A pixie cut is a short hairstyle worn by women, generally short on the back and sides of the head and slightly longer on the top.
Pixie cuts were popularized first in the late 1950s when Audrey Hepburn wore the style in her debut film Roman Holiday, and later in the 1960s by actress Mia Farrow and British supermodel Twiggy, then even later by Laugh-In star Goldie Hawn. Jean Seberg also sported a pixie cut for Otto Preminger’s melodrama film Bonjour Tristesse.
Depending on the style, pixies range from as short as a half inch in some places to two or three inches long in others. Pixies are very easy to maintain and can be worn casually, or dressed up for special occasions.
It has such a sweet little name, but it has been worn by some of the biggest, boldest, and bravest stars throughout history. Proving the pixie cut has always staying power, Pamela Anderson (yes, really!) and Jennifer Lawrence have recently debuted their own versions. Here, we round up the women who have inspired us with this short hairstyle over the decades.
“Tick tock tick tock,” Cyrus wrote to her Twitter fans, only a short time before posting a photo of hairstylist Chris McMillan about to chop off her girl-next-door locks. The big reveal was a drastic bleached pixie cut with shaved sides and long bangs that sent the social space into a frenzy. But the singer stood by her look. “Never felt more me in my whole life,” she wrote in response, and proceeded to win over her naysayers by showing them just how gorgeous gutsy can be.
Natalie Portman’s short hairstyle looks great with her bone structure. This pixie cut has some volume at the top with the sides kept short and pushed back.
Anne Hathaway
After she cut her hair off for playing the role of Fantine in Les Misérables, Hathaway admitted she shed tears as well. But all that misery had been paid off. After all, she took home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her part in the film and her pixie cut was voted most influential film haircut of all time as well. Fresh and feminine, Anne Hathaway’s side swept pixie let her natural beauty shine.
The actress, who captured our hearts as Hermione in Harry Potter with her larger than life frizzy hair, transitioned into Hollywood royalty the day she chopped her hair into a pixie cut. If nothing else, Emma is an absolute inspiration to girls everywhere, proving that a haircut can change a life.
