22 Androgynous Haircut Ideas to Take to the Salon
Although we’ve noticed androgynous haircuts trending more and more as of the late, the truth is, hairstyles have never been for just one gender. It’s just hair, afterall, and has nothing to do with being a “tomboy.” Still, some of our favorite celebrities and influencers have been rocking more androgynous haircuts in the past few years, which could be the reason they’re more popular than ever. Hairstylists are noticing it, too.
“I think the old trend of gendering hairstyles is finally evolving,” says Los Angeles-based hairstylist Samantha Sellars. “As gender fluidity becomes more accepted, hair trends are of course going to follow. For many of us, how we wear our hair is an extension of who we see ourselves to be. So you’ll find more and more people wanting hair that is best for them without placing importance on gender.”
To create a more androgynous look, Sellars says, you want to have that balance of masculine and feminine. Depending on the person’s face shape and facial features, that blend will shift. “For example, if my client has feminine features, I would use sharper lines to create contrast,” she explains. “A client with masculine features would look best with softness around the face for balance.”
Sellars loves pixie cuts because they’re so versatile, especially modern pixie shags and sharp fades with a pompadour. “You can really customize them and my clients love being able to express themselves through their hair, which doesn’t have to be the same thing every day,” she adds.
Ready to take the plunge? Find all the inspo and hair ideas you need for your next androgynous haircut from our favorite celebs. Gender norms are a thing of the past.
Meet the Expert
Samantha Sellars is a Los Angeles-based hairstylist and educator with Kenra Professional.
1. Short Pixie Cut
When it comes to short haircuts, the close-crop pixie cut is about as classic as it gets. Zoë Kravitz rocks it just about better than anyone and she has on and off for years. Although the hairstyle screams androgyny, Kravitz’ fashion style is often typically feminine, which makes it the perfect juxtaposition. She sometimes goes for a more choppy pixie but the slicked styling of this cut feels less trendy and more classic. The tight style frames the actress’ face and showcases her delicate features. As it grows out into a shag, it’ll be just as cool.
2. Choppy Pixie Cut
Those with fine hair will be surprised about the versatility of a choppy pixie like Teyana Taylor. With a little pomade, you’ve got a not-too-spiky, androgynous haircut that looks great on just about any face shape. Yes, round faces can absolutely wear a pixie! It’s one of our favorite short hairstyles. Taylor is a bit of a hair chameleon but a pixie really suits her. For a similar look, ask a hairstylist for a short hairstyle with tons of texture and choppy bangs. Adding height to the back of your head gives off a cool ‘90s feel that’s always in style.
3. Undercut
Looking for an edgy short hairstyle? An undercut just might be the thing. By definition, an undercut is a hairstyle that features shaved sections of hair under the rest of your hair. When you pull your hair up into a ponytail, you can see the shaved underneath. But when you let the rest of your hair down, you can’t see the shaved parts. Kelly Osbourne has rocked multiple versions of undercuts and she nails it every single time. She made it even more edgy by showing off her scalp tattoo and pastel purple strands pulled into a baby bun.
4. Shaved Sides
When you want the shaved sides of your head to be the focal point of your short haircut, go for an edgy look like singer Cassie. Instead of shaving underneath a section of hair, the shaved side is on full display no matter the hairstyling. This androgynous look can give off anything from feminine to masculine to gender fluid depending on the styling. That’s what makes it so popular. It also works well for all hair types. Shaved sides look amazing on curly hair, straight hair, and anything in between.
5. Quiff
Even if you haven’t heard of a quiff hairstyle before, you definitely know what the haircut looks like. Like an undercut and shaved sides, a quiff is shorter on the sides and longer on the top. But in this hairstyle, the bottom isn’t shaved. It’s less edgy and can be a good starter short hairstyle. Janelle Monae loves pixies but it’s this quiff that feels the boldest and coolest from the star. In a typically “masculine” tuxedo, she goes for a full androgynous style playing with gender fluidity.
