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2.25 Rule Calculator: Will Short Hair Suit You?
The 2.25 rule says short hair suits you if the distance from your earlobe to your chin is under 2.25 inches (5.7 cm). Do the short hair test with a pencil and a ruler, then enter the number.
Reviewed by Hair Fairy Editorial · Updated
The rule's line is 2.25 in (5.7 cm). Your result updates as you type.
Enter your earlobe-to-chin measurement and your result appears here.
How to do the short hair test with a ruler
- Pull your hair back off your face and stand side-on to a mirror, looking straight ahead.
- Hold a pencil level under your chin, touching the bottom of it, so it runs straight out to the side.
- Hold a ruler upright with the zero end at the bottom of your earlobe.
- Read the ruler where it meets the pencil. That number is your earlobe-to-chin distance.
Measure twice. If the two readings differ, use the average. Don't measure from a photo. Without a ruler in the frame there's no true scale, and phone cameras distort faces up close.
What the 2.25 rule can't tell you
The rule looks at one distance on your face. Whether a short cut works for you also depends on things it never measures:
- Your hair. Fine, thick, wavy and curly hair all sit differently once the length is gone.
- Cowlicks and growth patterns, especially at the crown and the nape.
- Upkeep. Most pixies need a trim every four to six weeks to keep their shape.
- Which short cut. A pixie, a bixie and a jaw-length bob change your face in very different ways.
For a fuller check, read how to know if short hair will suit you, or browse pixies and short cuts and bobs and lobs. If you're worried about growing it back, the hair growth calculator shows how long that takes.
Common questions
What is the 2.25 rule for short hair?
It is a quick at-home test, also called the 2.25 inch rule or the pencil test. You measure from the bottom of your earlobe down to a pencil held level under your chin. Under 2.25 inches (5.7 cm), the rule says short hair suits you. Over it, the rule says longer hair is the safer choice. John Frieda stylist Giles Robinson explained the idea as being about the angle of your jawbone more than your face shape.
What is 2.25 inches in centimeters?
2.25 inches is 5.715 cm, which most people round to 5.7 cm. The calculator converts between the two, so you can measure with whichever ruler you have.
Is the 2.25 rule accurate?
Treat it as a rough guide. No study backs it, and it measures one distance on your face while ignoring your hair texture, density, cowlicks, neck length and how much styling you want to do. A reading close to 2.25 inches is within normal measuring error, so it can land on either side.
I measured over 2.25 inches. Can I still have short hair?
Yes. Many people over the line wear pixies and bobs well. Longer fringe, height at the crown or a cut that ends below the jaw all change how a short style sits on your face. The most reliable check is to see the exact cut on a photo of yourself, then talk it through with your stylist.
Is the TikTok 2.25 filter accurate?
Not as a stand-in for the real test. The filter measures the lower half of your face, from your nose to your chin. The original rule measures from your earlobe down to your chin, so the filter checks a different distance and may not agree with a ruler. For the actual 2.25 rule, use a pencil and a ruler.
Does the 2.25 rule work for curly hair?
The measurement is about your face, so you can take it with any hair type. For curly and coily hair, the dry length and shape of a short cut matter more than the number. Curls shrink, so plan the cut around how your hair sits when it is dry.