When people are talking about hairstyles and haircuts for women, one of the most interesting aspects is how haircut names originated and evolved. While most of the women’s haircuts got their names from certain personalities that made each cut famous, there are also haircut names that are simply describing the cutting technique. This is the typical hairstyling world jargon that you can learn in order to replicate every haircut you see on TV or Social Media Feed. Discover all of them below!
I. Short Women Haircuts
1. Classic Pixie Cut with Long Sideburns
Short Pixie Cut, also spelled pixy, in the folklore of southwestern England, represents a tiny elf-like spirit, or a mischievous small fairy dressed in green who dances in the moonlight to the music of nature and was usually depicted with short hair, hence the Pixie cut! These were popularized first in the 1950s when Audrey Hepburn wore the style and are still in trend! The version below is similar to what the actress wore in those times, except the long sideburns were not in fashion at the time.
2. Short Crop With Undercut and Combed Forward Front
“Crop” refers to literally “short cut hair”, and in the picture below we see a combination of short hair and shaved sides, which makes this women’s haircut an example of a modern example of a short hairstyle.
3. Tomboy Crop Haircut with Lavender Ombre
Another crop variation, this shorter, asymmetric cut with straight bangs and long sideburns will give you a tomboy look if it weren’t for the lavender purple color that brings softness and femininity.
4. Messy Blonde Pixie Hairstyle
Again, a classic hairstyle, this messy blonde look of a pixie women’s haircut can give you plenty of styling options, and great texture and will leave all your facial features and collarbones visible for extra femininity.
5. Spiky Purple Pixie Cut
All women’s haircuts that give the spiky illusion are called “spiky haircuts” and this purple pixie cut makes no exception. It was highly popularized by lead singers in rock bands and it sports a slightly longer top and carefully shaved sides.
6. Fade Cut Haircut
Similar to a Buzz Cut, the fade haircuts for women don’t have a specific name other than a “fade”, which describes the way o cutting the hair very short using #0 blade clippers.
7. Soft Mullet Pixie with Bangs
The typical “mullet haircut” is vaguely similar to this combination of mullet and pixie haircut we see below, but this mix is certainly spectacular and different from other women’s haircuts. The mullet was a very popular haircut in the ’80s and it was defined by the motto “business in the front, party in the back” which referred to the varying lengths of the hair.
8. Combed Forward Pixie Cut with Green Highlights
Get plenty of volume and a soft, glamorous shape with this long pixie cut that has also subtle green highlights to make it look more interesting. The top hair which reaches approximately 3 inches long is combed forward over the bangs to cover the forehead.
9. Faux Mohawk with Short Hair
A Mohawk is a hairstyle created by shaving the hair on each side of the head, leaving a wide strip of longer hair down the middle. While mohawks are commonly associated with punk music fans in the 1980s, the hairstyle was first popularized in World War II by some Iroquois soldiers from North America who inspired others with their hairstyles.
10. Short Natural Haircut
The natural hairstyle with an accent on “natural” makes for a very textured and distinct look in the case of Afro-Americans that tend to have a different look than usual short haircuts. Also, it is considered one of the greatest short hairstyles for black women.
11. Taper Fade with Deep Part
A masculine-inspired look is this softly tapered fade women’s haircut that has an overall length of fewer than 1/8 inches long and a hard part that separates the two sides of the haircut.
12. Short Bowl Cut for Blonde Hair
Bowl cuts are usually associated with childhood and they are more of a unisex haircut. In this case, the sides have a low fade which makes for a great contrast with the pumped-up top part. This type of bangs is trimmed asymmetrically for a modern twist.
II. Medium Long Women Haircuts
13. Lob Hairstyle with Medium Length Hair
A lob is a short name for a long bob, one of the most popular women’s haircuts out there! Although the “Bob” is over 100 years old, it has many modern versions and the blonde highlighted front parts Lob is one of them.
14. Asymmetric Bob Hairstyle
Made popular in the “roaring 20’s”, the Long Bob haircut can also be cut in an asymmetric manner for an interesting look. As long as the hair doesn’t reach past ear level, it is considered a Bob haircut.
15. Wob Hairstyle
The “Wob”, also named “wavy bob haircut” proves the love of Americans for word blends such as “Brangelina” or other famous names. In this case, this women’s haircut is no different from your typical bob, except for the wavy, modern shape of the tresses.
16. Curly Permanent Bob Hairstyle
Kinky, curly hair can benefit from a “bob cut” since it is very short and round and will give an instant boost to your curls. A perm applied to them will only enhance the curls and make for a super Afro-style haircut.
