Short Hairstyles

Photo Galleries, Styling Tips & Much More

By Julyne Derrick, About.com Guide

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Actress Katie Holmes at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 5, 2008

Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images

Short hairstyles remain very popular for 2012 (see what other styles are popular in the 20 Hottest Hairstyles of 2012).

Short hairstyles such as the gamine pixie, the edgy cut, the shag and the bob are more popular than ever. More and more celebrities are ditching their boring long locks for cool, sophisticated and funky short hair cuts and regular women (like me!) have followed suit.

See the 5 Hottest Short Hairstyle Trends for 2012

How to Tell if Short Hair Suits You

Not everyone can wear short hair (more on that below). Find out if short hair suits you.

The Most Popular Short Hair Style: It's All About Bob

The bob continues to be one of the most trendy of hair styles of the moment.

Bob hair styles: Gallery 1
Bob hair styles: Gallery 2
Bob hair styles: Gallery 3
Bob hair styles: Gallery 4
Bob (and other types of short) hair styles: Gallery 5

Short, Edgy Cuts

When Rihanna went from blah and long to super short, the fashion world perked up. Soon, other celebrities followed suit. Edgy cuts make the most dramatic statement and symbolize strength. Pink's cut is one of the most popular haircuts on my site.

See photos of super-short, edgy haircuts

The Pixie Haircut

Ahhh, the pixie. When Ginnifer Goodwin cut off her shoulder-length hair for the pixie (see her new cut here), it was big news on beauty blogs. Other celebs followed suit and now there are enough gorgeous pixie cuts for a few photo galleries.

Not everyone looks good in super-short hair, however. As a tall woman, I would never, ever get a super-short hairstyle because I don't want to be a pinhead. Women who are petite look great with super-short cuts. Avoid this style if you are very overweight. You want more hair to balance out your body. It's also not a great look for women with long faces or super curly hair. Find out who can wear and pixie and who can't in these galleries:

Photos of Pixie Hairstyles

See more super-short styles:

My Favorite Celebrity Short Hair Styles

Celebrities with short hair styles: Gallery 1
Celebs with short hair styles: Gallery 2
Celebrities with short hair styles: Gallery 3

The Long Bob

Bobs make your features the center of attention. They look best on women with good bone structure. If you have a round face, consider a longer bob hair style. The long bob, popularized by celebrities including Gwyneth Paltrow and Heidi Klum, is an excellent option for women with round faces. See photos of the long bob.

With the right hair cut, a bob will grow out nicely. I get my hair cut super short and the cut lasts me 3 months, saving me tons of money at the salon. Why? It grows out into the cutest long bob.

What Short Hair Styles Best Suit Your Face Shape?

Not all face shapes are suited to short hair.

The round face is the trickiest face shape for short hair. If you have a round face, consider a short hair style that ends an inch or two below the jawbone. Request a few long layers, like this cut on Katie Holmes.

High forehead? Short hair styles work well for women with large foreheads, as long as you get a version with blunt or side-swept bangs like this one.

Chin-length hair styles work best on women with square jaws, because they soften the jaw.

What Hair Textures Work Best With Short Hair?

If you have straight hair, you're in luck. A short hairstyle will be easy for you to maintain with little fuss. Invest in a few volumizers so hair doesn't fall flat.

If you have wavy hair, you may require a blowdryer and flat iron on occasion, but many short styles look amazing naturally wavy (including the pixie!).

Curly hair? Reconsider your quest for short hair. Curly hair tends to frizz up when cut short and it can make hair too triangular. Try to stay a couple inches lower than the jaw.

Consider Your Maintenance

Not all short haircuts are low maintenance. They're actually the hardest cuts to maintain, which is something to consider when getting your hair cut. You must get them trimmed every six weeks, they take styling products to keep them in check and you may have to invest in a flat-iron to keep waves at bay.