How to Pull Off a Pixie Cut

Co-authored by Kemi Hill

Last Updated: September 25, 2024 Approved

Cutting your hair short is a big and brave step! Rock it with confidence! Style your pixie cut into a faux hawk or an effortlessly messy do. Accessorize your hairstyle with a headband, a scarf, or an adorable hat.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Rocking Your Pixie Cut with Confidence

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1
Exude confidence in your cut. When your hair is short, you have no locks to hide behind—your facial features are on full display. In order to pull off the short haircut, you must own your pixie cut! Show off your short hair with pride; radiate confidence as you are out and about town.^{[1]
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- If you are shy and prefer to avoid the spotlight, the pixie cut may not be for you.
After trading your long locks in for a short pixie cut, you may feel pressure from society to highlight or feature your femininity. Instead of altering your wardrobe, continue to rock your personal style. Wear your pantsuits, baseball tees, and sweats with confidence!^{[2]
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Embrace the awkward growth phases. Maintaining a pixie cut requires regular trims. When you tire of the maintenance or are ready for a new look, be prepared for your cute pixie cut to go through some awkward growth phases. Don't dread the grow out process. Instead, experiment with new styles and different lengths.^{[3]
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- If you have always wondered what you would look like with a short layered do or a chin-length bob, the growth period offers you a chance to find out!

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Styling Your Hair

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1
Soften your bangs. Creating side-swept bangs, or piecey, wispy bangs will soften a severe pixie cut. Choose which side of your face is the most flattering for your bangs.
- If you have longer layers on top, use a small round brush to pull your bangs over to one side as you blow-dry your hair with a nozzle attachment.
- If you have short bangs, run a flat iron over your face-framing layers. Separate the hair into wispy, piecey sections with your fingers.
Create a tough, perfectly tousled pixie cut with texturizing products. Place a dime-sized amount of lightweight pomade, hair wax, or beach spray in your hand. Rub the product onto your fingertips. Run the product through the ends of your hair, pulling up and out.
3
Change up your hair part. Parting your hair differently will completely alter the look of your pixie cut! Try parting your hair on the opposite side of your head or opt for a center part. For an entirely fresh look, skip the part and slick back your hair instead!
- To slick back your hair, comb your wet hair away from your forehead. Run a dime-sized amount of gel, pomade, or hair wax through your locks with your palms to smooth the product. Use a comb to slick your hair back away from your face.
4
Add volume to your short hair. One of the many benefits of short hair is that it holds volume extremely well. Before blow-drying your hair, apply a lightweight volumizer to your wet locks. As you blow-dry your hair, lift the hair up.
- If you are trying to achieve extreme volume, blow dry your hair upside down!
- In order to create the perfect faux hawk, you must add volume to your hair. After blow-drying your hair, use a lightweight gel, pomade, hairspray, or hair wax to shape and style your faux hawk.
If you have naturally coarse, curly, and or thick hair, use a flat iron to achieve a sleek and shiny pixie cut. While your flat iron preheats, apply a small amount of heat protecting serum to your hair. Use the flat iron to straighten small sections of hair quickly.
To create the perfectly messy do, apply a texturizing spray to your wet hair and allow your locks to air dry. As you apply a small amount of lightweight hair wax or pomade to the ends of your locks, pull and separate your hair to create a tousled, piecey look.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Styling Your Pixie Cut with Hair Accessories

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A large headband with gems, flowers, or bows can overpower your short do. For a chic, flattering look, do a thin, flat headband instead. Tuck the headband behind your ears or use it pull back your bangs.^{[4]
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Wear a “Rosie the Riveter” head scarf. To complete your retro look, tie a colorful scarf into a “Rosie the Riveter” head wrap.
- Fold your square scarf in half diagonally to create a large triangle.
- Grab the left edge with your left hand and the right edge with your right hand.
- Bend over and place the folded edge of the bandana along the hairline at the base of your neck. The apex of the triangle should hang down towards your forehead.
- Pull both ends around your head and over the apex of the triangle. Tie the ends in a simple knot.
- Stand up, tighten the knot, and tuck the two tails under the scarf.
- Fold the center point over the knot.
- Untuck the tails and tie a second knot.
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Turn a scarf as a headband. A scarf headband is simple and chic! To achieve this look:
- Fold the scarf in half diagonally.
- Fold the scarf into a long rectangle—begin at the point and fold inwards.
- Take one end in each hand and place the center of the scarf at the base of your skull.
- Pull the ends up towards the top of your head and tie a knot.
- Tuck the ends under the scarf or tie a bow.^{[5]
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Pin back your hair with bobby pins. No hair accessory could be simpler than the bobby pin! If your pixie cut keeps falling in your eyes, bobby pins can help you tame your unruly hair. Twist your bangs and secure them on the top of your head with a bobby pin or two. Pin back the sides just above your ears to pull the hair away from your face.^{[6]
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- Use bobby pins that match the color of your hair if you want them to blend in. Otherwise, use decorative pins as an accessory.
Make the most of a bad hair day by covering your untameable pixie with a cute hat! Wear a beanie in the winter. Put on a cloche in the spring. Don a fedora in the summer. Rock a floppy wool hat in the fall.

Expert Q&A

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Question

I have a short pixie, would that look okay?

Ashley Adams
Professional Hair Stylist
Ashley Adams is a Licensed Cosmetologist and Hair Stylist in Illinois. She completed her Cosmetology education at John Amico School of Hair Design in 2016.

Ashley Adams

Professional Hair Stylist

Expert Answer

As long as you’re comfortable with how the pixie cut looks on you, that’s all that matters. You should wear your cut with confidence!

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Will a pixie cut look good on someone with a round face and thin hair?

Community Answer

It definitely could. There are other factors involved, like your facial features, bone structure, etc. But it's very possible.

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If I'm short and chubby, can I still have a pixie cut?

Community Answer

Of course! You can wear whatever hairstyle you want. A pixie cut can actually be very flattering too!

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