Styling short hair is an underrated task.
While some people may be skeptical about how challenging it is to style and maintain them, it is much easier than you may think.
Short hair gives you the spice and confidence, adding more glam to your overall look.
There is no universal standard approach to styling short hair. Short hair has a vast range from afros, curly hair, bobs to shags.
Whichever approach you choose, don’t be afraid to experiment. There is no clear one size-fits all answer as to how to style short hair.
According to stylist Julia Facer, short hair makes your personality radiant.
She believes that you can choose to be either sleek or wild in your approach. It is only by switching things up will you will be confident and unique.
Some of the classic methods of styling short hair include:
1. Textured Bob
Textured bob involves cutting your hair to a chin length.
With different variations, you cut layers across your hair in a trendy and chic style.
Textured bob allows you to add soft layers in fine hair, making it lengthier and denser.
For curly hair, the textured bob brings more style and shines through carefully placed layers.
Other common characteristics of a textured bob include:
- It requires less maintenance at home.
- Small layering is enough to add volume for movement.
- You cut your hair to almost the same length.
- The shape appears more refined.
2. Layered Bob
The difference between textured and layered bob is, during layered bob, you require more styling.
A layered bob appeals more when you have a natural texture. It often gives room to create more hair volume.
3. Breezy Bob
This is a classic look that is effortlessly stylish. It allows you to appear a little messy, yet lively.
Furthermore,
Breezy bob adds more volume to your hair, making it dense and bouncy but at the same time maintaining a less crisp.
To style a breezy bob, start by applying a smoothing serum after washing.
With a round brush, disperse your hair to make it smooth.
You can choose the Wet volumizing round brush. It has soft heat flex bristles that allow easier and painless distribution.
Don’t be bothered about making it perfectly straight.
Always remember, the aim is to make it a little messy.
Using a flat iron like the Bionic Ion Long Barrel Styler, make small bends at the ends of your hair to produce a stylish look.
4. Textured Pixie
Through its versatility, a textured pixie can accommodate several personalities who have different shapes of the face.
It also adds more volume to fine hair by adding more layers to produce a bouncy feel.
You can also choose to trim out your thick hair by a textured pixie giving you a chic and manageable look.
To style a textured pixie:
- First, apply a trimming or treatment cream to your hair after washing.
- Blow dry your hair by concentrating the nozzle at the roots using a round brush. After washing your curly hair, use a diffuser for the same process if you have curls.
Don’t be bothered much by achieving the perfect look.
- Choose a good texturizing powder like the Level 3 styling powder and, using your fingertips, sprinkle and distribute the product throughout your hair.
- For Pixies with bangs, use a medium round brush to roll the bangs forward. Roll the brush backwards and release the hair from the brush to create bangs that are side-swept.
- Finally, style your pixie by glossing your hair with a hair color or a high contrast look. You can also apply a wax aerosol like the Evo shebang spray wax for a matte finish. It is sulfate-free and offers a long-lasting firmness to your pixie.
5. Curly Shag
Curly shag brings out the best features in you by adding texture and volume to your hair.
According to Stephanie Kerr, a hairstylist from Saugerties, NY, a curly shag is a heavily cut style that appeals to tons of women who require an extra bulk.
To style a curly shag:
- For a natural wavy hair, blow dry your hair using a diffuser nozzle to create more volume and natural texture.
- If you have a curly hair, use the AG hair spray to keep your curls intact.
- With a straighter hair, move your fingertips back and forth throughout your hair and allow it to rough dry in an upside down position.
- For an instant wash and go curly shag, Stephanie Kerr suggests you get a less fringy shag with longer lays that require minimal styling.
6. Lived-in Strands
Lived in strands provide a lazy-girl outlook that is relaxed and stylish.
- To style the strands:
Begin by plopping your hair using a microfiber towel, gently pressing it on your hair to remove the excess water after washing. - Using your fingers, apply leave-in products like cream, balms, or gels and leave your hair to dry.
7. Slicked-back Hair
The messy slick-back is a common technique for styling short hair.
Slick back hair adds more volume to make your hair thicker while showing off your key facial structures.
There are several variations of a slicked-back hairstyle. It can be a short, medium or a long slicked-back.
To style a short slicked-back style
- Start with a damp hair, shampooing it, then using a microfiber towel, remove the excess water.
- Using your fingers, apply pomade to make your hair shiny and sleek. Focus the pomade coating on the top and sides of your hair.
- If your hair is not thick, you can opt for a hair gel instead.
- Comb your hair backwards from your forehead towards the crown. Continue combing the back of the sides until you achieve the desired shape.
To style a medium slick-back:
- Shampoo and towel-dry your hair after washing until it’s damp.
- Using your fingers, coat your hair with pomade.
- Use a comb to part your hair.
- Comb your hair backwards from the forehead towards the hair crown.
- Add more volume to your hair by using your fingers.
To achieve the long slick-back style, after doing the medium slick back, proceed to put your hair in a ponytail or bun.
8. Beachy Waves
Beachy waves provide a sexy outlook to your short hair.
According to hairstylist Sarah Potempa of Beach waver, this styling is the epitome of summer look.
To style beach waves:
- First air dry your hair after washing. To remove the excess water, gently press the microfiber towel against your hair or about 10 minutes.
- When your hair is still damp, add a volumizing product at the base of your hair.
To style beach waves, also apply the heat protectant spray since you need to blow dry your hair.
- Use a blow dry brush to ensure that you dry your hair nice and smooth.
- Curl your hair with a curling iron like the Bionic Long Barrel styler which contains a clip. This helps you smoothly glide your hair while curling while avoiding pulling it.
Curl your hair away from your head while adding sections of it into the clip.
As you pull the curling iron towards your face, slide it down and curl until satisfied with the outcome.
9. Sleek bob with Fringe
This is an incredibly popular style that gives a classic chic vibe.
Sleek bob with fringe doesn’t offer extra volume to your hair, but it gives an epitome of beauty to your short hair.
To style a sleek bob with fringe:
- Apply a smoothing balm to your wet hair after washing. Make sure you apply the product from the roots of your hair to the ends.
- Blow dry your hair using a c-shaped flat brush to smoothen it.
- Add a little shine by applying a finishing polish and brush your hair using a smoothing brush from the roots.
- Continue brushing until you achieve your desired look.
10. Sleek chignon
Sleek chignon is a low maintenance bun that appeals most to people with straight hair.
It is versatile yet gives a sophisticated look.
To style a sleek chignon:
- Using a detangling brush, wrap your hair into a low ponytail.
- Twist the ponytail to form a bun and separate it into two sections with a hair elastic .
- Using a flat iron, apply a shiny gel to add more texture and make it sleek- back.
- Secure your hair with bobby pins and smoothen the top of your hair by wiping the gel.
There are also other several ways you can style, as long as you choose what works best for you.
Conclusion
Short hair has a wide range of styling options.
Don’t be afraid to try out new ideas or even switching things up a little with your favorite style.
To get the best out of styling short hair, follow our carefully selected steps while using the correct tools and styling products.
Different stylists and celebrities alike have shown that you may not require much effort to pull-out the classic chic look with your short hair.