Haircuts can make or break your entire look.
With the right cut, your hair can frame your face flawlessly and give you an instant confidence boost.
Short layered haircuts are a fabulous option for women looking to amp up their style with minimal effort.
The layers create movement and volume, allowing you to achieve a tousled, piecey look that’s uber chic.
Each style will be described in depth, along with tips on how to style it, what face shapes it suits, and celebrity inspiration.
Today let’s look at the ultimate guide to staying on top of the hottest short layered hair trends!
The Textured Pixie
First up is the textured pixie, one of the most popular short haircuts for women in recent years.
This look features choppy, piecey layers cut throughout to create movement and dimension.
The back and sides are cut short, with longer layers on top to allow you to play with volume and height.
To style a textured pixie, use your fingers to messily scrunch and tousle the layers on top.
This will enhance the choppy texture.
Apply a matte styling product like a texturizing paste or clay to separate the strands and add grip.
Then simply scrunch some more with your fingers to arrange the layers.
Finish with a light misting of hairspray to lock in the piecey style.
The textured pixie is perfect for diamond, oval, and heart shaped faces as it balances out softer facial features.
Some gorgeous celebs sporting this cut include Halle Berry, Emma Watson, and Cara Delevingne.
It’s a great option if you want to show off your cheekbones and draw attention upwards.
The short sides also have a slimming effect to elongate the face.
For an edgy twist, go for an asymmetrical pixie with longer strands on one side.
This creates dramatic angles for a bold, fashion-forward look.
Choppy Chin-Length Bob
Move over blunt bobs – it’s all about choppy layers this season.
The chin-length bob is refreshed with lots of texturized layers cut throughout the back and sides.
Keeping the strands shorter at the nape of the neck and below the ears creates fullness and movement.
The front is left slightly longer, with messy pieces that softly frame the face.
This cut can be easily styled by applying a sea salt spray to boost volume and texture.
Scrunch some mousse into the ends to get that undone look.
Rough dry upside down and messily tousle the layers around your face.
Finish withhair spray to lock in the piecey texture.
The choppy chin-length bob works wonders on heart shaped faces, balancing out a wider forehead and more defined jawline.
Face-framing layers around the chin are particularly flattering.
Rachel McAdams and Margot Robbie have rocked similar bobs with aplomb.
This versatile cut can also be dressed up for formal occasions by blow drying it sleek and straight.
Have fun playing with the layers and switching up styling products.
Beachy, messy, sleek – the options are endless!
Shaggy Layers
Channel 70s rocker vibes with a modern take on the shag haircut.
This look features bouncy, feathered layers cut to various lengths throughout the hair.
Shorter layers at the crown create tons of body and volume on top.
Longer layers are left around the face and sides, with wispy ends for a cool, untamed finish.
This cut looks fab when styled with a sea salt or texturizing spray.
Scrunch the products in with your fingers, concentrating on the layered ends to maximize texture.
Shake out your hair and arrange the layers messily.
Add volume at the roots by flipping your head upside down and tousling the top.
The shag works great with oval, heart, and diamond face shapes.
The mix of short and long layers provides an easy way to both sculpt and soften facial features.
Miley Cyrus, Selena Gomez, and Zendaya are just a few examples of how nowadays celebs are rocking modern shag cuts.
For a glam night out look, use a medium barrel curling iron to add bouncy curls and waves.
Amp up the volume and go big or sleek it all back for a retro-inspired style.
The Angled Bob
For a super chic, put-together look that works for the office or a night out, you can’t go wrong with the angled bob.
This cut features slightly longer layers in the front that angle down below the chin and jawline.
The back is kept shorter, often just skimming the nape of the neck.
The angled shape is endlessly flattering, adding beautiful dimension while creating the illusion of a slimmer jaw.
For diamond and heart shaped faces, the longer front layers help balance proportions.
Oval and round face shapes will also benefit from the slimming angled effect.
Blowdry the hair sleek and smooth, using a round brush to flip the ends under for added polish.
Style the front pieces in a deep side part and sweep them across your forehead for an of-the-moment look.
Use pomade on the ends to eliminate frizz and flyaways.
For soft, touchable texture, apply a sea salt spray before drying.
Scrunch layers with your fingers to encourage airy movement.
Finish with a light hold hairspray.
Short Layered Lob
The classic long bob is made edgier with the addition of choppy short layers throughout.
Cut to around collarbone length, the lob is trimmed with texturized layers in the bottom half.
This removes any bulk and creates shape, movement, and volume through the mid-lengths and ends.
On top, the shortest layers start at the crown to boost body.
Longer pieces are left in front to frame the face in a flattering way.
Styling products like mousse really help to bring out the texture and maximize body in the layers.
This cut works equally well styled sleek and straight or messy and tousled.
For diamond and heart shaped faces, the layering helps soften sharp angles.
Oval face shapes will also benefit from the added dimension and volume through the sides.
A-Line Bob
For a classic short cut that works on all hair types, you can’t pass up the A-line bob.
This rounded shape features shorter layers cut through the back and sides, with longer pieces left at the front.
The graduated lengths create a softened stacked effect that is endlessly chic.
One of the best things about the A-line bob is how low-maintenance it is.
