The Hottest Haircuts this Season

You’re ready for something different, something versatile, and something that will get noticed. You’re ready for a change. You’re ready to embrace this season’s haircut trends head-on. Well, here they are, complete with tips to take to your hairdresser to get the look right, from super short to long.

This season’s trends are all about breaking the rules. Today’s haircuts are meant to look great with a variety of styling options and it’s all about embracing your hair’s natural texture.

The Pixie Cut

The pixie cut has been gaining momentum over the past couple of years, and it’s not going anywhere soon as more and more women (especially younger gals) are embracing this short, effortless style. It’s a lot more versatile than you might think, and it’s not only trendy but will cut your time in the bathroom down to minutes. This season’s pixie cut is short and wispy through the back and on the sides with enough texture to give it movement and dimension. The front of this year’s hottest pixie (made popular by Jennifer Lawrence and shown here on Julianne Hough) is a little longer and lends to lots of styling options, like this chic look that Jennifer wore at the 2014 Oscar Awards. Any hair texture (course, thin, curly, or straight) can be cut into a pixie, and believe it or not, almost anyone can wear one. Styling a pixie is as easy as a little product, your fingertips, and as much imagination as it takes to get your unique style.

The Shaved Crop Cut

This edgy-shaved cropped cut is all the rage and isn’t going anywhere this year. Whether you’re Kelly Osbourne or just the girl next door this shortcut gives edgy a whole new set of rules. The key to this cut is to not be shy when it comes to the length on the sides. The shorter the better, and ask to have it faded tightly at the edges for a clean look. The longer part of the cut should be heavily textured (especially if your hair is thick) for maximum versatility. Then throw out all the rules and get yourself a variety of hair products. Pump up the volume in a pompadour, wear it sleek, forward, backward, messy, straight, or wavy. The sky is really the limit with this cut.

The Bob Cut

The bob really never goes out of style, does it? The evolution of the bob over the years means that finding a bob that fits your personality and style isn’t hard. Angled, textured, layered, stacked or any combination of options with this cut gives every bob haircut a unique style of its own. I love shorter bob haircuts for a polished look that goes from the office to nightlife with little effort. This season’s hot bobs are short and easy. Try a heavily textured “shattered” bob for this season’s hottest look. Give these texture products a try to bring out the most in your bob.

The “Lob” Cut

One of my favorite cuts for the girls that “needs to keep it long enough for a ponytail” but is sick of her long unstructured haircut, the “lob” (long bob) is interesting, functional, and fresh without being too long or too short. This season’s lob can be customized for your personal style. Go with blunt edges for a sleek look that’s edgy, cut at an angle (with the front longer than the back) to amplify the personality and keep your styling option open, add layers for volume and movement, frame your face with bangs, or keep the edges textured for a look that’s unique. The cut’s options are limitless and so are your styling options. With enough length for a cute ponytail but short enough for quick and simple styling you really can’t go wrong with the lob.

The Long Layered Shag Cut

If wearing your hair short is not an option, but you need something with more personality, the shag cut, known for textured layers, has made a recent longer comeback. While you can wear your layers straight, try styling them with a little wave, bring out your natural waves and texture, or flip the ends out for big movement and get your style noticed this season. Mermaid waves are out this year, making way for volumized blowouts with softer edges. Don’t be afraid to add some texture, especially if your hair is thick, for increased volume. Play around with beach waves, volumizing products, and messy texture for a look that’s perfectly unstructured and on-trend.

How Often Do You Actually Get Your Hair Cut?

The general guideline is that you should be getting your hair trimmed every four to six weeks to keep your mane looking its best, but how many of us actually do that? There are lots of people who are afraid of going to the hairdresser because they don’t want them to chop off a few extra inches. (They always want to. They say it’s to get rid of all the dead ends.) Then there are some people who forgo the frequent trims and prefer to get one or two major haircuts a year. If you have bangs, you probably visit the salon more frequently, unless you’ve perfect how to trim your hair yourself at home. The same thing goes if you have really short hair or a specific style that starts to look really shaggy if it starts growing out. How often do you get your hair cut?

I definitely don’t follow the suggestion of frequent trims. I get my hair cut once or twice a year. I’ll sometimes get it cut three times if I’ve been dyeing it a lot and the ends are looking quite scraggly. My hair doesn’t grow very fast and I’ve discovered that frequent trims don’t make it grow any faster. I’m not one of those people that want to keep their hair as long as possible and hate it when they have to chop more than an inch off, I just think that’s what works with my hair.

Tell us in the comments how often you go to the salon in one year.