How short should I go this winter?
Short hairstyles are taking over this season.
Bobs have been big news for a while, of course, but now we're seeing the evolution of the trend thanks to celebrities and catwalk shows.
Hailey Bieber became the poster girl for the glam bob with her glossy brunette locks. The model and Rhode Beauty founder has varied her look from a super-short bob to a shoulder-skimming style, while Gigi Hadid and Lily Allen have proven that blonde bobs are sassy and chic.
"The bob is one of the key hair trends for autumn/winter," says Paul Edmonds. "It's a blunt bob but with texture. It's cut into which makes it much more versatile rather than it just being static."
For inspiration, he cites Emily in Paris star Lily Collins: "Hers is the perfect blunt bob because it's short but she wears it slightly kicked out."
The other bob trend he's loving right now is the tousled bob: "It's not quite a beach wave, it's much softer than that, it's got very natural movement."
For an even more dramatic transformation, take your inspiration from the latest London Fashion Week shows, where models at Erdem and Kent & Curwen sashayed down the runway with artfully undone pixie cuts.
It's a look that's been perfected by Iris Law. The British model always looks amazing with her bleach-blonde pixie crop, which varies from polished to tousled.
Wondering if you should go for the chop this winter?
"It's a real moment when someone decides to have their hair cut short. It's when they're feeling like 'Right, I need to do something different,'" Paul says.
And he's a big fan of trying a new 'do, even if it's only temporary: "I don't think you should ever be scared about change. Even if you don't like it, it'll grow!"
To help you decide how short you should go this season, here Paul offers his expert advice for anyone thinking about getting a celebrity-inspired bob or pixie cut…
What's the best bob length for me?
There's no one-size-fits-all when it comes to bobs. While one person might look amazing with a razor-sharp French bob cut above the jawline, a wavy bob that falls almost to the clavicle might be the most flattering on someone else.
"You have to look at what it does to your bone structure," Paul explains. "On some people, if you hit the jaw it's going to make their jaw look very wide, so you want to go just below or above the jaw. I think curly hair looks great when it's short as well."
If you've had long hair for a long time, it's not always easy to envision how a shorter style will look, but your hairdresser will be able to help: "Get them to look at your face shape and show you the difference that the hair length makes. You can see it yourself in the mirror if they hold the hair in place."
The good news is there's a bob to suit every face shape and hair texture, so chat to your hairdresser and show them photos of cuts that you like to get their opinion on what will suit you.
Will a pixie cut suit my face shape?
Popularised by style icon Audrey Hepburn in the 1950s, pixie cuts have been embraced over the years by fashion-forward celebrities wanting to shake up their style.
Rihanna, Emma Watson, Katy Perry and Jennifer Lawrence have all rocked hair that's super-short at the back with either a choppy fringe or a bit more length and movement at the front. But how can you tell if you'll look as cool as these famous faces with a pixie crop?
"You've got to look at what's called the 'upside down triangle' of the eyes, cheekbones and chin," Paul says.
If you've got high cheekbones and a narrow jawline (typically an oval, diamond or heart-shaped face) chances are a short pixie cut will enhance your bone structure, but if you're got a square or round face you might find a softer style more flattering.
Paul says: "If someone's got a slightly stronger jaw but they'd like to try a pixie cut it's a good idea to have more length at the front. Having hair that can drop down in front of the face can also give them a feeling of having some 'security' of hair, it's not as exposing."
How should I style a textured bob or pixie cut?
"On the catwalks, we saw a lot of short hair that looks like it's been left to dry naturally, in which case you need a product that will keep the waves in place and control it a little bit," Paul says.
He recommends Oribe Hair Alchemy Heatless Styling Balm for wavy and curly bobs as well as pixie cuts: "It's a great product for curly hair or coily hair. You put it on and it will dry quite firm but not rigid, and then you can always add a little bit of oil if you want a little bit more softness to it."
To dress your bob up for evening, it's all about the bouncy blow-dry, Paul continues: "We've had some clients coming into the salon wanting their bobs to be full and have a slightly more glamorous look. Then it's about using a root spray and blowdrying the hair up, maybe putting some rollers in for a few minutes or tongs through it, then brushing it out and adding a little bit of wax on the ends."
He shares an excellent pro tip for voluminous locks: "If you want to get some root lift with a bob, blowdry it in the opposite direction to the way you normally wear, then you'll get a lot more lift. Oway do a root spray which is brilliant."
Wax is essential for keeping a pixie cut in place, he adds: "You want something that's quite soft like Davines This is a Shine Wax or Kevin Murphy Touchable."
Take the short cut
If you fancy switching up your style, now's the perfect time to go for the chop with a catwalk-inspired textured bob or pixie cut.
By looking at your face shape and hair type, your hairdresser can help you decide on the ideal length and style, while effective styling products will create a chic finish every time.
Can't decide between a bob and a pixie? Chat through your options with a consultation at Paul Edmonds London.
