If the beginning of this year was defined by bobs, then the end is all about a different, similarly flattering short haircut. Gamine and ethereal, the soft pixie has been adopted by many of London’s cool girls, from Iris Law to content creator Alexis Foreman, who just had one cut in. Another good marker of a popular haircut is seeing it pop up on Zara’s e-commerce page. Sure enough, the impish and cool style is being dressed up (and down) with faux fur coats and grunge beauty looks on the site. It has also been spotted on trendsetting K-pop idols including Red Velvet’s Seulgi and G-Idle’s Soyeon.
“It’s not a classic pixie, but more of a blend of a crop and a pixie,” explains hairstylist Luke Hersheson, who has chopped in a few of these styles of late. “It’s gamine but ethereal and has lots of soft edges—Iris Law is a good reference. There’s no harsh line at the back of the neck, instead the ends are almost tufty, giving the cut a feeling of length.” It also often features tufts of hair, like sideburns, that sit around the ears, creating a flattering, elfin feel. Many soft pixies feature this sort of face-framing detail, such as curtain bangs or a fuller fringe.
Hairstylist Paul Edmonds is also a fan of this new iteration of the pixie, calling it a “look of empowerment”. Perhaps a reaction to the more manicured and homogenous looks we’ve become accustomed to seeing on social media in recent years, it’s a cut that feels lived-in and cool, authentic and individual—ultimately, it’s hair to have fun with.
“Air drying is the best (and easiest) way to style a haircut like this—Kérastase’s Crème Sublime Hair Cream and Shu Uemura’s Essence Absolue Oil in Cream both add shine and control while the hair dries in place,” Edmonds says. “Or, if you want to emulate Linda Evangelista’s glossy ’90s pixie, creating a wet-look finish, using Sam McKnight’s Self Control Styling Gel on the longer layers at the top can work really well too.” It shouldn’t feel overdone or too worked, Hersheson agrees.
Any face shape or hair texture can pull off a soft pixie, which elongates the neck and frames the features. But what’s really required is a certain amount of attitude. It’s London’s favourite cut of the season for good reason. We’re obsessed.
This story was originally published on British Vogue.
