Short hair has exploded into modern fashion and isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Just open up any big budget magazine. From iconic celebrities to all the runway models… androgyny has sparked a live wire under style’s ass.
Everyone is trying it. No, it isn’t a miracle drug named “Holly” or some new diet… it’s short hair. And it’s everywhere.
Women are feeling empowered and are snipping off their lovely lady locks. Feminism, individualism and overall “wisdom” are finally prevailing. Yes, ladies! We don’t have to have long, Jennifer Aniston hair for our whole lives.
And here’s what we love about short hair.
Short hair means less time getting ready, less products, less daily touch-ups, less heat, less annoyance, less split-ends, less falling hairs stuck everything… Sounds amazing, doesn’t it?
Why has fashion shifted?
Perhaps it is the growing trend of androgyny inspired fashions. Sexy, sun-glowing starlets are trading in their $5,000 weaves for clippers buzzes, fades, edge lines and all.
So we have a few orbiting, style motifs that have basically collided.
We’ve got our basic hipsters, angelic pixie-esque styled manes slowing melting into genderless short-hair that can be, genderly, indistinguishable.
And then we have the punk girls. Their hair is short, which lets all of the world know how much they just don’t give a sh*t. Ironically, many of these hairstyles require the most maintenance of any stereotypical haircut.
Punk girls with long hair usually have some part buzzed short (you might need to double check, sometimes the areas are small). If not, expect some color weaved in.
And then there are lesbians, who have flaunted awesomely edgy cuts for years. And ironically, The Huffington Post had this to say: “Last we checked, being gay wasn’t a “trend.”
But Style.com has decided to throw logic to the wind, naming “lesbian chic” one of its hot topics for fall.” Could this be all the androgyny?
Could it be?
We’ve got the androgynous hipsters, the punks, and now the lesbian model scene, which credits its fashion to the highest institutions of fashion: Vogue, NY Fashion Week, etc.
Hey, that means that a pretty big chunk of society is screaming “Short!”, “Shorter!” and “Not short enough!”
So, just like in decades past, we have a whirlwind of fashions all thrown together. This season is about clashing the years and the genders. But really, what’s so new about that idea anyway?
The 90’s were all about bellbottoms with jelly-sandals and chokers: not exactly a perfect melting pot for any traditional generation. And who could forget the early 90’s?
Androgyny was once again full-throttle with flannels, long-greasy locks and holed-up Levis, or whatever girls could find from a dumpster.
Androgynous short hair
But other than 99% of the fashion world telling us to get with it and get rid of it, we women have latent hair-needs and desires. Oh how, oh how are men going to find me sexy?
Oh, they will all right. If Scarlett Johansson, Keira Knightly, Miley Cyrus, Natalie Portman, Halle Berry and Katy Perry are deemed hot, well then short hair must not be doing so bad.
Why not sport some short hair? Depending on the cut, it can be ultra-sexy or low-key. Plus, it is always just hair – it’ll grow back.
Hairstyle #1: Bedhead Bob
It doesn’t matter if your hair is asymmetrical or blunt – going a little bedhead is really simple.
Pick up some pomade (try and stick to a non-greasy kind) or some paste and twiddle your fingers between sections. Make sure to twist the tips.
Do it just a little or get super Kate-Beckensaley circa Underworld. Jazz up any middle-of-the-spectrum hair with some bonafide bedhead.
Consider pulling back small sections for the appearance of shorter hair. Bobby-pins… yes, please!
Hairstyle #2: Edgy Crop-bob
Badass leading ladies like Miley Cyrus and Rihanna know how to turn more than heads; they turn crowds. This type of cut looks excellent on small, round faces.
In order to pull off something so risky, Miley combats it with a heavy dose of mascara and lipgloss.
Women with black hair might look drastic, or emo, or might possibly have a more gothic appearance after the cut. Adding a spruce of color (whether that be two-toned with blonde or natural red) or lowlights can really open up the cut.
Miley (and you too if you choose) took it up a notch by adding steps to the side of her bob. This originally began as an African-American trend but has recently been embraced by other brave girls like Miley.
Hairstyle #3: Thinned, Razored, Asymmetrical Bob
Razors, razors, razors. Edward Scissorhands has become your new best friend.
The fantastic thing about razored haircuts are their versatility – yes, you can frill it apart and wear it airy or spiked or comb it down – and bam – it’s as svelte as a Catholic Schoolgirl’s conscious.
Beware of razored haircuts if your hair is extremely thick or unruly; the razor can lead to potential frizz.
Make sure your stylist has skills, as screwing up a razored ‘do can be tragic.
Having your stylist razor at the top-back of your head will yield 24/7 extra volume, something most of us flat-headed ladies could use a little extra of.
Hairstyle #4: The Modern Mullet
Sound strange? Pat Benetar and Kristen Stewart aren’t the only bombshells to rock the business in the front and the party in the back.
With the right stylist (and I do mean that sincerely, see a stylist, someone young, hip and who knows how to use razors. You don’t want to come out of the salon looking like Joe Dirt) under your belt, this is a hair-cut that looks fantastic on just about anyone.
It even looks great pulled back. Like a frilly, bed-head bob with a little pony.
Hairstyle #5: The Twiggy Pixie
Feeling Indie? At the top of the androgynous hierarchy rests the famous Twiggy pixie.
Known for being healthy, smooth and flawless – Twiggy’s pixie is the epitome of female androgyny (as far as hair).
The style looks superb with any clothing – from chic pastels to rustic browns and leather to the modern fashionista drenched in Dior and grazing the sidewalks in Red-Bottoms.
Hairstyle #6: Cropped and shaved
It’s like a short, side-ways mullet. Nothing screams Two-Face like a short crop cut that is buzzed on one side.
The feeling is amazing. The warm breeze sweeps through your hair one one side and then generously kisses the other side. Full-frontal air.
Maintenance is easy, although unlike the modern mullet, the growing back-in phase can be somewhat awkward. Celebrities like Nicki Minaj, Pink and Rihanna have made this look one of their go-to’s.
Hairstyle #7: Modern Bowl Cut
It used to be that only boys had bowl cuts. It also used to be the easiest and cheapest way for a mom to cut her son’s hair.
Now, the modern bowl cut looks sexy, androgynous and fierce. High-fashion models have been reissuing, reusing and restyling this cut for decades.
This cut also looks great as it grows-out. Everything will grow as if your hair has been cut in a V, which is as simple as it gets.
If you choose to keep the bangs, you’ll look something like Karen O from the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s.
Cover photo: http://www.pinterest.com/
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