I was barely a second into January when I decided to succumb to the most London hairstyle of all. You know the one I’m talking about: the “soft pixie” – essentially short hair, but a little bit tousled and grown-out. I, along with everyone else on the planet, was hankering after a reinvention. And what better – or more straightforward – way to reinvent yourself than by simply lopping all your hair off?
But as soon as the hair floated onto the salon floor (thanks, Larry King), I had questions. How am I supposed to style this hair? What products should I use? Should I embrace this style in a cute Iris Law sort of way, or a more androgynous, baby Aaron Carter sort of way? Could I do both?
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Fortunately, the soft pixie is, by nature, a versatile look. “The soft pixie is a low-maintenance yet high-impact style,” Domenico Casella, art director at Neville Hair and Beauty, tells British Vogue. “It’s perfect for anyone looking for a fresh, modern look that doesn’t require hours of styling. Plus, it’s highly adaptable – whether you prefer a polished finish or a more tousled, casual vibe, this cut delivers.” To that end, if you’re thinking – or have already thought – about going for a pixie yourself, here are some tips on how to style it.
Curtain-style, like Julia Fox
No sooner had Julia Fox come out as a lesbian than she decided to emerge in a swept curtain crop so powerful, it may have caused minor earthquakes in the immediate vicinity. If you want this sort of curtain crop (long in the front, shorter out back), it’s worth letting your hairdresser know before they pull out the scissors, as the key to this style is in the actual shape (you need to have enough fringe, basically).
“Bring inspiration photos and discuss your lifestyle with your stylist – this helps us tailor the cut to your needs,” Casella advises. “If your hair has a specific texture or thickness, your stylist can recommend adjustments to make the cut work best for you.” Fortunately, the Julia Fox crop works for pretty much anyone – including curlier hair types.
Elfin and textured, like Iris Law
Of everyone who’s been heralding the pixie cut as of late, Iris Law tends to get the most experimental, sometimes wearing it slicked to the side (more on that later), while other times keeping it sort of ruffled and elfin. The key to the more textured look (above) is product, product, product.
Casella recommends using hair paste – his go-to is SachaJuan – in order to “shape and define the layers without weighing the hair down. It’s perfect for achieving that piece-y, effortless look.” If you want to go properly wet-look, hairstylist Paul Edmonds recommends air-drying before applying “Kérastase’s Crème Sublime Hair Cream and Shu Uemura’s Essence Absolue Oil”. Essentially, so long as you’ve got the right product, you can tease the hair into whatever shape you like.
Slicked to the side, like Zoë Kravitz
It may have been a while since Zoë had her hair like this (it’s giving “ahead of the curve”), but the memory of this style is filed away in our rolodex of pixie cuts forever. Zoë wore hers super short at the time, but the slicker, smarter look works well with longer pixie styles, too. And if you’re slicking it down, a side parting can give it a cool-girl feel. Or you can go even bolder and slick it all the way back, like… Dracula?
Either way, according to Casella, the secret to this sleeker look is serum. He tends to use SachaJuan Shine Serum “to add a healthy glow and tame any flyaways”, although there are plenty of anti-frizz options to choose from. “This product is essential for keeping the cut looking polished and fresh,” Casella adds.
Cute and curly, like Eliziane Berberian
It doesn’t get cooler than a curly pixie, especially the sort worn by beauty TikToker Eliziane Berberian, who has a lot of bouncing fringe out front. The secret to maintaining this sort of style, I’m told, is finding the right product – the product you go for will depend on your curl type, which will have its own intricacies and textures (you can read our own curl type guide here).
But, as a rule of thumb, the “less you handle [your] curls, the better their shape is maintained”, hairdresser Vernon François recently told British Vogue. François tends to reach for Kérastase Curl Manifesto Refresh Absolu to rehydrate and reactivate “bangs in need of a bounce-boosting pick me up” – although, again, there are plenty of curl-friendly serums and sprays to choose from.