17. Rainbow Colored Bob with Bangs
Any type of colored hairstyle that sports more than 3 distinct colors or a blend of complementary tones, is usually covered by the “rainbow” name, or sometimes found under “galaxy hair“. In this photo, we see a straight, short bob haircut with long, face-framing bangs and pointy front strands that give the specific shape.
18. Bright Colored Bowl Cut
Opting for a bright, intense color is a good way of changing the classic look of a women’s haircut! This strawberry blonde with intense coral shades and light blonde ends makes for an interesting makeover of your typical bowl cut.
19. Straight Copper Bob Haircut with Fringe
If there was an illustrated haircut dictionary, this photo should be under the “chop cut” term. The straight, chunky layers and blunt-cut bangs make for a tough appearance and the strong color only enhances the impression.
20. Beach Waves Hairstyle for Women and Soft Fringe
“Beach waves” is again, a very used name for soft, subtle waves in women’s haircuts that give the impression of hair naturally dried after getting out of the salty marine water. In this long layered haircut, the beach waves make a good pair with the soft fringe giving a very sweet and feminine look.
21. Demi-Permanent Bob Hairstyle
Although it doesn’t sound logical, a “demi-permanent” is a “permanent” color dye that won’t last as long as a typical perm in your hair. It will wash out after 20 washes and in this case, we can also see the “crimping technique” applied to hair to create these very small curls.
22. Mullet Shag Hair with Undercut
A longer version of the classic mullet, this shaggy, ultra-dense haircut is great for women with thick hair that want to free their face from all those locks using a layered cut technique.
23. Long Mullet Hairstyle with Blunt Bangs
A very edgy, modern look, due to the sharp blunt-cut baby bangs that create a curved line for your face, this extra-long mullet haircut is sure to turn heads and reminds us of Die Antwoord’s lead singer, Yolandi Visser’s look.
24. Layered Haircut with Long Hair and Curved Back Fringe
Long layers, done in the diagonal direction will ensure plenty of volume and length to your locks. This haircut has a strong 70’s vibe enhanced by the curved back thick fringe that frames the face.
25. Classic Shag with Bangs
Remember the success Farah Fawcett had during her early career years? Some still associate the Long Shag haircut with her iconic look and this classic dark brunette shag makes no exception!
26. Fleetwood Shag Razor Cut Hairstyle
The razor-cut layers of this Shag Haircut make it look very 1970s-era and will surely have you mistaken for a Fleetwood Mac band member. The idea is to wear it as messy as possible matching the carefree bohemian lifestyle.
27. U-shaped Layered Haircut
U-shaped layers are those that start at the front with long strands to go past-shoulders line and become gradually shorter as the hair stylist moves upwards.
28. U- shaped Layered Hairstyle with Baby lights
The opposite of V-shaped layers is U-shaped layers which are done usually to the front part of your hair in order to create a nice frame for your face and cleavage. They start long on the end and become gradually shorter to frame the chin and jawline. This example of U-shaped women’s haircuts also has baby lights that create a beautiful lighter shade for brunette hair.
29. Layered Blonde Haircut with Front Highlights
Long, wispy bangs in a slightly brighter blonde tone than the rest will make sure that your layered haircut doesn’t go unnoticed. These long layers are great for making your long blonde hairstyle more interesting looking.
30. Boudoir Waves for Balayage Hair
These waves remind us of pin-up stars and they bring femininity to an already feminine haircut with a warm balayage for the perfect boudoir look!
31. Glamorous Retro Curls Hairstyle with Blonde Hair
Inspired by the glamorous era of the 50s, these retro curls catch the eye with their well-defined shape and wavy direction that create a very smooth contour to frame your face.
32. Classic Straight Long Cut
This haircut is pretty self-explanatory and as you can see the only variation that was made to the classic straight long haircut is the addition of four blue highlights to match the eye color of the girl.
33. Caramel Highlights Hairstyle with V-shaped Layered Long Hair
Any type of layering that creates a V-shape for your mane is called a V-shape layered haircut and it is one of the classic layered haircuts that there are out there. These sweet, warm caramel highlights brighten the brunette color.
34. Bouncy Waves for Long-Layered Hair with Straight Bangs
These side waves applied with the curling iron on straight hair created very well-defined curls and gave volume to a classic haircut with long layers and straight fringe.
35. Feathered Blonde Layered Hairstyle for Women
A technique of layering hair that gives very soft, subtle layers, is called feathered cut and you can observe how the hair looks “feather-like” towards the ends of the hair.
36. Warm Balayage for Soft Layered Long Cut with Straight Bangs
A modern hippie look, this soft layered long haircut with slightly side-swept straight bangs is brought today by the warm caramel balayage technique used to enhance the caramel color.
