41 short hairstyles for thick hair if you're considering the chop

Considering going for the chop? We love the energy. But your hair texture is a big part of the equation, too. Short hairstyles for thick hair can look phenomenal. With the length hiked up so it frames your face, thick hair gets the spotlight it deserves – especially if you're making a feature out of those full, chunky ends.

But, as much as thick hair can give enviable volume, it can require a little pruning to avoid things looking boxy or heavy, so we asked top hairstylists for their insider advice.

Here's what you need to know…

What short hairstyles work best for thick hair and why?

According to lead stylist and educator, Mary Adekoya, at Papachichi Style, a good place to start is by considering your face-framing sections.

“I'd recommend face-framing layers, 100%,” says Mary. “They're unique to every individual and allow for every hairstyle to be framed to their face shape, complementing their facial structure,” she adds.

Internal layers are also a good idea to help remove excess weight. You can dial it up or down so that the layers appear almost invisible if you prefer more of a blunt finish.

Thick hair also means that you can afford to go choppy, since you have the density for a very layered look to still feel full. “Layers will create body and volume and movement through the hair,” Mary notes.

As for actual styles? It's worth considering the below…

If you're torn between the slightly longer length of a bob and the drama of a pixie, Mary has a suggestion. “Bixies are perfect for thick hair. They're a cross between a bob and a pixie,” she explains, and “they work very well for thick hair while allowing for manageable daily styling.”

The style sees extra weight lopped away so it can be great for celebrating thick hair.

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If you want to go all the way, a pixie cut is stunning. “The pixie is such a versatile haircut and can be tailored to suit all hair types,” explains pro London hair stylist, Hollie Rose Clarke.

In particular, it looks phenomenal on thick hair. Hollie cites Halle Berry's noughties crop as a key reference. We've seen it worn choppy, mussy and spiky, or sleek and soft, so there's plenty of versatility within the cut.

If you want to cut long hair shorter but still maintain some length, Hollie suggests splitting the difference with a midi. “With the rise of the ‘90s blow dry and ’90s layered voluminous haircuts, big hair is back and that’s great news for those of you that are blessed with thick hair," she says. "Inspo-wise, look to Cindy Crawford circa 1990. She is an ultimate example of bigger is better hair. A midi length layered cut is gorgeous worn in a dramatic side part and flicked from the side during the day,” says Hollie.

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The baby bob is named after the iconic bob worn by Jennifer Grey – Baby in the film Dirty Dancing. "The cut is a tribute to effortless, natural texture,” says Jaiden Ogden at The Hair Bros salon, who coined the trend. "It works beautifully on a wide range of curly hair types, from 2B through to 3C.”

Recognising that thick, curly hair can often take on a triangle shape when cut into a chin-grazing style, Jaiden recommends minimal layering throughout. “Opt for a strong, full baseline to keeps the ends looking thick and healthy and only remove a bit of weight from the front corners to create a soft face frame."

And, as we mentioned before, you can afford to go choppy with your styles. Hollie also recommends a more layered take on the midi. “Think Rachel Green from Friends, which is essentially a midi length cut with lots of face framing and layers to remove weight and add texture and shape. A modern take on this is the Kitty Cut – a layered lob," says Hollie.

She cites Zendaya as "the reigning queen of the layered bob – hers is the perfect mix of Old Hollywood glamour and '90s supermodel chic. A layered lob or bob can be tailored to suit any thickness or texture,” Hollie adds.

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One style that has been leading short trends recently is the crob. It's similar to a bixie in that it lands somewhere between a bob and a shorter cut, but it's less spiky and more softly layered.

“Think: cropped hair that's not as short as a pixie but shorter than a bob, like Natalie Imbruglia's ‘90s hair,” says celebrity hairstylist and ColorWow international creative director, Dom Seeley. “Or textured, shorter bobs with wispier lengths and movement throughout,” he adds. The '90s have given us plenty of midi and long inspo lately, “but we’re going to see more of this ‘90s crop come forward for the shorter hair girls that don’t want to brave a pixie just yet,” Dom predicts.

“I've been loving seeing more and more curly and coily clients be braver with cutting their hair.” agrees pro hair stylist and Aveda educator, Leah Hill. “I’m doing more and more short cuts lately,” she adds.

We couldn't round-out the best short hairstyles for thick hair without mentioning the classic bob. The style works across a range of textures, but a full, swishy, chunky bob on thick hair looks incredible. A blunt finish will help to show off that thick texture, but to swerve any boxiness, ask your hair stylist to remove weight from the underneath or with some internal layers.

Here's some more of our favourite short hairstyles for thick hair…

For more from GLAMOUR's Senior Beauty Editor, Elle Turner, follow her on Instagram @elleturneruk

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