As Isabel Lucas Sports A Pixie Crop, Here’s Our Definitive Guide To Getting The Chop

Everyone’s doing it. Going short, that is. Now Isabel Lucas has joined the pixie crop crew, showcasing her new hair-do at the 2013 CFDA event in LA on Wednesday. Doesn't she look adorable? The Australian starlet has long caused admiring gaspsthroughout Grazia HQ thanks to her sartorial blend of Nicole Richie’s bohoness with Brigitte Bardot’s pouty prettiness topped off with very cool power brows. So now that she's got cropped, can we expect to see her style adapting to suit the gamine look? We saw Anne Hathaway go more macho with her boyish 'do while Miley Cyrus admitted that it made her feel edgier, but for Isabel, we can only see her style getting more feminine. But what about you? If you're considering getting the chop, we've picked the most talked-about, tweeted and Instagrammed above-the-shoulder ’dos for this definitive guide to losing the length...*

YOUR PROBLEM IS: You want to make the most of wavy hair and minimal styling

Copy: the crowning glory of the gorgeous Charlotte Casiraghi (below), granddaughter of Grace Kelly. ‘It’s important not to let your hair type dictate what cut you have,’ says Luke. ‘Thick, wavy hair can really give a short bob or shoulder-length crop a different feel.’ Luke explains that when it comes to this hair texture, shorter techniques, such as scrunch-drying with mousse, can give a more modern look than a classic blowdry. ‘Plus, they’re so much faster and easier to do,’ he adds.

YOUR PROBLEM IS: You want to add colour

Go for: the pixie-pop crop. When Beyoncé tweeted a picture of her newly cropped hair, it was the striking blonde colour, not the cut, that we were fixated on. After much deliberation, we came to the conclusion that making two bold changes at the same time makes it easier to pull off such a dramatic shift in hairstyle. A cut this short can also take the strongest of colours – think platinum blonde, blue-black or even flame red.

YOUR PROBLEM IS: You’re in need of a little edge

Try: the clavi cut. Sitting bang on the clavical bones, this is the perfect shortish style for those wanting to freshen up their ends or make the first gentle steps towards losing a little length. We’ve spotted many a model sporting this easy-to-wear, easy-to-care-for ’do. ‘Models need cuts that allow us to create everything from straight, sleek styles to the grungiest of ponytails,’ explains hairstylist Luke Hersheson. Keep layers long and to a minimum with a couple of shorter, soft ones around the jaw to frame your face.

YOUR SHORT CUT PRODUCT ESSENTIALS

YOUR PROBLEM IS: You struggle to style layers

Do: the kick bob. Cleverly cut to flick out at the ends, this crop is perfect for anyone who spends their life battling with wayward layers that just won’t do as they are told. ‘There’s no point having a hairdo that doesn’t work for you without serious styling,’ explains hairstylist Sam McKnight. ‘If you don’t want to commit to styling your new short locks every day, you need to work with your hairdresser to find a style and length that will look good when it’s left to dry naturally.’ Voila. Tuck behind your ears for a more streamlined shape.

YOUR PROBLEM IS: You want to go short-short

Ask for: the ‘Karlie’ (as in supermodel Karlie Kloss, below right). Cute and fresh as a button, this cut will change the way you feel, as well as the way you look. ‘A cut like this gives you an instant look,’ says Luke. ‘By its very nature, short is much more graphic than long hair. You have a shape to work with, for one thing.’ A full, preppy fringe will bring a little lift, too, so it’s perfect for those who struggle with flat hair.

YOUR PROBLEM IS: You want a more feminine version

Do: the grown-out grunge cut, as seen on an ethereal Michelle Williams in Louis Vuitton’s autumn/winter 2013 campaign (below). Sam McKnight grunged up Michelle’s usually girlie crop by giving it a different silhouette. ‘I left Michelle’s hair much longer in front and kind of chopped it a little so that it wasn’t too perfect. It looks very easy, light and touchable, but with a defined texture,’ he explains. ‘I think it best suits a smaller face shape.’

YOUR PROBLEM IS: You want to keep your fringe

Go for: Lindsey Wixon’s modern mullet (below). Love it or hate it, there’s no denying the mullet is having a moment. Marc Jacobs and hairstylist Guido are the men to blame for the mullet’s current climb to the forefront of fashion, but supermodel Lindsey is the woman showing us how to wear it in the real world. Her softly razored, side-sweeping fringe and feathered, shoulder-length ends allow the style to look as casual and cool without styling as it does rocky and rebellious when styled to the max.

See the stars who've gone short in the gallery below >>