Whether you’re after short, bobbed, mid-length or long – there are plenty of celebrity styles to inspire
Annabel Jones, Beauty Editor at Large
If you’re feeling the itch to reinvent your hair, then you’re not alone. As we emerge from the doldrums of January and begin to glimpse spring on the horizon, hair salons report an increase in clients keen to chop their winter lengths into a fresh new style, armed with screenshots of celebrities with good hair.
And luckily there are plenty of those. Here are some on my personal best-hair list: Greta Lee’s bob switches brilliantly between softly textured and sharp and edgy; Julia Roberts’ tousled lengths with a face-framing fringe; Julia Garner’s coily midi-crop, which gives off 1980s-Madonna vibes.
A great haircut is even more important for the likes of you and me, who aren’t fortunate enough to count on a couture gown for clout. I’d had enough of my long lanky locks by mid-January when I visited Larry King’s South Kensington salon. Waiting idly in the chair for my usual overdue trim, all around me short choppy bobs were being formed and longer hairstyles shaped into new and interesting ways.
I’m not sure if it was the meditative hum of hair dryers going off that lulled me into action, but I decided to try something new (ish). I wanted a long-haired look that had something going on other than the loss of an inconsequential inch or two.
King came up with a shorter length than I was used to while maintaining a blunt “baseline” – that’s hairdresser speak for a straight line. Then he said, “Let’s try some layers.” I’ve been opposed to those since the 1990s when everyone was cutting their hair into The Rachel, but since my hair has a tendency to fall flat like a sheet I agreed to his plan, hoping layers would have some face-softening advantages.
King’s reference was some Indie band with a new album coming out, and 1960s beauty icons such as Jane Birkin and Brigitte Bardot – “Fluffy turned-out fringes and volume on top is back in,” he tells me. “Yes, yes, that’s it,” I say, not fully understanding but trusting he’s got my back.
The key with layers is to keep them soft and reserved for around the face – unless you’re young and cool and in line for a mullet or jellyfish cut, in which case all rules are off the table. I’m happy with mine; the shortest pieces hang loose below my cheeks when I tie my hair up, which slim my face and provide a point of interest. When I wear it down, they spring up for bounce and that all-important volume – all one length hair, especially if it’s thick, can look weighed down.
Of course everyone’s hair is different. So whether yours is short, bobbed, mid-length or long, scan your eyes over these new hairstyles.
If your hair is short
Short pixie cuts have given way to a short on back, long on top look which gives a volume boost. Wear it off to the side or blow-dried backwards with a modern quiff for a new romantic twist; texture, whether lightly zhuzhed or curly, is welcome. Think back to the 1980s, but softer and less hair-sprayed.
If your hair is bobbed
The new bob, says King, might have a fringe that’s fluffy and feminine, or one that’s longer and open like a butterfly’s wings. The classic sleek bob remains a style staple, but to be more 2024, try mussing it up with a texturising spray, encouraged along by a few layers or choppiness around the edges.
If your hair is mid-length
If Hailey Bieber’s chin-length bob best sums up 2023 then the shoulder-length bob – as seen on Celine Dion at the Grammy’s this week – is on point for spring 2024. Less squeaky clean than Bieber’s, the grown-out bob suits more of us at various life stages. It’s long enough to tie back but short enough to appear put together.
Add a fringe that extends into the sides of the hair, or leave it one-length. Whatever suits your face shape, a sense of looseness is key, so dig into your product drawer for sprays and creams and get out your hair tools to add a bend here and there for an air of nonchalance.
If your hair is long
If your hair is super long, add a fringe like Dakota Johnson or Julia Roberts. If it’s halfway between mid-length and long then have some layers cut into the sides as per Michelle Pfeiffer. Or focus on creating volume at the crown inspired by French hair icon Anne Parillaud. Then offset fluffy side layers with a chunky baseline, which makes hair appear thicker.
Related Topics
- Hair,
- Hairstyles,
- Jane Birkin,
- Julia Roberts,
- Celebrity Beauty