6. Bowl Cut
Charlize Theron proved the bowl cut is back and it hasn’t gone anywhere since. “Androgynous hair vibes tonight on my boo,” wrote her hairstylist Adir Abergel on Instagram. Before she took the plunge, the actress kept going shorter and shorter with pixie cuts and choppy bobs. This bowl cut was a big surprise but a welcome one. Theron has the perfect fine hair to make this style work well. You might think thin hair would cause the hairdo to become flat but with a little mousse and the right styling, a short haircut like this can give the appearance of thick hair.
7. Bob Haircut
Though you might not think of a bob haircut as the height of androgyny, it absolutely is. A mid-length haircut, especially with some waves like Hailey Bieber, looks amazing on folks of any gender. Remember when Cady Heron told Aaron Samuels in Mean Girls, “Your hair looks so sexy pushed back”? Yes, a bob haircut can look flirty pushed back with a little pomade or straight and parted in the middle. Any hair texture can make this the chicest of cuts.
8. Long Hair
Sure, long hair is nothing new but if you’re going for androgyny it always works. Just ask Queer Eye hairstylist Jonathan Van Ness. The gender-nonconforming star ( he uses he/him or they/them pronouns per his social media) has played around with his wavy hair but usually wears it long and parted in the middle. Of course, you don’t need to be a non-binary person to wear the hairstyle. It all depends on how you feel while you rock it.
9. Mohawk
You can go all spiky and edgy with mohawk but there’s a less edgy way of wearing on, too. Model Agyness Deyn’s pixie cut gives off the mohawk vibe with shaved sides and choppy layers in the middle. Have some fun with pomade and spike it up or let it fall like Deyn. The piecey hair towards the front draws attention towards the model’s bright blue eyes and delicate features while still being androgynous. If you’re going for a mohawk, talk to your hairstylist about how edgy you want to go, whether you want shaved sides and how you’ll wear it every day.
10. Mullet
Of course, the mullet has been around for decades, made most popular in the 1980s. But celebrities including Zendaya brought it back in the chicest way possible. Though she got pushback for wearing a mullet to the Grammy Awards, she defended her hairstyle saying, “I don't regret anything.” When you go for a mullet in 2021, you have to own it with all the confidence like Zendaya. “Some would say the mullet didn’t work out. But to me, they were talking about it, so I’d say it worked out,” she told Elle. We’d say it absolutely did.
11. Pompadour
One of the true queens of short, androgynous hairstyles is Kristen Stewart. Whether she’s going for a slicked-back bob, a buzz cut or a quiff, the actress always nails it. This pompadour hairstyle is one of our favorites. The pompadour, which has been around since the 18th century, has tons of volume on top that is either swept back or to the side. You can fake this by pulling the sides back or cutting them very short so it’s not just a pompadour hairstyle, it’s a full pixie cut.
12. Buzz Cut
Whether for a role or just because it’s cool as heck, a buzz cut is never a bad idea. Just take a look at the stunning model Adwoa Aboah. She’s not the only one that’s gone ultra-short. Cara Delevingne tried a platinum buzz cut (it works no matter your hair color!), Amandla Stenberg shaved their afro into a buzz cut and Halsey ditched her rainbow hair for a buzz style. It’s a big change so speak to your stylist about your expectations and tips for maintaining the cropped hairdo. It’s a low-maintenance style but not no maintenance.
13. Long Pixie
Ever the hair chameleon, Miley Cyrus’ time rocking a long pixie was one of the best. After going ultra-short, she let the top and sides grow out into choppy layers while keeping the rest short. Cyrus’ straight hair makes this androgynous look low-maintenance but it works great on curly hair, too. Once the singer was done with this hairdo, she let it all grow into a shag with choppy bangs, another trendy hairstyle. What can she do wrong? Nothing in our book.
