun just by twisting and securing with well-placed bobby pins or dramatic hair sticks.
 

Short hair

Pros

* It takes very little time to wash, dry, and set. This is handy when getting out early in the morning for work, or heading to a party straight from work.

* It keeps you cool in hot, humid weather.

* Short hair allows you more styling options. You can wear extensions if you want to opt for a longer hairstyle, and go back to your short crop when you wish.

Cons

* Short hair needs to be washed more often because the oil isn't able to travel down a long hair shaft, making it look dirtier.

* If you want to maintain the short length of your new hairstyle, you'll  need to make frequent trips to the hairdresser to get your hair done, which means spending more money.


The men love Rapunzels

Aryan Vaid Model-turned-Actor

Hair plays a important role in a woman's personality. All the girls I have dated have had long hair.


Chetan Hansraj TV actor

Of course, women with longer hair look sexier. It enhances their femininity.


Zulfi Sayed model

I like girls who have curly hair since it adds character to their look.


Kunal Puri Business consultant at Tech Mahindra

I find women with long hair more attractive. It lends them feminine sex appeal.


Vikas Choudhary PR executive

I'd choose long wavy hair over a short, boyish cut.


The Mid-Day poll results: 60%

Men who participated in an online poll, supported the global findings, admitting that they preferred women with long tresses over those with short styles.