beauty
Styles for every hair length, type and texture ahead
By Brianna Lapolla
•
Published Oct 2, 2023
Additional reporting by
Jenny Jin
Getty Images
Itching to switch up your style these days? Consider a fresh chop. In 2023, we've seena return to retro haircuts like shags,curtain bangsand even mullets (hello,Miley Cyrusand Zendaya). But if that's a little too drastic for you, there is always the option to get a classic style that requires very little maintenance and will grow out seamlessly (i.e., long, blended layers a la Jennifer Aniston).
No matter your hair type or style preference,we've got plenty of options—58 to be exact—for the best haircuts for women. Scroll at your leisure and save your favs ahead of your next appointment.
RELATED
We Ask a Stylist What Makes Your Hair Texture Change?
Axelle Bauer-Griffin/Getty Images
1. Butterfly Haircut
The butterfly haircut is still going strong and we think it has something to do with the fact that it gives you the option to play with shorter hair around the front of your face without having to commit to cutting all your length elsewhere.
Miikka Skaffari/Getty Images
2. Octopus Haircut
Named for the way the cut is round and more bulbous up top and spreads out at the bottom (like an octopus head and its tentacles), the style shares many similarities with a shag. Ask your stylist for lots of wispy layers—or better yet, bring in an inspiration photo like the one above.
The Fact/Getty Images
3. Air Bangs
A staple style in Seoul? Air bangs. Fine and wispy, these see-through bangs are intentionally cut on the finer side, so that your forehead peeps through.
Arturo Holmes/Getty Images
4. The Power Bob
Any Succession fans out there? Due to the immense popularity of the hit HBO show, there’s apparently a rise in requests for a sleek, power bob. To replicate the style, make sure you keep the length at or just below the chin and unlike the other cuts on this list, you’ll want to steer clear of any layers.
Michael Loccisano/Getty Images
5. The Shullet
The shullet is a cross between a shag and mullet. (It also goes by “the wolf cut” on TikTok.) Defined by its generous texture throughout, it’s a solid style for those with naturally finer strands because it adds body.
Steve Granitz/Getty Images
6. The Smullet
Similar idea as “the shullet,” but shorter all around. The ideal length for a smullet falls just at or above your shoulders to give it more of a lob look.
Phillip Faraone/Getty Images
7. The Mixie
As celebrity hairstylist and R+Co collective member Jenny Cho explains, “A mixie is an edgy haircut that is longer in the back, like a mullet, and shorter in the front, like a pixie—a mullet meets pixie. Depending on your texture, it’s generally a low-maintenance style because of the loose length around the hairline.”
Stefania D'Alessandro/Getty Images
8. The Italian Bob
The latest bob to create buzz is none other than Florence Pugh’s “Italian Bob” aka “The Boyfriend Bob,” which took Instagram and TikTok by storm in summer 2022. As Austin Burns, a stylist at Mirror Mirror Salon in Austin, Texas shares, “Ask your stylist to snip in some interior layers to add separation and keep the shape from becoming too round.”
Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images
9. Sideswept Pixie
Go shorter on the sides and leave the length on top. Then work a pomade through for a sweptback look.
Dave Benett/Getty Images
10. Modern Mullet
The modern mullet a la Miley features face framing layers in the front and gradual length in the back. Tip: Dry shampoo is your BFF for that ruffled, day-two texture.
Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images
11. Long Pixie
In between a bob and a pixie, this style is more versatile than you think. Side-part it and sweep the ends to one side for a sleek look.
Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images
12. Tapered Layers
Add some life to limp hair by cutting gradual layers that create movement and body (even if they can't hold a curl).
Karwai Tang/Getty Images
13. Blunt Bob
Looking for the best haircut for women? Simply ask your hairstylist to dry-cut your locks for a super-sharp blunt cut.
Steve Granitz/Getty Images
14. Smooth Lob
A deep side-part and flatironed strands take a lob from ordinary to seriously straight.
Steve Granitz/Getty Images
15. Long Layers
If you love your long locks but hate the weight, ask for your hair to be shaped with thinning shears.
Angela Weiss/Getty Images
16. Sleek And Straight
Blow-dry hair straight, and then go over it with a flat-iron. Finish with a smoothing serum for ultra-silky frizz-free strands.