14. Curly Hair Pixie
Logan Browning proves it’s best not to fight your natural texture but to go with it. Just look how well her curly hair looks in a cropped pixie! This hairdo also incorporates a few big trends thanks to the slicked-back sides. It gives off a pompadour vibe in a low key, ultra-wearable way. This pixie cut is all about the styling. Once you see a curly hair stylist, you’ll get the tips and tricks to make sure your coils or waves have the right volume for a close-cropped look.
15. Boy Band Cut
Yes, it’s true. Justin Bieber and Ruby Rose do look alike and the two have joked around about it on social media. Maybe they’re just both that cute?! Rose is often said to have a tomboy haircut but we think each pixie is as classic and cool as the next. The two stars have rocked similar hairstyles, a classic long pixie swooped to the side. This is a style popular with K-pop members, too and for good reason. It shows off your style while giving off androgynous swagger. Plan to do a little bit of styling with this haircut as you’ll want to get that boy band swoop down with a round brush, hairdryer, and some pomade.
16. Long Sideburns
As Rowan Blanchard’s cropped pixie cut grew out, she went for this long pixie with sideburns and we’d say she nailed it. The actress’ hairstyle is still shorter on the sides and longer on top, adding to the androgynous quiff style. But the addition of sideburns makes it even more androgynous and truly a chic cut any gender can pull off. Blanchard’s unique fashion style just makes her haircut even cooler. We stan.
17. Mushroom Cut
Japanese actress Rinko Kikuchi proved the mushroom cut, similar to bowl cut, can look ultra-chic at a big movie premiere. Okay, a mushroom cut and bowl cut are basically the same thing. But we like to think a mushroom cut has more height (you know, like a mushroom!) and even shorter sides. The length is the same around and the haircut is usually more blunt than choppy. Don’t write it off as a funny style for kids. It’s a cool androgynous haircut that can look great on anyone.
18. Faux Hawk
A mohawk, with its shaved sides, has some edge, so if you’re not ready for the real thing, try a faux hawk. It’s pretty much what it sounds like—a hairstyle that resembles a mohawk cut. Pink has rocked both real mohawks and faux hawks, often in a pastel pink hair color. To get the look, pull the sides back and use pomade or mousse (and lots of hairspray!) to give the hair on top lots of height. You can go more spiky or more laid-back depending on your vibe.
19. Modern Shag
If you’re not ready for a full mullet, the modern shag gives off the mullet vibe but in 2021 way. A shag looks great on all hair textures and hair types, especially curly hair. Ask for a cut that’s subtly shorter in the front and longer in the back with tons of layers. You cannot have enough layers in a shag, like Taylor Swift’s cut. It’s a low-maintenance look that doesn’t require hours of styling. Instead, with the right shag cut, you can air dry and let your texture go wild.
20. Messy Pixie
A pixie doesn’t have to be short, slick and cropped. Jennifer Lawrence’s pixie cut is more lived-in with a bedhead vibe. It’s similar to the boy band cut but instead of a front swoop, bangs are down naturally onto the forehead. This ensures its versatility. It can be pushed to the side for a different look. To get this exact cut, bring pics into your stylist so they can get a feel of exactly what you’re looking for. This way, you won’t go too cropped.
21. Pixie With Micro Bangs
Add short, baby bangs to a pixie cut for a trendy, fashion-forward look a la Tessa Thompson. But that doesn’t mean it’s not an androgynous haircut. Just imagine this rockstar ‘do on any lead singer. Be sure to style your baby bangs with frizz-reducing smoothing cream to keep them flat to the head to get the classic micro-bang look. Of course, you can also go for short curly bangs with a curly hair pixie. So chic!
22. Mullet With Bangs
Let’s take inspo from Miley Cyrus again with her cool-girl mullet with choppy bangs. Her blonde hair with dark roots adds to the mullet vibe, but the bangs up the cool factor. She is a pop star, afterall. To get this haircut, as your stylist for piecey bangs, as well as hair that’s shorter in the front and longer in the back. It’s a bit more drastic than a shag. Then, let your hair texture do its thing for the ultimate mullet energy.
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