poofy hair help

i just got my hair cut, to remove alot of damaged ends. it is just below chin length, and has layers, because my hair is very thick. anyway, i haven't been able to replicate the way the stylist dried my hair, with the ends flicking up but fairly flat on top. no matter what i do it is SO PUFFY! i have even tried letting it dry with a hat on, to flatten it out. it seems like once the weight of the length came off, the laws of gravity don't apply to it. what can i do to fix this, besides just waiting for it to grow itself down again?

Straigthening the hair will do not much to remove the volume on top. Thinning the hair will give even more volume ... What probably has happened is the fact you hair was "hanging" down more by its natural weight. Directly after the cut it stayed that way a bit, after a certain time it gets up more, causing the volume.

The way you dry your hair makes a difference: if you do it upside down (to get the ends to flick up), the volume increases too. So try to style your hair first straight down. Roll the hair on a (good) brush, put tension and dry the base of the hair. Point the hairdryer in the direction of your hair - towards the ends. Then use the cold switch to "fix" the hair at the base. Then dry the length in the middle (still tension down towards the ground). Roll the brush continously outwards on the end to finish. Have a try without mousses and such to learn. Don't be discouraged and if it doesn't look good, wet the lock again. You'll end up gettin better and better at it, just hang in there.
After you've got it in your fingers, prolong the look by using a mousse. A good finishing product like wax at the base will add "weight" and shine.

Remember, you didn't learn to ride a bicycle in one day. The same apllies to hairstyling ..