Michael Tran/Getty Images
17. Loose Curly Afro
Youcan do an afro even if you don't have super-coily hair. Pick it out and apply a little gel so it holds its shape.
Steve Granitz/Getty Images
18. Spiky Pixie
Your everyday mantra: Wake up, pomade and go. It's seriously that easy.
Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Moet & Chandon
19. Choppy Lob
Who knew that a few layers is all it would take to get the best haircut for women? Have your stylist use their thinning shears for the most natural gradient.
Tibrina Hobson/Getty Images
20. Curtain Bangs
Growing out your straight-across fringe or want to ease into the whole thing entirely? This style is great for both. Center-part your hair and ask for long, sweeping curtain bangs.
Dan MacMedan/Getty Images
21. The Undercut
Edgy when your hair’s up, invisible when your hair’s down. This cut is great for short-haired ladies, because it allows you to pull your hair back without a million pieces falling out in the back.
Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images
22. Gelled Edges
Natural-haired ladies: Don't neglect those edges. When laid properly, they look just like art. Dab on a bit of edge control cream and use a soft-bristle toothbrush to mold them into waves.
Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Getty Images
23. Angular Afro
A regular afro is beautiful, but a side-part makes all the difference. Use a rattail comb for a precise line.
Dominique Charriau/Getty Images
24. A-line Lob
When a lob is cut a little higher in the back, it allows the front pieces to fall more effortlessly in place. Read: No poofy triangle hair.
Mike Pont/Getty Images
25. Super-Short Pixie
This short 'do is so low maintenance, you can literally roll out of bed and go. Oh, and it works on all hair types, from coily to straight.
Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
26. Baby Bangs
These bangs are intentionally too short and we love it. Chop them a few inches above your eyebrows for that high-fashion look.
Jeff Kravitz/AMA2017/Getty Images
27. Mohawk
Shave the sides of your head and keep a little length in the middle. A few messy curls made it more modern.
Michael Tran/Getty Images
28. Wavy Lob
The length that’s flattering on literally everyone. Ask for it to hit just above your shoulders, so it's not too short when it's waved.
Steve Granitz/Getty Images
29. Angled Bob
Ever so slightly shorter in the back and gradually longer in the front, this style looks best when worn sleek (so you can actually see the soft gradient).
Juan Naharro Gimenez/Getty Images
30. Voluminous Layers
Wavy-haired gals, this one's for you. Layers throughout your whole head will lighten things up forweightlessvolume.
Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images
31. Asymmetrical Bob
Slightly longer on one side than the other; a deep side-part really accentuates the differentiation in lengths.
Mark Davis/Getty Images
32. Layered Shag
Chop thin strands into a piecey shag for an edgy update.
Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty Images
33. Rounded
Perfectly symmetrical is how we like it. Keep the majority of the volume on the sides with a center part.
Laura Cavanaugh/Getty Images
34. Layered with Curtain Bangs
The key is to make your bangs blend with your layers.
Steve Granitz/Getty Images
35. The Tight Crop
In between a pixie and an afro, this style is perfectly shaped but still effortlessly cool.
Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images
36. Blunt Bangs
For the grown-up gal who still loves thrift shops and flea markets.Have your stylist dry-cut them so you don't wind up going too short.
JB Lacroix/Getty Images
37. Long and Curly
Curly girls can go long, too. Just ask for long layers so things don't get too weighed down.
Fred Duval/Getty Images
38. Shaggy Lob
A few layers andloose waves make this look sobeachy-chic.
Angela Weiss/Getty Images
39. Side-Swept Bangs
The haircut that can make you lookten pounds thinner. No, really. The angle here tricks the eye into thinking your face is extra narrow.
Rachel Murray/Getty Images for L'Oréal Paris
40. Layered Curls
For instant volume on a bob, add soft waves throughout like Viola here.
Paul Zimmerman/Getty Images
41. Sculpted Pixie
Shorter on the sides than on the top, it's the long pixie for natural hair. Aka the perfect way to show off your bone structure.
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
42. Curly Bangs
Who said bangs need to be straight? Chop these dry, too, so you get an accurate read on length.
Steve Granitz/Getty Images
43. Tousled Lob
Short, swingy and voluminous. A little flip-over part adds to that effortless vibe.
