My hair looked like that when it was longer. I thought it was the weight of your hair pulling the waves out at the top. If you look at pics of curly hair people , the top is usually straighter or a different curl pattern.

My hair was also the same when it was long.

It's physics. The curl is in the ends of the hair that is not weighted down (the hair closer to the roots is weighted down by the length of the hair). Since there are no ends except at the bottom, that's where the curls show up. If you layered your hair so there were ends all along the length, from the scalp to the bottom, you'd have curl all the way up.

The first time I went to my current hairstylist she commented on the waves as if she was surprised. My hair was the same length as now, barely below my shoulders. I've never seen one curl come from the top. When I had my Twiggy haircut in Jr. High, it was straight as could be.

New hair growth is straight also. The plus to the waves is no matter how clumsy I am when using a curling iron, you can't tell it. lol I just wish I could do my own beach wave.

I may be in luck. A friend who lives close by and is much younger than I am, is a stylist and she may do it for me at her house.

This is what I want.

⬆️⬆️⬆️Yes, top straight even when cut short, but bottom waves when longer and curls when cut shorter. When younger had top "spot permed." Now just cut layered w/ top shorter.

"When I had my Twiggy haircut in Jr. High, it was straight as could be." Except for curly hair that is kinky, hair grows out straight until there is enough of it to form a curl. Depending on how curly will determine how long before a curl forms.

Remember, the hair that is long and wavy at the ends is the exact same hair that comes out straight at the scalp. The weight of the long hair straightens the shaft until you get closer to the ends where there isn't so much weight. If you took one of those long strands of hair and whacked it off (as in layering) it would curl, too.

Beach waves are "the thing" with the younger crowd here at the beach. Many get hair extentions. Here are two examples from the salon I go to.

I cannot find a photo of my sister. She has shorter hair and had wave curls (not perm) several months ago. Our stylist told her to buy this to do at home.

I like wavy hair...you can get the look by loosely braiding your hair...get it wet...blow dry...take the braids out. We experimented a lot in high school.....perms make my hair frizzier than it already is.

Some interesting info from this article.
https://wowskinscience.com/blogs/news/why-is-my-hair-curly-underneath-but-straight-on-top
Curly Under Straight on Top
• not curly throughout, not uncommon.
• genetics, follicles, damage
• hair form is from follicle and shaft.
• shape depends on follicle. If follicle round hair straight, elliptical curly, oval wavy hair.
• protein build up in shaft Keratin uneven in curly hair, curved portion makes strands even curlier.
• angle grows from scalp. Straight emerge vertical. Curly angle from scalp.
• angle also non-oiliness curly, difficult to travel through strand at angle. Oil through straight easily.
• straight need wash often excess oil. Curly oil does not reach causes scalp issues, dry hair, dandruff.

My hair is pretty wavy. I have thick hair so I keep it layered/texturized. Makes the most of my waves. The braiding trick does work. I have friends with daughters who braid their hair and sleep that way - next morning - waves!

I would be very careful about perming color-treated hair.

@Oakley I guess you could't be as lucky as our DGD1!

I don’t love most beach waves because the ends of each curl are just left hanging. The style doesn’t seem to complement any face shape either, and they’re not at all natural looking—just two curtains hanging down both sides of the face. Maybe I’ve only seen bad beach waves?

Tina, when I was a sophomore in high school we had a hippie dress-up day. Early 70's. My hair was down to the middle of my back and I braided it before I went to be. Guess which female won for the Soph's?

"Curly underneath." Do they mean underneath the hair or down at the bottom?

Allison, that's beautiful! Natural?

This is a recent picture of my 12 yo DGD and it looks like her hair was straightened by a curling iron.

She truly is my mini-me but she's more adorable than I was. And she's a fellow Virgo!

Thanks. Yes, natural. She's 10yo.

Oakley and Allison, your DGDs are adorable!

Thank you, Kswl.

Oakley, I scrolled right past your DGD photo (watching a CSI while surfing...). She is so pretty. Love her hair color.

I think many here can relate to this comment I just read online:

when your hair is wavy/curly sometimes there is a fine line between ”messy romantic waves” and ”evil witch who lives is Azkaban”