I'm in the mood to try something new with my hair. I haven't had it cut in a while, so it's quite long at the moment, down to the small of my back. I'd like to keep it long (around bra-strap length) but find a style that will give it some shape around my face.

Every stylist I've ever been to has had a 'curly hair requires layering' philosophy, but layering just doesn't work for my hair because only the upper layers are curly. The lowest layer is straight, wavy at best, and it looks ridiculous if it's longer than the curly upper layers. Besides, all the layered styles I've seen seem designed to reduce the volume of thick, corkscrew curls and, if anything, I'd like to add volume to my fine, loose curls.

I don't spend much time on my hair. I put some gel through it, tie it up in a T-shirt for half an hour, then let it air dry. Styles that require heavy time investment are probably not a good choice for me!

Here's my hair on a good day, to give an idea of what I'm working with:

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Suggestions and inspirational photos would really be appreciated!