Are perms ever a good thing?

My hair is slightly wavy, it falls to a couple inches below my armpits in the back. It's growing out a dye, so I wouldn't perm it right this minute (I don't want to stress it out too much.) But I was wondering if perms are good? I am considering a 'hobbit perm.' It's my phrase for the type of perms that the hobbits had in Lord of the Rings. Not in tight spirals that will make me look nuts, not in crimps that will make me look like I stuck my finger in a light socket, and not in loose curls that will fall out in half an hour. What do you guys think? Would a hobbit perm work on me? (If you need to see a pic, there's one on my site listed in my y/a profile. You can look in the album titled 'me' if you need to, I didn't put a link because I don't think most of you will need to.)