What is a bixie cut? This hybrid haircut is 2026’s most-searched style
Get to know the celebrity-approved, confidence-boosting cut.
One of last year’s most talked-about hair looks – which came courtesy of Nicole Kidman on the Met Gala red carpet – is now one of the hottest hair trends of 2026.
Attending the Dandy-themed event, the Australian actress swapped her usual cascading locks for a short cut with a side-swept fringe and a tiny flick at the nape of the neck. Sharing photos on Instagram, hair stylist Adir Abergel said the style “brought out the essence of Dandyism”.
Cropped but sexy, Kidman’s Met Gala look was a perfect example of the ‘bixie’ haircut, which falls midway between a bob and a pixie cut, and offers a softer alternative to both.
That might have been the first time you’d heard the term bixie, but this in-between style has been around since the 90s, Paul Edmonds says. “It was of those trends where people said, ‘I want a short cut, but I don't really want to go for a pixie, so I’ll have a longer one.’ Especially if they had a bob already, they wanted it broken up a bit more. That's how it came about.”
Given that bobs were also a huge hair trend in 2025, it makes sense that the bixie is having a moment once more. So what do you need to know if you’re thinking about trying the 2026 bixie trend? Here, Paul and Tasha explain all…
WHAT IS A BIXIE CUT?
Nicole Kidman’s Met Gala look was a sleek version of the bob-meets-pixie hybrid, so how would hairdressers define the bixie cut?
“It's a layered haircut with texture that falls just above the shoulder or shorter,” Paul says. “It can be wispy or it can be quite chunky. It's edgy, but then also it can be quite sexy.”
Director Tasha agrees. “It's a very feminine and sexy cut without being too bold. It has a softness to it.” She loves the versatility of the bixie cut and how striking it is. “Well-executed bixie cuts will always draw people's attention.”
In the 90s, movie stars including Winona Ryder and Meg Ryan, and supermodels Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington were the poster girls for the bixie cut with their chunky, choppy crops.
Nowadays, the bixie can be more controlled, like Kidman’s, or textured, Paul says. “It's very adaptable from the point of view that you can put tongs in it and make it tousled, or you can make it quite smooth. Depending on how you're feeling that day, you can wear it back or bring it forward.”
WHAT FACE SHAPES AND HAIR TYPES DOES THE BIXIE CUT SUIT?
What’s brilliant about the bixie haircut is that it can be tailored to suit almost any face shape, hair type or colour.
“It's versatile because you just change the proportions to adapt it for the individual,” says Paul, explaining that as a hairdresser, he always wants to “emphasise the eyes and cheekbones, and draw attention to the upper part of the face. That's how you determine the length and what you're going to do to the hair.”
In terms of hair texture, the bixie works for most types apart from very curly hair, as it won’t be possible to create the layered shape. To maintain the right bixie balance, Paul adds, “If it's very short at the neck, it's probably left longer through the top and the sides.”
As for colour, the bixie works well across the shade spectrum, Paul says. “You can emphasise different areas. For example, if it’s choppy, you could have lighter ends or put lowlights in to give it more depth.” He also loves a grey bixie cut. “I've got a few clients who have that, and it works perfectly. I think it looks really modern.”
HOW CAN YOU PERSONALISE A BIXIE CUT?
Customisation is at the heart of every luxury haircut at Paul Edmonds London, even when creating a trendy haircut like the bixie. In fact, the bixie cut is a perfect example of how our stylists use their cutting expertise to craft a bespoke look for every client.
“That's the good thing about the bixie cut, it's extremely versatile in terms of the architecture,” Tasha says. “You can design the shape to highlight the client’s features.” Perhaps you want to soften your jawline or make your forehead look smaller, for example. “Depending on what face shape you have, we can compensate for it with length at the back or leave more volume in the fringe.”
Paul says that with modern short haircuts, he also takes into consideration a client’s ears and neck length. “It's about where you're putting the emphasis. A client might feel more comfortable if the bixie is slightly longer, in which case I would reduce the weight in it.”
Every cut at Paul Edmonds London starts with a thorough consultation, and when it comes to a cut like the bixie, Paul says he would take the length off gradually to see how the client feels. “I'd always go in there kind of gently and then see how it works while I'm cutting it.”
HOW SHOULD YOU STYLE A BIXIE CUT?
The bixie cut is ideal if you’re a low-maintenance, wash-and-air-dry kind of person. But if your hair needs a bit of a hand before it falls into place, Paul and Tasha have got plenty of recommendations for styling products that will help.
“With the bixie, you don't want to end up with too much product in the hair,” Paul says. “You want it so that someone can still run their fingers through the hair.” He recommends Oribe Flash Form Finishing Spray Wax or Heatless Styling Balm to tame an unruly bixie cut. “It stops the hair from being fluffy and also gives it a little bit of body.”
Tasha likes to cocktail a pair of products to zhuzh up a tousled bixie. “If I want to create a broken texture, I might use a little bit of curling mousse, even on straight hair, then add a styling cream that gives a little bit more texture to the ends without weighing the hair down.”
Alternatively, start with a texturising or salt spray, Paul says. “It helps to layer products because what you want is to get a bit of body at the root and then softness on the ends.” Finish with “an oil or a wax through the ends to soften it up. That also adds definition because I think it's quite nice if it looks a little bit more defined on the edges.”
Why choose Paul Edmonds London for your bixie cut?
Edgy but elegant, short but sassy, the bixie is the cool-girl cut that will be everywhere in 2026 – so why not try the trend now?
Experts in bespoke hairdressing, the styling team at Paul Edmonds London can help customise the look to create the most flattering and fabulous bixie for you.
Ready to become a bixie babe? Book your next appointment at Paul Edmonds London.
