Iconic Short Hairstyles
From Twiggy's mod bob to Mia's iconic crop, we chart the most talked-about and copied short hairstyles of all time.
Rex FeaturesWho? Anne Hathaway, 2012
The Look: Ultra-sleek and feminine pixie crop
What makes it iconic? Anne cut her hair off for her role in upcoming screen adaptation of Les Misérables, and while we couldn’t imagine this super-short style suiting the brunette beauty, the close crop brought out her gorgeous big brown eyes and strong pout. As soon as Anne hit the promo trail for The Dark Knight Rises, this style went from boyish to big time. We love it.
Rex FeaturesWho? Twiggy, 1965
The Look: Severely side-swept blonde bob
What makes it iconic? The pin-up of 60s mod fashion, Twiggy’s look was all about sleek, short hair and big, bold lashes.
Getty ImagesWho? Linda Evangelista, 1991
The Look: Asymmetric fringe, super-short bob
What makes it iconic? Proving that if you’ve got the looks, and the confidence, even a wonky fringe can look good: this hot red hairstyle pushed the boundaries.
Rex FeaturesWho? Alexa Chung, 2010
The Look: Ombre choppy bob
What makes it iconic? Soft, centre-parted fringe and messy, ombre choppy layers: this is one seriously cool bob.
PA PhotosWho? Agyness Deyn, 2007
The Look: Short back and sides
What makes it iconic? When Brit model Agyness Deyn stormed onto the fashion scene, she didn’t fit the mould. So she made her own...
Rex FeaturesWho? Audrey Hepburn, 1950s
The Look: A swept-back short crop with a soft fringe
What makes it iconic? Much-copied but never bettered, Audrey’s crop stood the test of time.
Rex FeaturesWho? Carey Mulligan, 2010
The Look: Neat and tidy pixie crop
What makes it iconic? Perfect for a delicate beauty like Carey, this sleek and chic pixie crop is ultra-feminine.
Rex FeaturesWho? Chloe Sevigny, 1996
The Look: Bowl-cut
What makes it iconic? The bowl-cut had never looked so good. And so easy to try at home (yet so hard to get right)...
PA PhotosWho? Erin O’Connor, 2011
The Look: Super-sharp fringe and ear-length bob, this cut is all about symmetry and architectural style.
What makes it iconic? The sharp lines of this cut make it achingly-fashionable, and instantly recognisable.
Rex FeaturesWho? Emma Watson, 2010
The Look: Side-slicked crop
What makes it iconic? Emma Watson’s super-short cropped spelled the end of an era: namely, Harry Potter. But the end of an era brought about a new beginning: of Emma’s reign as a beauty icon.
Rex FeaturesWho? Kate Moss, 1991
The Look: A long, tapered pixie crop
What makes it iconic? As if we need to convince you that anything Kate’s ever done is iconic, this particular crop was perfect for highlighting the supermodel’s elfin beauty.
Rex FeaturesWho? Louise Brooks, 1920s
The Look: Severe short bob cut with a sharp full fringe
What makes it iconic? Silent film star Louise Brooks epitomised the flapper era with her new-age bob haircut. And it’s still being recreated today.
Rex FeaturesWho? Madonna, 1987
The Look: More-is-more voluminous curls
What makes it iconic? It hasn’t stood the test of time as a wearable look, but this voluminous style was hot in the 80s. And Dolly Parton is still rocking it...
Rex FeaturesWho? Mia Farrow, 1967
The Look: A super-short pixie crop with minimal styling
What makes it iconic? When Vidal Sassoon cut Mia Farrow’s hair into this cropped style in his Bond Street salon for her role in Rosemary’s Baby, it was history in the making. The look became Mia’s signature style, showing off her wide, hypnotising eyes and perfect bone-structure.
Rex FeaturesWho? Marilyn Monroe, 1952
The Look: Unapologetic Hollywood glamour
What makes it iconic? Everything.
Getty ImagesWho? Mary Quant, 1964
The Look: Eye-skimming fringe and graduated crop
What makes it iconic? British fashion designer Mary Quant was one of the first to champion Vidal Sassoon’s architectural cuts that saw the beginning of the end of hair setting and hours in curlers.
Rex FeaturesWho? Michelle Williams, 2012
The Look: Soft, undone pixie-crop in biscuit-blonde
What makes it iconic? No modern-era beauty pulls off a cropped style quite like Michelle. Showing how a severe crop can look soft and simple, she leaves styling to a minimum, à la Mia Farrow.
Rex FeaturesWho? Natalie Portman, 2005
The Look: Barely-there shaved crop
What makes it iconic? Has anyone ever looked this good with so little hair? Thought not...
Rex FeaturesWho? Natalie Portman, 2006
The Look: Side-parted pixie crop
What makes it iconic? Forget awkward growing-back stages, Natalie just set a hair trend at every length: including this much-copied side-parted pixie.
Rex FeaturesWho? Princess Diana, 1983
The Look: Unashamedly-voluminous blow-dry
What makes it iconic? It was the 80s! Hair was all about volume, and this style set the standard, quite literally, high.
Rex FeaturesWho? Paula Yates, 1983
The Look: Flyaway platinum-blonde crop
What makes it iconic? Paula found fame in the 80s onscreen and off it for her whirlwind lifestyle. Her signature hairstyle was as spontaneous and fun as she was: and it remains one of the most iconic styles of all time.
Rex FeaturesWho? Victoria Beckham, 2009
The Look: Short and choppy pixie
What makes it iconic? The sheer number of copycat styles.
