These Short Hair Ideas Can Give Anyone a Whole New Look!

Nothing says “cool girl” quite like a pixie cut and celebs like Zoe Kravitz, Ruby Rose, and Zendaya have all given it a whirl. After all, short hair has lots of advantages: it’s easy to maintain, great for hot weather, and generally healthier than longer hair. Plus, even bedhead can look ultra-chic, exuding the casual vibe of an off-duty model.

However, if there’s any downside to having a cropped style, it’s that it can get a little boring. There’s not much room to play around with new looks—or is there? We asked Elaine Ganuelas, a hairstylist with over a decade of experience (and a short-haired girl herself!) for some easy short hair ideas to shake things up.

First things first, you’ll need a few things in your hair arsenal. Elaine recommends having a “hair dryer; mini hair iron for when you’re feeling extra; mousse, volumizing or texturizing spray; wax, pomade, or gel depending on the style; and hairspray.” From there, you can try out these short-hair styling tricks:

The easiest thing you can do to switch things up is to change your hair part. Switching your part to the other side doesn’t just give you instant volume but it also helps keep your hair healthy, preventing too much strain on your hair follicles. 

You can create maximum impact by going for a dramatic deep side part a la Bella Hadid at the Moschino Met Gala. If some strands stubbornly refuse to go with the new flow, retrain them with a comb or a brush and some light hairspray like TRESemmé’s Compressed Micro Mist Smooth Hold—they’ll get with the program in a day or two.

A little bit classic and a little bit rock n’ roll, the pompadour has been around since the 1940s but still manages to look supercurrent. Miley Cyrus, Kristen Stewart, and Rihanna are just some of the celebs who have given it the edgy-girl seal of approval.

For more relaxed short hair ideas, take inspiration from Joey King’s red-carpet look at the 2019 Emmys. The star of The Kissing Booth sported tousled tresses that looked soft enough to touch. You can achieve the same look with a curling iron or, in a pinch, a mini flat iron: Just twist sections of hair in different directions. Once you’ve curled all your hair, use your fingers to loosen the ringlets.

If you're all out of short hair ideas andyou only have seconds to spare to style your hair, then reach for the accessories. Short hair can go from super cool to super cute when you snap on a barrette like Emma Watson or put on a headband like Cara Delevingne. Ribbon headbands go well with sleek styles while dainty ones with a bit of sparkle look especially sweet with curly locks. What you should avoid: headbands that are too wide and that could look overwhelming on your short 'do.

Squid Game breakout star Jung Ho-Yeon definitely rocked the tousled-hair look. Messy hair can look great on any length, but it works best with chin to pixie cuts. Being a fashionable bedhead, however, takes some effort despite how it seems. Spray some water on the ends of your locks and blowdry. If your hair is a little on the straight side, use a product like wax to give it that extra volume.

One of the bolder but infinitely cooler short hair ideas out there is to give your pixie cut an edge with a little buzz work. Undercuts find the middle ground between fierce and feminine. It's easier to manage yet you still have some mane to work with.

Whether you prefer long side-swept strands, dainty curtain bangs, or a Rosemary's Baby-type fringe, adding a shorter layer in the front of your head can soften your pixie cut and frame your face better. Bangs just add oomph to your style – and changes it entirely even. Remember how Zooey Deschanel looks without bangs? No? That's because you probably thought she was a different person.

Having a pixie cut doesn’t mean your styling options are limited. With just a little bit of effort and the right tools and tricks, your short hair can go a long way!

Looking for more? Check these Korean pixie cut ideas inspired by your favorite K-pop stars.