III. Famous Women Hairstyles and Hairdos
37. Knotted Bun Hairstyle for Women
An intricate hairstyle, with an interesting design, doesn’t require more than a pair of skilled hands and some styling products to create three small knots out of your mane. Just pull all the hair backward and tease the crown a little to give extra volume on the vertical.
38. Messy Milkmaid Braids Hairstyle
Of all women’s haircuts and hairstyles, milkmaid braids are one of the most popular types of braids out there. A combination between classic milkmaid braids and crown braids, these messy milkmaid braids are very elegant and sophisticated, unlike the traditional ones. For more braiding ideas, check out our Braided Hairstyles for Long Hair!
39. Faux Fringed Top Bun Style
This is a very casual, super easy hairstyle, perfect for summer and it sports a top voluminous bun and a Faux Fringe to cover the forehead. Simply gather your hair in a bun and pull the ends over the crown to create the faux fringe.
40. Half Up Half Down Braided Hairstyle
To look both sophisticated and relaxed, opt for half-up half-down hairstyles, a generic term for those hairdos that have both free-falling hairs and a top coiffure, in this case, a tall braided circular crown to give extra height to the hair.
41. Bantu Knots Hairstyle
The “Bantu knots” are not actual knots, but small coiled buns fixated against the side of the scalp to give the impression of knots. They are of African origins and they were traditionally worn by ethnic groups.
42. Faux Locks for Afro-American Women
Either twisted or braided, any hair extensions applied on hair to create dreadlocks are called Faux Locks. In this case, the front locks were added to hair cuffs and beads as decoration.
43. Jumbo Braids Hairstyle
Slightly thicker than usual box braids that became very popular in the 90’s era, especially among women of color, these Jumbo braids will add length and shape to your locks for a lasting while.
44. Purple Spacebuns Hairstyle With Bangs
The most famous person that first rocked this hairstyle, except for the Sailor Moon cartoon character, was Princess Leia in the Star Wars franchise. In the photo below, we see a modern updo with a beautiful purple color added on brunette hair that was gathered in two separate, messy buns on the sides of the head, while the bangs are combed neatly, and two strands of hair frame the face.
45. Faux Locks Sidebuns
If you are tired of your extra-long braided locks you can pull them in side buns to create this maximizing look with no effort! Simply coil them in side buns and let two strands fall freely to create this look.
46. Triangle Braids Hairstyle
When the base for installing the braids is shaped differently from a square box, the name of the braiding technique will usually mention that. In this case, the triangle base creates an interesting look.
47. Summer Knot Style
A very sleek and smooth updo for long hair with a messy knot for contrast makes for the perfect summer hairstyle! In this case, the front part was pulled back using a brush and fixated into a tight base knot that creates a glamorous look.
48. Classic Long Cornrows
Cornrows borrow their name from the agricultural domain and they are braids that were attached to the scalp, not suspended, such as box braids.
49. Braids Ponytail Hairstyle
These feed-in braids, with shell-shaped hair beads, are even cooler when pulled in a high ponytail that will leave the braiding pattern visible on all heads.
50. Single Braid Hairstyle
A classic, ever-green look, this single braid is your typical ponytail with a twist. The hair is braided or twisted at all its length to give this shiny and textured appearance.
51. Messy Prom Updo Style
Prom Updos or Bridal Updos make a great part of women’s hairstyles. Every woman wants to look precious on special occasions and this pulled-trough, intricate prom hairstyle for long hair is the perfect way to accomplish that!
52. Soft Blonde Face Framing Highlights For Wavy Hair
These super subtle face-framing baby lights are the hottest trend in balayage hairstyles for women this year and you are selfie-ready with just a couple of curls in the front.
53. Classic ’80s Style Blowout For Blonde Hair
If you are a proud blonde and you want to show stunning and feminine at the same time, a bit of retro styling will help you achieve that impressive volume of a perfect blow-dry.
54. Half-up Half Down Asian Style Ponytail For Long Dark Hair
With or without the geisha-inspired makeup, you can easily replicate this classic women’s hairstyle by adding a transparent thin elastic band at the base of your crown and leaving the rest of your mane free-falling. Use a shine-serum to arrange the top strands.
55. Two-colored Destructured Balayage With Undone Waves
Warm undertones of blonde and brown can create a cool visual effect and you will only need a salt-based hair spray to bring shape to your bangs and side strands.
56. Long Curly Hairstyle With Traditional Headband
Floral ornaments are the traditional way of accessorizing special occasions hairstyles and you can always invest in one if you love keeping your locks healthy and good-looking with minimal styling.
Conclusion About Haircuts for Women
There are many timeless, famous women’s haircuts out there, no matter the hair length. Some are classics, and standard options, while others are variations of original haircuts. Either way, they all look cool and they deserve a try!