Short hair is quicker to wash and dry, and with the right cut it does most of the styling for you. This guide lists the best short haircuts, from pixies to bobs, and simple ways to style them.
Short haircuts
- Pixie cut: A pixie cut is a short haircut that's cropped close at the back and sides and left slightly longer on top, often with a short fringe.
- Long pixie cut: A long pixie cut is a pixie with extra length left on top and at the fringe, usually 3 to 5 inches, while the sides and nape stay short.
- Bixie haircut: A bixie is a short haircut halfway between a bob and a pixie.
- Bob haircut: A bob is a short to medium haircut where the hair is cut around the head at one main length, usually somewhere between the ears and the shoulders.
- Blunt bob: A blunt bob is a bob cut to a single length with a straight, sharp edge and no layers.
- French bob: A French bob is a short bob cut at or just above the jawline, usually paired with a fringe that sits at the eyebrows.
- Italian bob: An Italian bob is a chin-to-neck-length bob with heavy, blunt ends and subtle internal layers that give it body and bounce.
- Layered bob: A layered bob is a bob with layers cut through it, so the hair has different lengths inside one overall bob shape.
- Inverted bob: An inverted bob is a bob that's shorter at the back and longer at the front, with stacked layers at the back that create a curved, lifted shape.
- Asymmetrical bob: An asymmetrical bob is a bob that's cut longer on one side than the other.
- Curly bob: A curly bob is a bob cut specifically for curly or wavy hair, with layers placed so the curls stack into a rounded shape instead of spreading out at the bottom.
- Lob haircut: A lob, short for long bob, is a bob cut somewhere between the chin and the collarbone, usually just grazing the shoulders.
- Bowl cut: A bowl cut is a haircut where the hair is cut to one length all the way around the head, with a straight fringe, as if a bowl had been used as a guide.
- Pageboy haircut: A pageboy is a haircut where straight hair is cut to one even length, anywhere from below the ears to the shoulders, with the ends turned under and a straight fringe across the forehead.
- Undercut for women: A women's undercut is a section of hair clipped very short, usually at the nape or on one side, underneath longer hair that can cover it.
Bangs for short hair
Bangs change a short cut completely. See curtain bangs, wispy bangs, side bangs, blunt bangs and micro bangs.
Ways to style short hair
- Beach waves: Beach waves are loose, slightly messy waves with straight ends, as if the hair had dried naturally after a day at the sea.
- Finger waves: Finger waves are flat, S-shaped waves molded into wet hair with the fingers, a comb and setting gel, and left to dry in place.
- Half up half down hairstyles: A half up half down hairstyle gathers the top section of the hair, roughly from the temples up, and leaves the rest down.
- Space buns: Space buns are two buns worn high on the head, one on each side of a center part.
- Claw clip hairstyles: Claw clip hairstyles are updos held by a claw clip: a hinged clip with interlocking teeth.
- Slick back bun: A slick back bun is a bun where the hair is smoothed tightly back from the face with gel or cream, with no flyaways, and tied into a neat bun, usually low or mid-height.
- Bantu knots: Bantu knots are a hairstyle in which the hair is divided into sections, and each section is twisted and wrapped around itself to form a small coiled knot against the scalp.
- Tuck and pin: tuck one side behind your ear and secure it with a decorative clip.
- Deep side part: flip your part for instant volume.
- Headband or scarf: keeps a growing-out cut tidy.
Which short haircut suits your face?
- Round face: a longer bob below the jaw, or a pixie with height on top.
- Long face: a chin-length bob with bangs.
- Square face: soft layers and a side part.
- Heart-shaped face: a chin-length or French bob.
Check your shape with the free face shape detector, and see all cuts in the haircuts for women guide. For men's short cuts, see men's haircuts.
FAQ
What is the most flattering short haircut?
A bob that ends just below the jaw suits the widest range of face shapes. Pixie cuts flatter oval and heart-shaped faces most easily.
Is short hair easier to maintain?
Day to day, yes. It needs more frequent trims, about every four to eight weeks, to keep its shape.
How do I style short hair quickly?
Add a bend with a flat iron, tuck one side behind your ear, or use a small claw clip for a half-up twist.
How do I know if short hair will suit me?
Check your face shape, then preview a pixie or bob on your own photo with a hairstyle try-on tool.
Thinking about a bigger change, like a new cut, bangs or a different color? See it on your own photo first with the AI hairstyle changer and the AI hair color changer.
