Luna
What is it about short hair that naturally eschews low-key drama? Unlike long lengths and extension-heavy styles, pixie cuts are all about the face. From bangs to layers and angular pieces, long pixies are full of face-framing dimension, attitude, and range. Don’t believe us? Whether you’re ready for a fresh, low-maintenance chop or looking for something to hold you over the transitional period as you grow out a short pixie, we’ve rounded up all the proof you need that long pixie cuts are more than a one-size-fits-all crop.
Ahead, find 100 gorgeous, long pixie cuts for every hair type and texture, according to stylists Adrianne Johnson and Aaron Grenia.
Ear-Framing Layers
Layers upon meticulously razored layers create the stacked effect of Joan Smalls’s unbelievably chic pixie. We love how the wispy, brow grazing bangs frame her face while the longer pieces at the temples frame the cheekbones (and ears!) perfectly.
Feathered Pixie
Feathered tresses aren’t only for Farrah Fawcett-lengths. This brushed-back, blown-out iteration of Xuan Xu’s long pixie cut is truly sublime.
Wet-Look Pixie
Whether long or short, curly or straight, a wet-look pixie is always a bonafide hit. Karrueche Tran takes the look to the red carpet, illustrating just how versatile yet approachable this style is.
Curly Crop With Buzzed Part
We love Samira Wiley’s curly crop, which is shorter on the sides and has a fun addition: a shaved part on the side of the head. The key to this look is ensuring hair is well-moisturized, so try using a leave-in conditioner once or twice a week.
Bleached Pixie
As this look proves, bleaching your hair doesn’t have to require constant touch-ups. We love how this bleached style has natural texture, which allows the roots to add a sexy, casual vibe.
Eyebrow-Grazing Bangs
Demi Lovato’s long pixie gets added oomph thanks to bangs that graze her brows and are slightly curved. Use a small round brush while blow-drying to direct the hair and mimic the look.
Bouffant Pixie
Storm Reid’s golden bouffant pixie forever lives on our hair inspiration boards. The buttery hue and shadowed roots emphasize the soft drama of this romantic style.
Blush Finger Waves
We love how Halsey marries a retro style with a punk-rock color, pairing finger waves with a light pink hue. To get the look, apply a lightweight gel all over the hair, then use a comb and your fingers to create an “S” shape throughout the ends.
Red Hot Pixie
No need to play it down with pastels. Long pixie cuts are perfect for flaunting vibrant colors, like Teyana Taylor’s fiery rendition.
Tousled Bangs
Out of all the red-carpet hairstyles Zendaya has sported over the years, it’s difficult to choose a favorite. But we think her dirty-blonde pixie cut is criminally underrated. With tousled long bangs and dimensional color, this ‘do is effortless perfection.
Coily Pixie
Issa Rae’s pixie gets added height thanks to her natural curls and texture. Here, hair is kept short on the sides, further showing off the look.
Layered and Messy
Here, Joey King wears layered, messy curls that are easy to style with a small curling iron. The key is not trying to achieve perfection with each curl; instead, embrace the messiness and variation with each bend.
Futuristic Pompadour
This sculpted, cropped cut is a classic—but the pompadour style makes it modern. For this look, invest in a high-quality comb and a smoothing cream like Oribe Supershine Moisturizing Hair Cream.
’90s Modern
Of course, Rihanna can do no wrong, and it’s hard to choose from her iconic pixie-cut era. But there’s something about this nostalgic ’90s-inspired pixie we can’t stop thinking about. The key to this look, says Grenia, is a great gel product. “Apply product throughout hair, focusing on ends first and working up to mid-lengths,” Grenia says. “Once finished, part hair where desired and apply any remaining product on hands to any areas especially prone to frizz (i.e. around face, neck or part-line).”
Sideswept With Volume
Incase vintage supermodel vibes are your thing, we can’t help but swoon over Emma Willis’s long-pixie-cut-with-sideswept-bangs phase. Get the off-duty look with nothing but some smoothing serum and a hair straightener.
Side-Parted Pixie
Writer and actress Tavi Gevinson shows us how low effort is done. She still looks chic and put-together with her long pixie pieces slicked back and pulled behind the ears. Combine that with a fresh face and bold, bright lip, and we can’t help but admire how this major look was achieved with (probably) minimal effort.
Long and Choppy
Viola Davis has long-perfected the sophisticated aesthetic. But nothing encapsulates that vibe quite like a good haircut—and although Davis has been rocking different versions of pixie cuts for years, we’re quite fond of this ‘do in particular. All you need to do is side-part your long pixie cut, and ask your stylist to razor out the ends to your liking.
