The pixie cut is still having a moment! In the midst of Fashion Week, InStyle’s Beauty Assistant Sarah Weir became eager to make a major chop. She enlisted the help of hairstylist extraordinaire Anh Co Tran to take her shoulder-length lob to an edgy short cut. Read on to get all the details on her makeover, and for tips on how you can go for a similar style!
Pixies have always been a constant among chic women since the days of Audrey Hepburn but the resurgence in the red carpet (hello, Kaley Cuoco, Shailene Woodley, Jennifer Hudson, and even Pamela Anderson) is testament to the style’s surprising versatility. While I once sported a pixie in my college years, the urge to go back finally resurfaced with the current Hollywood boom. Inspired by Louis Vuitton advertisements starring the perfectly coiffed Michelle Williams and the gorgeous Emmy’s red carpet look from Cuoco (who was also motivated to cut by Ms. Williams!) as well as my impending milestone birthday, I knew it was time to go for it—my own personal liberation.
Who else would I go to but the foremost expert in short hair, Anh Co Tran of Ramirez Tran Salon, having worked with Ginnifer Goodwin and Coco Rocha to create transformative cuts. I booked a 7:30 a.m. appointment on Saturday and could barely sleep the night before. Hands down, it was one of the only reasons I would willingly wake up at 6 a.m. on a Saturday.
Anh was just as excited about the cut as I was, sitting me down and cutting length off section by section. Then, he began cutting seamless layers around my face, creating wispy side-swept fringe, and finished by perfecting the tiny nuances around my ears and neck with his shears.
Color genius Johnny Ramirez, also of Ramirez Tran Salon, painted baby blond highlights around my face to make my eyes pop. The result: the perfect pixie.The main learning curve is styling my crop. Anh strategically spritzed small amounts of Oribe Apres Beach Spray ($39; oribe.com) throughout dry hair to create an edgy piecy texture—suggesting to use sparingly to avoid weighing down strands. Tran favors using a beach or salt spray to add definition to a gamine cut more often than a wax or pomade—which can sometimes be too heavy on layers.
All dramatics aside, a haircut can be a life-changing experience. My grown-out bob-to-lob left me feeling lackluster and itching for change. With my new cut I actually feel more feminine and have more options than ever before. Whether switching my part from left to right or slicking straight back, my new cut just makes me feel like, well, me.
Does Sarah’s makeover have you inspired to go for a similar change? Check out the chicest celebrity pixie cuts in our gallery for more inspiration!