Is the French pixie crop the most flattering haircut of all time?
Gamine, effortless and oh-so-cool, few haircuts have made their mark like the pixie cut. A timeless style that's beloved in the hairdressing world, this year's awards season has been punctuated by excellent French pixie crops, from Emma Stone – who took her newly chopped 'do to the Oscars on Sunday – to Isabella Rossellini (who was also there), the model Anok Yai, Brie Larson, Taylor Russell and Iris Law. It is set to be 2025's hottest haircut – but really, it's been there all along.
Initially brought into vogue in the 1920s by Josephine Baker, an American-born French performer whose gelled high-shine crop inspired the French pixie name, it was then later adopted by actresses Audrey Hepburn and Jean Seberg in the 1950s. Their elfin cuts – which were so far removed from the popular coiffed Marilyn Monroe waves that defined the era – remain on many a stylist's mood board today.
Other famous adoptees include Linda Evangelista, whose own pixie – cut in by Julien d'Ys in 1989 – is said to have made her career, Edie Sedgwick and Halle Berry, not to mention a whole host of French women, like Léa Seydoux, who have pulled it off with the effortlessness it requires. It has always been a cut for a woman who knows what she wants, and isn't afraid to be seen – when you have a pixie crop in situ, there's infinitely less hair to hide behind.
Hairstylist Luke Hersheson agrees: 'Generally, shorter hair says, 'I'm confident, independent and I don't mess about',' he says. 'You really have to have the confidence to wear a cut like this – you don't want it to wear you.' That said, there is a crop to suit everyone – it's more versatile than you might think. Here are five ways to wear it now.
Ask for a softer silhouette
Just because it's short, it doesn't mean it has to be drastic. Actually, says Hersheson, it's all about opting for a cut that feels soft and gentle around the face. Avoid hard lines around the ears and the back of the neck, in particular, for a more flattering and feminine feel. 'Micro-diagonal and curtain bangs, worn with a side or centre parting, are also a great way to soften the look,' he says. While a good cut will speak for itself and won't need copious amounts of styling, creating some definition through ends with a styling cream or texture spray can help prevent any solid lines.
Almost Everything Cream, £14, Hershesons
Cool Girl Barely There Texture Mist, £28, Hair by Sam McKnight
Opt for a gloss
When it comes to your colour, less is more, so ask your colourist to avoid harsh highlights and using any techniques that distract the eye from the style as a whole. 'For a cut this short, and with this many layers, it's better to go for one colour,' recommends colourist Nicola Clarke. 'Using a gloss over the whole head creates a softer, more fluid look that's less blocky.'
While an in-salon gloss treatment is best for rich and longer lasting colour, you can also top up its benefits at home with the help of a weekly colour mask. And for those who are still tempted by a multi-tonal look, approach with caution: 'I would suggest tiny lights – so tiny that they look like tiny flecks of sunlight – through the longest part of the cut, like the fringe and on top,' she recommends. 'Avoid the layers around the back and sides because you'll end up with hair that appears patchy… and that's not a good look.'
Christophe Robin New Shade Variartion Care, £39, Cult Beauty
Do soft-focus skin
'I love how a pixie cut opens up the face and naturally highlights the face's features,' says make-up artist Nikki Wolff. 'With less hair framing the face, skin becomes a focal point, so I always recommend creating soft-focus definition: think, a liquid bronzer blended seamlessly under the cheekbones to subtly sculpt, or a flush of blush swept across the bridge of the nose for a fresh, natural warmth.' Add a little highlighter to the high points of the face (such as your upper cheekbones) and a smattering of faux freckles and you'll be ready for summer a couple of months early.
And for a thoroughly French approach to the look? Try a bold lip. Wolff recommends keeping the shape soft and flattering. 'Try a deep berry lip liner, buffed out with a brush or fingertip for a diffused effect, then top with a balm for a natural just-kissed, blurred pout that feels modern and effortless.'
Sculpt like the stars
Stone graced the Oscars red carpet with a pixie cut to be reckoned with. Taking her cues from the 1920s and 1930s – Baker must surely have been an inspiration – her hairstylist Mara Roszak created ultra-glossy finger waves in Stone's short crop. Saturating her hair in RŌZ's Evergreen Style Cream (try Typebea's Ultimate Styling Serum for a good UK alternative), Roszak used a fine-tooth comb to create S-waves through her hair, sculpting and smoothing as she went. She later dried it in place using a Dyson Supersonic with diffuser attachment, on a low heat and air flow setting.
Play with your parting
Short hair doesn't have to be boring. As well as experimenting with finish and texture, one of the easiest ways to switch up the style is by playing with your parting. At the Baftas in February, Rossellini sported a cool, deep side parting, while at the Oscars she wore it to the centre, with more volume and body at the roots and through her hair. Easy to achieve at home and totally transformative, never underestimate the power of the parting.
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