Breezy, bold, and totally transformative.
Fall always makes me crave change. Perhaps, it is the freshness in the air, perhaps, it is the manner in which we begin to layer everything, sweaters, thoughts, feeling. And the thing I am most eager to layer at present? My hair. Or better yet, snip it off. That is the power move of the season, the fall short cut.
Do you have the need to make it short but not sure how short? Or perhaps you already have your Pinterest board filled with bobs and pixies but you have not yet saved that for a visit to the salon. I have collected some of the most amazing, not so loud but still very confident styles I have been obsessing over lately and we are going to dissect them-style by style. It is not that simple as cuts, it is also what they both are about the stories they quietly suggest and women they outline.
Let’s dive in.
Soft Wave Bob with Side Bangs
This chop exists in that beautiful place where you are chic, but slightly unseemly. Its cut is a gently triple layered bob, touching the bottom of chin effortlessly with a soft wave providing it the much needed ponder and texture. The side-swept bangs are not overworked; they serve to frame the face in an off-the-cuff manner and the caramel highlights that spice the base of dark brunette are rather of those that are willing to be noticed without being brazen. If you’re flirting with the idea of going short but want to keep movement and femininity, this is your girl.
I prefer the Davines Sea Salt Spray to keep this shape sprung and juicy, but with a little grit, so it does not get crunchy. You can air-dry or use a diffuser to lift the roots if you’re feeling fancy. Every six to eight weeks a chop keeps those ends healthy and the silhouette sharp, just in time as the scarf season sneaks up.
It has got to do with the casualness of this cut; something powerfully empowering. It tells us, I know what I am doing even when you are just improvising on Tuesday. Celebrity stylist Jen Atkin once said, “Short hair always comes back around when women want to feel in control again.” I can feel this type of cut in my bones.
The only thing I’d add? Perhaps a little shine in the ends, to give that glasshair effect. You may completely make this cut swing smooth or messy on different days like good jeans.
Textured Micro Pixie
If you’ve ever dreamed of shedding every unnecessary layer—literally and metaphorically—this pixie will speak to you. It is brief; not long; but there is so much playing physically woven on the top of it. A crown of feathers, choppy ends that have been softened, and a slight amount of unevenness so it does not look harsh. The stand out is the texture-this is not a stiff pixie or slick backed pixie. It breathes. It’s cool. And it dares.
This is a haircut that you would like to do in no time. And when you have something as the R+Co Badlands Dry Shampoo Paste, you can indeed. Work the top a fingertip and put the rest in the morning, tousle it a little and it will go. Low maintenance doesn’t mean no maintenance, but it’s minimal enough to be freeing.
On a personal note, I broke up some years ago and that is the hair style I opted after. I did not do it to make some point, but simply because I wanted to look at my own face, again. And this type of cut does that–it shows all, in the finest sense of this phrase.
What I’d love to see more of? Pairing this cut with statement earrings. Let the ears shine. Then allow your self-confidence to carry you the rest.
The Sleek Mini Bob
Crisp. Structured. Slightly rebellious in its simplicity. This interpretation of the fall short haircut is meant for everyone who got sick of summer and wanted a bit of order. It is a clean-line bob which comes up just above the chin though with a shaved edge and tucked-in layers that are in a faint murmur of French-girl panache. No frills, no fuss—just structure and sheen.
This is the place where this cut looks best, thus I tend to grab the Color Wow Dream Coat prior to blow-drying. It seals in shine, repels humidity (yes, even in fall), and helps that sleekness stay in place. A middle section is to have it found with a polished look yet an off-center flip creates a casual look with a laid back feel.
It has a big SoHo gallery opening vibe, when really you are just walking into Trader Joe. And since it happens to be cut to snuggly fit at the jawlines, it lends form to any face-shape. Back in October, when I first wore this look, I had the feeling that I was embarking on my editor phase, though I was only editing my playlists on Spotify.
This is the one for you if you can be the type of person who dresses her wardrobe by tones in the fall. It’s clean, sharp, and absolutely timeless.
Tousled Shaggy Bob
It has to be considered the cooler version of the messy bun. It is a bob in levels with some extra height on the top and loose, un-done curls. It has some almost sculptural feeling about it, like the sort of cut that is always improved by the touch. The layers drop just right, and the movement is everything, as you just got out of old convertible somewhere in Vermont.
To create some additional definition, I tend to crunch a bit of Verb Curl Foaming Gel into short hair when it is wet, and then lightly wrap it on my fingers. The roots can use some love as well, I usually spritz some Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray in the afternoon to add some life to the roots. It’s like perfume for your hair.
