The salon chair was buzzing with reinvention this year.
Mullets, buzzcuts and pixie cuts rose in popularity, according to hairstylists Rogério Cavalcante and Dimitris Giannetos. On and off the red carpet, celebrities such as Rihanna, Florence Pugh and Dixie D’Amelio set the tone for haircut trend requests.
“Breaking the rules is particularly appealing in the realm of hair styling,” Cavalcante, stylist and the owner of The Second Floor Salon in New York, told WWD.
On TikTok, the butterfly cut dominated, with videos garnering more than 1.8 billion views. “This haircut is a good option for people who want to grow out their hair as it consists of long layers and long bangs,” Cavalcante noted.
Harry Styles‘ head-shaving moment also garnered attention, driving a 138 percent volume spike of the term “buzzcut” in November.
Here, WWD looks at haircut trends from 2023.
Buzzcut
Florence Pugh committed to a buzzcut for her role in the film “We Live In Time.” She made the best of the style at the U.K. premiere of “Oppenheimer” in July, with help from hairstylist Peter Lux.
“The Crown” actor Emma Corrin showcased a platinum buzzcut at Wimbledon. The buzzcut continues to stand as a huge fashion statement for women, says Cavalcante.
Pixie cut and mullets
Supermodel Linda Evangelista’s ‘90s pixie haircut remains a major reference, and in the decades since, the style has gotten edgier, as seen on celebrities such as Lisa Rinna, Halle Berry, Kristen Stewart and Meagan Good.
Mullet and shag styles have found their way into pixie styles, too.
“This ’90s grunge look is making its way back into the makeup and fashion trends, so it’s not surprising it would make its way to the way people want to wear their hair,” said Giannetos, who advised clients to ask for short, face-framing pieces with a tapered back when opting for the look.
“The beauty of this style is that you can mess around and play with different lengths to customize the look to your preference,” Giannetos said. For a more individualistic take, clients can ask for short bangs or pieces long strands in the front.
Giannetos has worked on the pixie cuts of Lisa Rinna, Dixie D’Amelio and Ciara, and notes that those that opt for the hairstyle should expect trips to the salon every four to six weeks.
The undone bob
Hailey Bieber‘s bob kicked off the trend in 2023, with Cavalcante declaring it the “cut of the year.”
“It perfectly captured the essence of the current cultural moment. It exudes a sense of fashion, modernity, and cool-girl vibes,” he said.
“The maintenance of this hairstyle depends on whether you want to keep the length of the hairstyle or the shape,” says Giannetos, adding that the layered, fluffy look requires less maintenance “as the hair will naturally grow out into the layers that have been cut.”
For those looking to channel Megan Fox’s fiery-red, lightly layered bob featured in her WWD cover shoot, Giannetos, the artist behind the look, suggested asking for “face-framing pieces along with light layers throughout the hair so that it isn’t super dense and keeps the look light and fluffy with movement.”
According to the professionals, the bob haircut — and variations of it — will only continue to trend in 2024.
“Undeniably the bob is not going anywhere,” says Cavalcante. “The variations that we think will be popular are bobs with bangs, straight sleek bobs and the French bob which is similar to the chin-length bob. Also, as bobs have been a top request of 2023, I believe some people will let the hair grow and we will see lots of collarbone-slash-long bob haircuts in 2024.”
Long and loose layers with micro fringe
Short, wispy bangs had a whirlwind year, too. “I’ve noticed that the micro fringe complements my clients with heart-shaped faces,” Giannetos told WWD. “This look is amazing for longer face shapes or anyone who would like a hairstyle that frames their face in a flattering way.”
Celebrities got experimental with the micro fringe, style in spikes, swept to the side or blunt across the forehead. Giannetos said the bangs look good on all hair lengths and the key is good styling.
Curly Care Shoulder Layers
Cavalcante noted the rise of “diamond shape” curly haircuts, otherwise known as inverse layers.
“Things to keep in mind when cutting textured hair is the shrinkage factor” and the natural volume this type of hair usually has,” he said, advising clients to style with a diffuser.
