How to Get a Cute, Feminine Short Hairstyle

Super-short cuts can appear masculine if you don’t feminize them. Hard angles, straight lines and blunt cutting techniques are considered masculine. To feminize even the shortest cut, you must soften the edges with fringe and create lots of texture within the layers. You can do this in a variety of ways. Whether you want to buzz it all off or create an adorable pixie cut, you can make any short cut look feminine by leaving the edges soft and adding tons of texture.

Things You'll Need

• Clippers
• Clipper guards
• Comb
• Scissors
• Thinning shears
• Blow dryer
• Styling paste

Instructions

Clipper Cut

1. Attach the No. 8 -- 1 inch-- guard to the clippers. Cut your clean, dry hair with the clippers by running them -- guard against the scalp -- through your hair against the growth. Running the clippers against the growth helps the guard pick up your hair and feed it to the clippers.

2. Avoid cutting your bangs. You will want to keep your bangs longer than an inch, so save them for last.

3. Pass through your hair several times with the clippers to create an even cut. Run your fingers through the cut to check the length. Use the clippers on any areas that appear too long.

4. Leave your hairline uneven. Do not edge it up or cut off the jagged edges with scissors. Leaving your hairline just the way the clippers left it creates the soft edges that you need for a feminine look.

5. Wet your hair. Comb your bangs straight up. Do not make any cuts with your bangs combed down. Doing so creates blunt edges. With your bangs combed straight up, cut them even with the clippered section of hair closest to your bang area. When you comb your bangs down, you will notice that they are longer and jagged looking; leave them that way.

6. Texturize the ends of your hair by closing the thinning shears once over the very ends. Use small sections so you can keep track of the hair you’ve texturized and the hair you still need to do.

7. Finish the style with a quick blow dry. Work a dime-sized amount of styling paste through your dry hair, directing your hair where you want it to go with your fingers.

Short Pixie

1. Saturate your hair with warm water. Comb through it, separating a narrow section of hair that runs from your bangs to your crown -- like a Mohawk.

2. Cut the strip of hair to a length of 2 to 3 inches, using the curve of your scalp as a guide. Hold your hair straight out from your scalp as you cut it. Continue the strip down the back of your head until you have a shorter strip of hair from your bangs to your nape. Measure the strip at several different places to make sure you’ve stayed true to the length throughout.

3. Use the top, shorter strip of hair as a guide to cut the top of your hair and the sides. Carve out long, vertical sections of hair on the sides. Each section should include hair from the shorter strip on top and hair from just above your ears. Cut each section even with the top strip. Follow the curve of your head, keeping the hair 2 to 3 inches in length all over.

4. Cut the back using the same thin, vertical sections. Use the center strip as a guide or template to make the cuts. Start in the middle. Comb half of the previously cut strip into a section just to the right or left of it. Cut the new hair along the same lines as the strip cut. Work your way to each side using 1/2-inch sections that include some hair that’s already been cut and some that needs to be cut.

5. Comb your hair down. The edges will appear jagged and uneven. Avoid the temptation to even things up.

6. Dry your hair and finish off your style with a small amount of styling paste. Finger style and play with your hair until you’re satisfied with the look.

Tips & Warnings

• The more uneven your hair is at the edges, the more feminine it will look. Go as short as you dare, but leave the jagged edges to soften your cut’s appearance.

• Never use gel or mousse to style a short cut. Gels and mousses tend to make a style look spiked, hard, flat or masculine. Always dry your hair and add dry styling paste or your favorite wax styling product to finish.

References

• Milady's Standard Textbook of Cosmetology; Catherine M. Frangie, Arlene Alpert, et al.