Pixie With Blunt Bangs
“And you, you’re gonna love me.” Jennifer Hudson was right if she was talking about this hairstyle on her—because we’re obsessed. The heavy, face-framing bangs combined with volume on top make for a fun, versatile, and easy-to-style cut.
Wispy Pixie
To get Kerry Washington’s piecey, sideswept bangs, all you need to do is take a bit of texturizing cream on your fingertips to piece out your bangs and accentuate the tousled texture. “It makes you look like you just happen to have great hair without trying,” says Johnson. “It’s not fussy.”
Asymmetric Coils
The reddish hue takes this look to the next level. With a crop this close to the scalp, you’ll want to visit the salon every three to four weeks for a trim. Otherwise, to style, just use a curl cream and dry with a diffuser.
Mixie
Agyness Deyn has never strayed away from a fun beauty moment. Her mixie, a shag-like cut blending a pixie-length front and longer back, is reminiscent of retro vibes and rock-and-roll. Get the look with straight-across bangs, longer face-framing pieces, and a shaggy chop.
Shag-Meets-Pixie
Rowan Blanchard pulls off the whimsical, shag-like pixie cut perfectly—and so can you. “As long as your hair has texture and isn’t too fine, it’s super fun and flirty,” says Johnson. “You need some density to make it work, and the right products to get that effortless vibe.”
Crinkled Bixie
We love those who play by their own rules—and experimenting style-wise has always been Nicole Richie’s M.O. If you have naturally fine, wavy hair, make the chop like Richie and pair a short, behind-the-ears style with longer, sideswept fringe in front. Chic, simple, and low-effort.
Long and Loose
We’re always taking beauty inspo from new takes on classic pixie cuts—because, the looks are proving to be timeless. Gabrielle Union’s sweet pixie cut is just perfect.
Spiked Top Pixie
This edgy look can be recreated with a high-quality gel, so strands stick up straight, and a comb to guide the product through the hair. Finish with a shine-inducing oil.
Longer On Top
With short sides and longer pieces on top, get ready for endless styling possibilities. Maria Borges shows us how it’s done with voluminous ringlets on top, piled asymmetrically. It might look ultra-polished and glam, but with the right cut, you’ll be able to style your hair like this instantly.
Side-Parted Bixie
Janelle Monae is a certified beauty risk-taker, but we love the classic sophistication here. “I love my natural hair,” she told us in 2016. “You can straighten it, curl it, play with different shapes and textures.” With a chin-grazing length and side part, you’d never guess that the singer usually goes for more whimsical beauty looks on the red carpet.
Faux Updo
Want a secret styling hack from pixie-cut pros like Anne Hathaway? Simply twist your face-framing pieces and pull them back to look like you’re wearing an elaborate updo. “You just have to keep it simple and use the right products, and apply and reapply them when you need to,” Johnson says.
Classic Sideswept Pixie
With this style, Julianne Hough further dispels the notion that pixie cuts can’t be sexy. Of course, sideswept bangs and a perfect, multidimensional blonde hue don’t hurt—but the key to a gorgeous, sultry long pixie like this is subtle layers and hidden, boosted volume.
Asymmetrical Sweep
Danai Gurira has a gorgeous asymmetrical moment here, with long pieces on top cascading over to frame her face. Got volume like this? You’ll give your hair extra bounce by cutting it shorter. Plus, the styling possibilities are endless.
Accessorized Pixie
Winona Ryder has experimented with short ‘dos in the past, and we love how this sweet style suits her. Use this as inspiration if you wake up one morning and suddenly hate the idea of doing your hair—simply push in a statement-making headband and call it a day.
Long Layers
Lily Collins is a hair chameleon, and we can’t help but fall for this particular piecey ‘do. Chin-length layers have never looked this chic. Bonus: This is a great look to use for inspiration if you’re currently in that in-between stage of “not a pixie, not yet a bob.”
Side-Swept, Tousled Pixie
Maggie Gyllenhaal has worn pixie cuts at varying lengths over the years, but we’re obsessed with this side-swept version. It’s slightly longer than what the actor usually goes for, and with straightened locks (instead of her signature curly or wavy regimen), it’s a refreshingly chic change of pace.
Voluminous Spikes
It’s not a stretch to say Ruby Rose’s piecey pixie cut has become a signature look. In particular, the long-pieces-on-top (with voluminous spikes) and short, polished sides have become a red-carpet staple for the star. Recreate the look yourself with styling gel and a great round brush.