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
44. Curly Shag
Short curly locks, short layers and un-fussy bangs make for a winning combination.
George Pimentel/Getty Images
45. Short Face-Framing Layers
Put all the focus on your gorgeous face with layers that draw the eye upward. Bonus: A few highlightsliterally brighten your complexion.
Jason Merritt/Getty Images
46. The Sweeping Pixie
Go shorter in back and slightly longer on top. Then brush hair forward to achieve that sweeping look.
Andrew Chin/Getty Images
47. Bouncy Curls
They don't just sound fun—they are. Short layers that start around the temple add lots of volume all the way down.
Dan MacMedan/Getty Images
48. The Side Shave
Take the side part to new extremes by shaving the thinner side back to behind your ear.
JB Lacroix/Getty Images
49. Shoulder-Grazing Layers
This mid-length cut basically styles itself. Let it air-dry for natural texture and volume.
Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images
50. Bouncy Bob
Love the length of a bob, but want more body? Cut a few long layers around your face for extra oomph.
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images
51. Shaved
Buzzed right off, this hairstyle is the very definition of no-fuss. Hint: If you go for a number three or four, your hair will be longenough to dye (if you want to).
Taylor Hill/Getty Images
52. Voluminous Pixie
All the volume with none of the weight. It's almost likea grown-out mohawk—just brush hair up and back for a more polished vibe.
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
53. Bob with Bangs
The choppier the ends, the better. Note: This is one cut that will require regular trims to keep the optimal length.
Dave Benett/Getty Images
54. Layered Midi
Proof that mid-length is never boring. Cut layers below the shoulders to add bounce to loose waves.
Amanda Edwards/Getty Images
55. Modern Shag
Short and feathered for the win. This style adds body to even the thinnest hair, making it one of the best haircuts for women with finer strands.
Donato Sardella/Getty Images
56. One Length Midi
Super-blunt edges that land below the collarbone are even more posh when worn sleek.
Jason Merritt/Getty Images
57. Sharp Layers
You can’t miss these layers. Ask for sharp-graduated layers or angles at the frontto lighten up thick hair.
Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
58. Shoulder Length Waves
There's a reason the duch*ess wears this hairstyle so well—it's classic, polished and works great with a crown (or hat, if you're a mere mortal like us).
What Is the Most Popular Women's Haircut Right Now?
For longer hair, the Butterfly Cut is still a top requested look (see #1 on this list), whereas for shorter hair, it's all about the Box Bob, which offers a fresh take on the classic style. As Juli Akaneya, a New York-based hairstylist told us earlier this year, the haircut focuses on texture and movement. “It’s not layered in the traditional way, so it doesn’t look round or tapered like a traditional bob. However, it’s still thick at the ends,” she explains. The cut also features face-framing tendrils, which are cut shorter than the rest of your hair to accentuate your jawline.
What Is the Best Haircut to Look Younger?
We'd challenge you to reframe the question to: What haircut best suits your personal style and hair type and texture? For example, if you have fine or thin hair that tends to fall flat easily, keeping your hair long can weigh it down and drag down your features, which will make you look older. Better to cut it shorter and perhaps even ask for blunt ends to create the illusion of more volume and thickness.
And as we recently learned from Gregory Russell, a celebrity hairstylist whose clients include Lily Collins, Kate Hudson and Sophie Turner, we often forget about our personal style when deciding on a new haircut. "Sometimes a bob can make someone look so much younger, and sometimes it can make someone look totally mumsy. If you’re someone who’s into minimalism and wear geometric shapes or graphic patterns, a bob can look sharp and chic on you. But if you’re someone who likes more of a relaxed or Boho style, it could have a completely different effect."
His parting advice: Look for people who have a similar sense of style to you, and use that as a starting point for how you might want your hair to look. Then, bring photos to your stylist.
RELATED
7 Haircut Trends Happening in New York Right Now
Brianna Lapolla
Writer
Brianna Lapolla formerly held the role of Senior Commerce Editor at PureWow covering all things shopping across beauty, fashion, and lifestyle. Now, she's putting her 12 years of...
read full bio
Jenny Jin
Beauty Director
Jenny Jin is PureWow’s Beauty Director and is currently based in Los Angeles. Since beginning her journalism career at Real Simple magazine, she has become a human encyclopedia of...
read full bio
