Stylists just don't like to do short haircuts. IMO, they don't because most short cuts take much more precision cutting than when they cut long hair. Probably some stylists just aren't that skilled with short hair. On a related note, I just got my hair cut (really, just, I just got home 10 minutes ago), and this time I printed out a picture for the stylist (not the usual girl). She cut it exactly like the picture and all I had to do was ask that she take a little bit more off the back. It's quite short for me

So I'm looking for pictures.... gawd!  People!  I type in short hair _style_s and I get pictures of people with MEDIUM _style_s. look at boy/men hair_style_s, that is where i use to find the pictures that pictured the length i wanted!

Have you considered a Barber? An old fashioned men's barber? They're more likely to be used to short hair cuts and even have a better vocabulary (I'm sure women have too but I mean in the how I want my short hair to look sense) to give you what you specifically want. Especially important if you don't have a picture. Where I live you'll end up with a high and tight (buzz cut) if you go to a barber shop - lol.

Instead of driving yourself bonkers trying to find a picture of what you want, why don't you just sketch one yourself?  And as the two of you discuss it, explain what you want to her as clearly as you did for us Lily

get out of there. I used to wear my hair short and never got the back the way I wanted. A stylist finally explained that I couldn't because my nape hair didn't grow in the right manner for certain _style_s. I have some sort of cowlick back there and they couldn't give me a tapered V nape. They always had to cut it straight across or if I really insisted on a V, my hair had to be left longer. Perhaps you have the same situation? Just a thought. Good luck. Suzanne