The two things people notice first are your face and hair. That's just logical since these two attributes are at eye level. But what this means is that having a bad hair day may skew your one chance at a first impression. That's not a good thing when you have a blind date and the guy turns out to be a George Clooney look-alike or when you have a job interview for the job of your dreams.

No Gel?

But a bad hair day is more than just the sum total of humidity and running out of hair gel. A girl needs to start out with a flattering cut and style. The way to get there is to assess the shape of your face and choose a cut and style that complements your own unique facial shape. Here we give you some tips on choosing a hair cut and style that plays up your natural beauty.

∗Oval—If you have an oval face, you're in luck. Oval shaped faces are the most versatile of all when choosing a hairstyle. You can pick just about any style you like. But it's a good idea to choose a hairstyle that plays up a specific facial feature such as lips or eyes by drawing the eyes to that feature. Think of Liza Minnelli in Cabaret: Her pixie cut with the bangs that draw to a point somewhere between her eyes make her eyes seem huge and luminous.

Balancing Act

∗Long—The trick to balancing a longish face is to add width through hair length. Keep your hair medium-length. Hair that is very long or cut very short will just make your face seem longer.

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