This is one of these cuts where you can breathe out. It’s soft but not sweet, lived-in but still thoughtful. As you can see, stylists such as Anh Co Tran can do weird shapes such as these, and he always comments that it is all about balance no stiffness, structure with flow.
What would I tweak? Maybe play with soft bangs next time. Nevertheless, even in the state it is, it adds “I am effortlessly in control of my life-even when I am late by 10 minutes.”
Classic French-Inspired Bob with Curtain Layers
There’s something romantic about this cut. It is right at the shoulder and has a very retro-modern movement. The curtain-like layering exposes the face particularly with the addition of that slight curve at the extremities. This is a cut that would be in the uniform of fall. It’s what you wear when you’re wrapped in a trench coat, sipping coffee on a foggy sidewalk.
Maintenance-wise, this one plays nice with most hair types. This far can be achieved by using a round brush and light blow-dry cream (e.g. Shu Uemura Blow Dry Beautifier). You are able to stretch your wash days and the form is so pretty.
I recall how the first time I tried this silhouette I automatically felt put together. Not that I had altered anything else but my jeans and my lip balm but there was a certain self-scheduling about the rhythm and outline of this cut that made me feel edited.
If I were you, I’d bookmark this one now. Fall is coming, and she’s bringing her chicest self.
Lifted Side-Swept Volume Bob
This cut has so much effortless lift to it and it is this lift that makes it sing. The silhouette is an ultramodern variation of the typical bob, yet it is the direction that the large becomes removed out of the face and cushioned into the nape that gives it individuality. The side-swept top parts fade into the rest of the cut, so that it looks like it is in motion but only has been frozen into the snapshot.
If you’re aiming to keep this shape fresh, I swear by the Living Proof Full Dry Volume & Texture Spray. One spritz into the roots, and a swag of the head and it will be back to life as usual. It is especially ideal when the air becomes drier and this cut does not care about sitting down.
I believe that this is one of the styles which takes you by surprise. It is professional and custom-made but with a low-level of rebelliousness. I even did the same once when I had an introduction to a new job during October and to be honest it made me feel quietly confident even before opening my laptop.
The haircut that lets people know that you are not playing little anymore. It possesses that I am in full control over my own chronology vibe.
Chic Precision Bob with Subtle Face Framing
This look gives expensive. The bob is smooth yet possessing an exactly appropriate amount of unfastened hair to ensure that it is not stiff. Just the angle I like here: it is just a bit off, but it is not flat as it gives the eyes something to look at and it opens the face. The side component is elegant and the cool-tone highlights inserted towards the cheeks? Instant soft glam.
This trim flourishes on wetness and smoothness and since my hair retains more of it, I would suggest using a light hair oil such as Gisou Honey Infused Hair Oil to ensure the hair strands are reflective and hydrated. And now as we begin the journey into sweater season, when static sets out to spoil the party.
Frankly, I refer to this as the coffee-date on the street haircut. It goes with leather jackets, with trenches and with that slightly oversized knit you always debut out in. The face-framing attracts your attention subtly but does not seem to be a complete bang when you look at it. Perfect balance.
I wouldn’t touch a thing. It’s classy without being cold. Classic, but far from basic.
Blonde Tousled Crop with Baby Bangs
Let’s be real—this cut is for the brave. And the stylish. It is short around the neck line, cut in tiers to flow, and combined with babies chopped bangs that are feathered and piecey, reaching to the brink of the eyebrows. The golden one is the sunny blonde shade with warm undertones it takes life in autumn light like golden hour.
Because the structure is so defined, upkeep matters. A purple toning mask once a week (I like the Amika Bust Your Brass Cool Blonde Mask) keeps the tone just right without fading. and a small round brush is wizard on the fringe–lift and roll it and just let it fall.
This one’s personal. I swear this cut in a bookstore was worn by a woman with red lips, a vintage trench, and this scene remained in my mind at least months later. It’s magnetic.
Thinking about a transformation this fall? Start here. It’s edgy without feeling intimidating—and endlessly expressive.
Modern Shag with Wispy Fringe
This chop mixes shaggy styling with a short bob, and includes a fluttering wispy fringe to make her fringe around the eyes. For the sense of airiness, as nothing is overdone or maybe too heavy. The layers toward the back flick out slightly, which brings playfulness and volume—so great for creating that just-rolled-out-of-bed (but better) texture.
To punch this shape, I suggest grabbing in a dab of Ouai Air Dry Foam when your hair is still a tad wet. It encourages that tousled look without stiffness. A blast of cool air later assists fringe to fall more naturally.
To me this is the fall haircut that sounds like you are on a road trip. There’s a spontaneity to it. It matches well with denim and leather boots and all oversized scarves you have. And it flatterers on so many face shapes- it fits more or less into you.
