When it comes to women having long hair, there's a host of hairstyles that they have the luxury of choosing from. Long haired styles and cuts have had quite a bit of time to develop, diverge and evolve. As for sporting short hair though, the act of cutting one's hair short has typically been viewed as a sign of non-conformity, only finding favour in certain times of rebellion. It was only in the 20th century that short hairstyles began to gain popularity and evolve, and a considerable portion of the credit for this surge in acceptance could certainly be attributed to the 'Pixie' haircut . For a haircut that derives its names from fairies and fairytales (who can forget the absolutely adorable Tinker Bell from J. M. Barrie's famous work 'Peter Pan'), it is difficult to understand why it couldn't find instant approval amongst the ladies though, especially the younger lot. There's a good chance that the character of Tinker Bell in Barrie's 1904 play 'Peter Pan' played a significant role in introducing the pixie haircut to the world. However, there are a lot of women who can be credited with bringing the pixie haircut in vogue, especially in the 1950s, such as the opera singer Mary Garden, actresses like Audrey Hepburn (who donned the hairstyle in the 1953 movie 'Roman Holiday') and Jean Seberg (who donned it for her iconic role as the maid of Orleans in the 1957 movie 'Joan of Arc').
01The Pixie Wedge
Now this pixie haircut has been inspired by Dorothy Hammil's (who was the 1976 Olympic ladies figure skating champion) famous wedge cut from the 1970s, which in itself was a variation of the bowl cut. The wedge has a heavy weight line and angled layering beneath, which provides your hair with a decent amount of volume as well as the freedom to move. The pixie wedge, however, works by keeping your hair on the top and the sides longer than the traditional pixie; almost like the wedge cut.
02Choppy Pixie
The choppy pixie or the choppy pixie bob is a bold cut that uses texturing techniques like point-cutting to provide your hair with volume and definition. And the haircut goes well with most colours and almost all kinds of facial shapes too. The choppy pixie haircut will have you looking bold and elegant, while also flaunting your femininity at the same time.
03The Long Tapered Cut Pixie
The long tapered pixie is a much softer, subtler version of the traditional pixie. There's enough length for you to experiment and play around with, and you can even introduce side bangs or disconnected layering into your hairstyle. This version of the pixie haircut can adapt to just about any facial type and is pretty stylish to don as well.
04The Side-Parted Pixie Bob
Since we're talking about long pixies, let us introduce you to this stunning and modern pixie haircut. The side-parted pixie bob can really compliment your features since the styling of the crop in this case help bring the focus on your face. Don't forget to experiment with all those outlandish colours (say platinum blonde, for example) or variations (like tousling it up) you've been waiting to try on.
05The Pixie with the Choppy Bowl
Quite like the pixie wedge, this one is similar to the bowl, with the nape and the sides being undercut, albeit with choppy layers on top. This pixie haircut, with its choppy bowl variant, is a sassy, uber-cool hairstyle that will certainly help you stand out in the crowd.
06The Temple Undercut Pixie
If you've been bored to death sporting the same ol' symmetrical hairstyles, the temple undercut pixie haircut is certainly the breath of fresh air that you've been looking for. Partly pixie and partly an undercut bob, this haircut will help bring out the quirky in you. And you can always try for some further variations as well, like keeping it a bit tousled hairstyle or adding more than one colour tone.
07Pixie and Stacked
This kind of a pixie haircut is perfect for you when you're looking to make your hair appear voluminous, while still keeping it well tapered, as in a v-cut, along the neck. With all those stacked layers in the back, you'll be more than glad to show off that healthy crop, without really having to worry about the scalp sweating all over your nape.
08Growing Out, Not Growing Up!
If there's one thing that you just cannot dispute, it's the fact that the pixie haircut is a truckload of fun to sport. However, if you've curly hair, there aren't too many options out there that you can pick from that will stay in their shape for long, especially when it comes to the pixie. Opting for a messy pixie with your hair growing out along its natural lines, as opposed to against it, will not only fix this problem for you but will also leave you with fun, spirited and bubbly appearance. Picture courtesy: Pinterest
