Abstract: A hair styling appliance includes first and second heating plates operatively connected for pivotal displacement relative to one another such that a hair segment positioned between them can be styled. A glide-speed sensing system generates an output having a relation to a speed with which the hair segment is displaced relative to the first and second heating plates. A glide-speed indicating system can communicate feedback to a user, based on the output, such as an indication of a glide speed of the hair styling appliance relative to the associated hair segment. A user input device can receive an input from the user regarding a hair-type classification and/or a hair-condition classification and generate a hair-related output having a relation to the input from the user.