Rom-com Pixie
Meg Ryan may be most well-known for her blonde curls, but we love her short, sleek, and straight look here (even if we miss the curls just a little bit). Get the look with face-framing layers that you, too, can probably wear straight out of bed in the morning. Curly types can also rock the piecy look. “I love a good second-day style and even more so on curly hair as the extra day or two gives curls a chance to settle into a more natural, defined pattern,” says Grenia of this lived-in look.
Air-Dried Pixie
This textured pixie is all about the air dry. Once you’re done washing, spritz a texture spray through the ends and use your fingers to rough it up.
Micro Waves
Although the Oscar-winning actor has graduated to more grown-up styles these days, we can’t help but admire Natalie Portman’s sleek, long pixie cut. Try using a bit of hair oil to define your natural waves or spirals.
Tousled and Straight
Kristen Stewart has experimented with hairstyles throughout her career, but nothing suits her quite as perfectly as a tousled, long pixie cut. (Probably because we know the actor has literally shaved her head before to avoid the fuss of hairstyling.) The contrasting colors at play just add to the fun.
Twisted Pixie
Elevate a simple pixie cut like Evan Rachel Wood. Pull some small, individual pieces back, twist, and clip them so it looks like you’re hiding an elegant updo under your layers. You’ll look red-carpet-ready in under five minutes.
Heightened Pixie
This look is all about hair care and keeping things well-moisturized. Styling is a breeze, so prep by using products that will help ease flyaways once it’s dry.
Dimensional Length
Robin Wright has been wearing her iconic blonde hair on the red carpet for decades, but there’s something about her long pixie cut here that we simply can’t get enough of. Maybe it’s the dimension of the highlights and length on top, and the piece-y, tousled pieces that make it approachable and chic at the same time. Either way, we’re Robin Wright stans forever more.
Chin-Length Chop
Besides her top-notch acting chops, Karen Gillan is usually known for her long, gorgeous auburn tresses. But the Dr. Who star has also sported short, messy styles in the past too—and we love this chin-length ‘do that still feels consistent with her usual aesthetic (tousled beach waves).
French Pixie
Audrey Tautou epitomizes the fuss-free vibe of French style, and her signature tousled locks are no different. Here, she rocks a pixie cut with bouncy waves. This length is perfect for amping up the volume, especially with a naturally wavy texture like Tautou’s.
Pixie With Side Bangs
Queen of pixie cuts, Michelle Williams’s piecey, messy pixie cut is a great example of what to do with naturally fine hair. The layers, side bangs, and color give her dimension, and the cut itself allows for low-maintenance, easy-to-style perfection.
Slicked-Back Pixie
Rita Ora’s different hairstyles and colors run the gamut, but we can’t help but admire her platinum pixie phase. A foolproof way of styling it is simply to slick it back while wet, like Ora does here. (It will only look like it took you forever to style it.)
Pixie With Layered Bangs
Smize your way into a new hair regimen. With long, layered pieces on top, Tyra Banks’s long pixie cut has a ton of versatility. Style it straight, wavy, wispy, and beyond.
Natural Pixie
To get Lashana Lynch’s red-carpet look, use a generous dose of mousse on natural curls. Finish with a spritz of dry oil finishing spray.
Blunt Pixie
Ai Tominaga’s subtle layers give her look a polished feel, but it definitely has an edge. With tousled pieces and easy layers, you can get a similarly low-maintenance look. (Just make sure your hair texture is right for the cut.)
Flicked Pixie
Keira Knightley is one of our favorite Hollywood style-and-beauty chameleons, but her retro long pixie cut here is particularly inspired. Get a similar chin-length chop and wear it with touchable beach waves, too. It has a retro, vintage vibe but still feels completely of the moment.
Behind-the-Ears Pixie
For a few years in the early aughts, Katie Holmes was the reigning pixie-cut princess. We love her with any hairstyle, to be clear, but there’s something ultra-chic and sweet about this sleek, chin-length pixie cut. (It’s long enough to wear behind the ears, yet short enough to style in under five minutes.)
Sleek Pixie
Nia Long can do no wrong, and that goes for her choice of hairstyles, too. She’s had varying degrees of long pixies and short pixies, but the long, slicked-to-the-scalp style here is one of her most iconic. All you need is a good styling wax and a comb to get the look yourself.
Wavy Pixie With Short Tendrils
Jennifer Lawrence has slain the long pixie cut for years, and although this ‘do is on the longer side for what she’s done in the past, we love the way she styles the tousled, short tendrils. If you have naturally wavy hair too, let your long pixie cut loose like Lawrence.
Faux Hawk Pixie
We can all thank Halle Berry for putting the “sexy pixie cut” on the map. (Seriously—when was the pixie cut ever associated with James Bond films before her?) In any case, one of Berry’s signature, spiky looks is fun, flirty, and easy to achieve with a good styling mousse.
