Is it time for a change? Perhaps growing out your short hair is key. These simple tips will make the journey to long hair a hop, skip and jump.

Growing out your short hair doesn't have to be a chore. Despite the often-frustrating in-between period, it's still possible to consistently have a flattering, healthy hairstyle. If you are currently in between length, read up on our simple solutions for making the growing out process less of a pain.

Chad Taylor, a celebrity hair stylist and co-owner of Vancouver's Moods Hair Salon, offers seven tips on how to grow out your hair with ease. Choice accessories and regular trims are just two of the ways to guarantee a stress-free grow-out.

1. Don't neglect shape
Taylor advises against the idea of letting your hairstyle go in hopes of garnering length. "The biggest mistake you can make growing out a short haircut is to just let it grow," he says. "Your hair will become bulky and shapeless in all the wrong places. Your head is round, so as hair grows it takes on different shapes along the way."

To avoid an uneven, unflattering grow-out, Taylor suggests frequent trips to the stylist. That way, excess weight will be removed regularly to keep your hair looking current.

2. Get regular trims

Despite the myth that trimming hair will stunt its growth, Taylor maintains that regular trims will ensure a healthier outcome.

"It's very important to keep ends trimmed while growing your hair out so that they don't fray or split," he says. "By removing small amounts of hair regularly, your ends will not break or become thin at the bottom in the long term."

Taylor recommends visiting your hairstylist every six to eight weeks to keep your cut looking fresh. Since hair grows an average of half an inch per month, regular micro-trims will still allow your hair to grow at a decent pace.

3. Accessorize
While hair accessories can ease the process of growing your hair out, Taylor advises against overdoing it with clips, pins and barrettes.

"Headbands are a good option as they are stylish and can keep the hair away from your face, but avoid over-bobby pinning and clipping your hair since that can look messy," he explains.

To create the illusion of length, professional hair extensions can also provide a flattering fix. "Clip-in extensions can work well as long as your top layers are long enough and not too blunt," Taylor tells us. "But if you are going to use extensions, have your hair stylist texturize the ends so that your layers will blend into the extensions."

4. Avoid layers
Trading layers in for a blunt cut will make the grow-out process easier, says Taylor. "Blunt or one-length bob cuts are the easiest to grow out," he explains. "As soon as you have layers, the shape needs to be adjusted along the way. Graduated bobs and pixie cuts are the most challenging because they are such strong shapes."

However, instead of making a drastic change and risk losing length, have your stylist ease into a blunt or one-length style as you go for regular trims. That way, you'll still make progress without your hairstyle losing its shape.

5. Keep your hair moisturized
Your hair needs moisture and protein to make the growing out process successful. "Hair needs a combination of protein and moisture," Taylor explains. "If you colour or lighten your hair, you need more protein to keep the hair strong so it will grow."

To maintain these components, he recommends using moisture-based shampoos and conditioners to help keep your hair soft and supple. "A weekly treatment can also keep hair soft. I recommend smoothing products, like balms or oils, to keep hair glossy and to tame growing layers."

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6. Try bangs
A subtle change to your haircut may create the illusion of length. "If you start to become frustrated with your hair, usually a slight adjustment to the haircut will make it look more balanced," Taylor says. "Sometimes adding fringe or bangs can make the rest of your hair look longer."

As for what type of bangs would suit your face best, talk to your stylist about your face shape and hair texture. Avoid trying to make any adjustments on your own.

7. Have an end result in mind
Finally, to help maintain your sanity, Taylor suggests having an end goal in mind. "Knowing what shape you are growing your hair into is important," he advises. "For one-length looks, grow the top layers out first and keep the perimeter short until the top catches up."

For layered styles, he stresses the importance of regular trims since wispy edges and roundness on the sides need to be reshaped for flattering consistency.

Growing your hair out might feel like an endless and frustrating process, but there are ways to make it stress free and simple. With regular trims, the right accessories and some patience, you'll have the look you want before you know it.

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