From 'The Bixie' To The Nineties Bob, 3 Extra Short Hairstyles To Try This Summer
Case in point: Emma Stone has been sporting a tousled pixie cut, while Victoria Beckham recently revived her iconic graduated 'uncut' bob, leaning into a softer, more effortless hairstyle. Meanwhile, famous faces who have never cut off their lengths before are now jumping on the trend. See: Sofia Richie-Grainge who chopped off her signature long waves and debuted a French bob whilst on holiday this summer.
'Extra short hair is having a moment as the ultimate style reset this summer. After seasons of long hair, people are now embracing bold, low-maintenance cuts that feel fresh and fun,' shares Eugene Smith, a Senior Stylist at John Frieda's Salon in Mayfair. 'It's a great way to shed any past hair damage, and with the hotter weather right now, short hair means quicker styling, fewer ponytails, and a cooler nape.'
Thinking of braving the chop but not sure where to start? Three hairstylists break down the trending extra-short hairstyles that are dominating this summer...
'The Bixie is simply a cross between a pixie and a bob; it's short and cropped at the nape like a pixie, with more length at the crown and fringe like a bob,' shares Smith. From Florence Pugh and Iris Law to Taylor Hill, the Bixie cut has been cropping up more than ever this summer. 'It's a cut that balances femininity and edge perfectly,' notes Smith.
As to why it's gaining popularity? 'It's the perfect in-between haircut for those transitioning from long hair to short hair or growing out their current cut. It helps create a soft, face-framing finish in the front and an edgier feel at the back,' shares Smith.
The Bixie can work for a number of hair types and textures, too. 'For fine hair, you can finger dry your ends using a root-lifting mousse like Cool Girl Volume by Sam McKnight to add volume and then finish with a texturising spray to define the movement,' says Smith.'For thick or coarse hair, a layered haircut is key to prevent bulk. You can finish the look with a smoothing balm to help control the shape,' he adds. If you have curly hair, he recommends embracing the natural pattern of your curls and opting for a curl cream to add volume and definition.
A grown-out pixie cut is an obvious choice for summer. 'It's because it's so versatile; you can air-dry your hair, tuck it behind the ears or wear it slicked back,' shares Smith.
Styling a grown-out pixie is also pretty straightforward. 'You can revive it by creating volume and texture,' shares Smith. 'For naturally straight hair, tongs are a great way to add movement.'
'The key to growing out short hair is having regular trims to keep it in shape and using conditioning products to keep it healthy and hydrated,' says Cos Sakkas, TONI&GUY's Global Creative Director. 'Try to minimise heat styling too– the great thing about the pixie is that it can be air-dried. As it starts to grow out play with different textures and shape; change the parting or add some curls through the top,' he adds.
'Most iconically seen on Christy Turlington in the Nineties, this head hugging short haircut is becoming increasingly popular,' shares Eva Goulding, a Stylist at the Nicola Clarke salon.
The aesthetic centres on a short classic bob style, which can be cut with soft layers or straight, and takes its name thanks to the iconic Nineties supermodel blow-dry; it's reminiscent of the 'old money' bob and has plenty of volume and movement. Today's iterations are mostly worn with a voluminous side parting and soft waves which you can create using wide curling tongs and setting spray.
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Amelia Bell is the Multiplatform Beauty Director for ELLE UK and Harper's Bazaar, developing beauty strategy, writing, editing, and commissioning, and leading beauty content across both sites. Amelia has a particular interest in wellness and longevity, exploring the skin-mind connection, and decoding the latest treatments, tweakments and runway trends. She also has bylines for Women's Health, Refinery29, British Vogue, Harrods Magazine, and more.
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Tom's Guide
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Hamilton Spectator
3 hours ago
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Cape Breton filmmaker's latest work inspired by Donald Marshall Jr.
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New York Times
4 hours ago
- New York Times
The Boldness of Calling a Toupee a Toupee
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'The support that I've gotten has been great,' Mr. Sherry said in reference to his TikTok videos documenting his experience. 'And then obviously, my perception of myself has also improved tremendously.' Restoring Confidence Male-pattern baldness is a common condition that affects up to half of men by 50. While the loss is physical, experts said the experience often influences how men feel. Viren Swami, a professor of social psychology at Anglia Ruskin University whose research focuses on the psychology of body image, said hair loss could affect confidence in interpersonal relationships and social relationships, which in turn might have a negative impact on mental health. 'Losing your hair doesn't necessarily mean you suddenly become depressed,' Dr. Swami said. 'You might feel sad, you might feel like something's changed but that then in turn has an impact on how you negotiate the world around you.' 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'Someone shouldn't have to change how they look to feel accepted, to feel that they're a worthy part of humanity,' he said, noting that the concept is a societal question, and not about taking away an individual's agency to want to change. Mr. Sherry said he knew he could eventually work on accepting his hair loss, but at this stage in his life, getting a toupee made it 'just one less thing to worry about.' It allowed him to notice 'all of the other things about me that were special because I wasn't so focused on the hair,' he added. An Elaborate Process At Ms. Cheney's salon in San Diego, she runs an efficient, one-woman operation. First, she meets with potential clients through virtual consultations. If they decide to proceed, they come in for a two-hour application appointment, which includes shaving the top of their head and working to color and texture match toupees to their natural hair. This is followed by washing the toupee, applying it to the scalp with three to four coats of medical-grade glue, and a hair cut and styling. The applications cost $1,400 for the initial installation — she provides a discount for those willing to be featured in her social media videos — and require daily maintenance, as well as a monthly glue refresh. A new toupee is recommended every two to three months, she said. The hair pieces come from Toupees by Argyle, a small business owned by Ms. Cheney's mother, Anndrea Argyle, who introduced her to the industry. That relationship allowed Ms. Cheney to create custom 'blueprints' for her stock toupees. 'I'm very picky which is also why I think I'm the toupee queen,' she said. 'I want it to be the perfect texture match for what they want or for what their hair is, and I want it to be the perfect tone and the perfect color. And my favorite way to do that is just myself. Doing it my way, myself.' As Ms. Cheney begins work on an installation, she sings along to music and chats with her clients, often sprinkling in affirmations about how the look is 'serving already.' Though social media plays a crucial role in her business, Ms. Cheney said she hired someone to post videos for her, as she found it hard to not get caught up in the comments. And even with a significant follower count, she said it still felt 'so virtual.' The number of people who do toupee applications is small, she said, and lacks community, partly because of the shame associated with wearing them. Her attempts to remove that shame, and to use the word toupee, have not always gone over well with her peers. 'I feel rejected by the industry,' Ms. Cheney said. 'And I did feel a bit lonely, but the changes are happening.' 'If the industry won't adjust with us, then we will build a new industry that is kinder and more happy to deal with change,' she added.