Simply blowdry the hair sleek using a paddle brush to flatten the layers down.
Or, dry naturally and push the longer front pieces behind the ears.
Use a light serum to control frizz and flyaways for a polished finish.
The A-line shape is universally flattering.
It adds fullness at the nape of the neck, while slimming the jawline.
Soft front layers draw attention to your eyes and cheekbones.
This cut is perfect for heart, oval, square, and round face shapes looking for an easy yet stylish wash-and-go option.
Piecey Pixie Cut
For the boldest babes, the piecey pixie doesn’t get much cooler.
It’s cropped extremely short on the back and sides, blending up to longer, choppy layers on top.
The section left long on top allows you to style the texture any way you like – spiked up, swooped across, or swept to the side.
Ruffle up the longer layers on top with some matte styling paste.
Mist hairspray over your fingers and scrunch pieces outward to separate and enhance the texture.
Or, experiment by slicking the pixie cut pieces flat for an androgynous look.
The piecey pixie allows you to play with different styling on a daily basis.
It’s an awesome option for diamond and oval face shapes wanting to highlight their striking features.
Make a statement and show off those cheekbones!
If you’re leaning towards an edgier look, ask your stylist to shave one side even shorter.
This asymmetric pixie takes things up a notch for a seriously bold punk rock vibe.
Wavy Shag
For gorgeous texture and volume, go for a choppy shag cut with messy waves.
This look has lots of short layers cut through the top and sides to boost body and movement.
Longer pieces are left around the front to soften and frame the face.
The key to perfecting this style is working in products that enhance your natural texture.
Apply a salt spray or texturizing mousse on damp hair and scrunch it in to encourage waves.
Air dry or diffuse upside down for maximum volume.
Finish with a light hold hairspray to lock in texture.
The shaggy waves are ideal for heart and oval shaped faces, balancing softness and angles in all the right places.
Add some glam Hollywood vintage vibes to your look by tonging large, bouncy curls into the ends.
Go for a cool rocker edge by spiking up the short layers on top.
Tousled Lob
Another way to wear the ever popular long bob is by adding lots of choppy layers for movement.
This cut features texturized ends cut to frame the collarbone and shoulders.
Shorter layers are also layered through the top and sides to remove bulk.
For messy, undone texture this cut looks fab air dried and scrunched with sea salt spray.
Layer in some volumizing mousse or texturizing paste, paying extra attention to the ends.
Let your natural waves and texture come through by finger styling and tousling the layers.
The tousled lob adds volume and dimension to fine hair.
Short layers at the crown prevent flat spots, while longer layers in front enhance an oval face shape.
For some retro vintage glam, style the lob in glossy finger waves or pin curl sets.
Layered Curtain Bangs
Curtain bangs have been a huge trend over the past couple years, offering a chic way to frame the face.
Take this look one step further by having the bangs chopped into shorter layered pieces.
This creates extra dimension and allows for more styling versatility.
Apply mousse to damp layered fringe and blowdry using a round brush.
Brush the pieces across your forehead in opposite directions from a center part.
Piece the ends out lightly.
Or, sweep them sideways for a windswept look.
Use the longer layers to play with volume and height.
Layered curtain bangs look beautiful on oval and diamond shaped faces, drawing focus to the eyes symmetrically.
They can also soften square face shapes by covering larger foreheads.
Ask your stylist to cut them as low as your cheekbones or higher on the forehead depending on what flatters you most.
Choppy Pixie with Long Layers
The pixie gets an ultra modern upgrade with this chopped layering.
The back and sides are clipper cut super short.
Long pieces are left on top – cut shorter in the interior and graduating down to jaw length fringes around the face.
Use pomade or styling paste to push back and sculpt the short layers on top.
Let the longer face framing pieces sweep across your forehead for added softness.
Or, spike up the short interior layers for volume and height.
This cut is perfect for oval faces to accentuate your eyes and cheekbones.
The closely cropped neckline is also great for elongating short or wide neck.
Not to mention, you can have fun switching up the styling from sleek to spiky.
Go bold by having an undercut shaved on one side!
Spiky Cropped Cut
This spiky cropped style has an almost buzzed cut on the back and sides.
Longer pieces left on top can be styled up or swept across.
For the edgiest option, have your stylist cut the top and fringe very choppy and shattered.
Boost texture by working some matte styling paste through the longer top.
Blowdry the fringe pieces forward.
Then sweep them across your forehead and lightly piece out the ends.
For a tousled finish, spike and scrunch up the short layers on top.
This cut pairs best with oval or diamond face shapes.
The height on top helps balance out a longer face.
Plus, it draws attention upwards and highlights your best features.
Go platinum blonde, pastel, or neon colors to take this cut to the next level!
Updating your look is as simple as booking in for a trendy new haircut.
These 13 short layered styles offer versatile options to refresh your strands and amplify your natural texture.
Book a consultation with an experienced stylist and take in some photos of cuts you like.
They can assess your face shape, hair texture, and lifestyle to recommend a layered style that will work best for you.
Investing in some quality styling products is also key to maximize texture.
Stay on top of the hottest hair trends this season with a fab short layered cut.
Show off your gorgeous face shape and hairstyle versatility.
Your new sassy layers will turn heads and become an effortless staple you adore.