Undercut With Added Waves
With shorter hair on the sides and longer hair on the top, Katy Perry’s undercut is top-notch and versatile. “You can play up both sides, collapse the hair on it, or show the undercut and own the edginess,” Johnson says. “It can be high-fashion and punk, all at once.”
Swooping Layers
Carey Mulligan has sported pixie cuts before pixie cuts were cool. Of course, it’s hard to pick a favorite style of hers, but we love this long, blonde piecey moment. If you have fine hair, you can give the illusion of volume, too, with strategically placed layers and styled bangs.
Beachy Pixie
This beachy look can be replicated by air-drying the hair and finishing with a spritz of salt spray. This will allow natural texture to be the star of the show.
Perfectly Imperfect Pixie
Kate Mara gives us messy, tousled perfection without looking frizzy. The key is getting a lightweight working spray to smooth flyaways and layers. “Whether your hair is freshly washed or it’s been a few days, you should use a spray to prep and finish hair for hot tool use, like when you use a curling iron,” says Johnson.
Undercut
Tilda Swinton enlisted the half-buzz here, and we’re kind of obsessed. Also referred to as an undercut, the shaven side could be easily concealed with her longer, messy layers, or shown off like so. The versatility is what makes this style even more alluring.
Air-Dried Pixie With Movement
Although Coco Rocha’s hair may be naturally fine, the strategic layers of her blonde pixie add volume and movement. “Layers create lift,” says Johnson. “So although you might have less hair density, finding the right balance for your hair type is the most important thing.” Layering short hair pays off when it’s done right.
Romantic Waves
Turn your natural waves into something a little more glam, à la Haley Bennett. How to get the retro look, you ask? It’s easy: While your hair is wet, brush a heavy mousse through it, and use hairpins where you want your curl to be—and don’t remove them until the minute before you walk out the door for ultimate oomph.
Beach Wave Bixie
Drew Barrymore shows us how a wavy short ‘do is done right. Good news for those of us growing out pixie cuts as we speak: No matter what stage of the growing-out process you’re in, you’ll be golden if you simply tousle your waves with some styling serum for an intentional look.
Center-Parted Pixie
This elegant style features a modern twist: a center part. You’ll need a pick to shape the coif perfectly like Lupita Nyong’o.
Side-Parted and Stick-Straight
Yes, this might be a throwback look (we’ve seen this style before in the 1990s) but we love the hair inspo Meagan Good is giving here. With an ear-grazing length and slight side part, it’s the ultimate vintage throwback.
Dimensional Pixie
Shailene Woodley’s pixie cut plays around with style and color. Emphasize your highlights and lowlights with a dimensional, layered cut like this one. Tousle it, pull it up, or part it on the side—either way, the length will give you plenty of options.
Vibrant Pixie
Have we mentioned we love a boldly hued pixie? For this look, blow out the hair and add a texture spray to create movement and volume. Invest in a styling serum to keep the look shiny, while keeping frizz at bay.
Bouncy Pixie
Nora Zehetner is known for effortless style, and this curly long pixie cut—complete with front ringlets—is one of her best looks. If you have naturally wavy hair, use a good hairspray to manipulate your bangs and any tendrils around the face. With a good holding spray, you can get next-level volume, too.
Sheared Side Bangs
Play around with pixie cuts like Emma Watson has over the years. Her sheared side bangs paired with longer pieces around the ears is vintage, red-carpet Emma at her finest (if we do say so ourselves). Barely visible: a headband she slipped in for some extra-plush volume.
Cropped Finger Waves
A forever bombshell, Grace Gealey can really never do wrong. But if you’ve been waiting for the moment to finally chop your hair off, let this be a sign: No one does a tousled finger-waved pixie cut better than Gealey.
Asymmetric Finger Waves
No stranger to pixie cuts, growing them out, and all the transitional lengths between, it only makes sense that Halle Berry would merit more than one spot on our list. Here, another iteration of glamorous finger waves on an asymmetric, pixie-in-the-back bixie-in-the-front cut.
Longer Pixie With Natural Curls
Logan Browning’s natural curls are perfect to showcase in a slightly longer pixie cut like this. If you have similar curls, just style by blow-drying with a diffuser and add a product such as Monat Studio One Curl Defining Cream to add definition.
Rounded Pixie
While recent pixie trends tend to favor jagged or asymmetric styles, the more rounded structure harkens back to the 1920’s. Solange illustrates the timelessness of the cut here, adding a hint of contemporary edge with piecey bangs.
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