3 Major Short Haircuts For Autumn, According To A Celebrity Stylist

Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron and Saoirse Ronan are just a handful of celebrities who have tapped hairstylist and Virtue's creative director, Adir Abergel, as the man to take their hair short. While the calligraphy cut, long bob and the shag reigned supreme over summer, autumn calls for more drastic, cropped hairstyles: think ‘90s boyband cuts and old-school bowl-styles with a little edge. Ahead, Adir reveals the coolest, under-the-radar short haircuts that are going to take Instagram by storm in the upcoming months.

"I’m seeing a big resurgence in ‘90s boy cuts," said Adir, who pulls references from early Leonardo DiCaprio and River Phoenix for his clients. "It's beautifully blunt and unlayered. Instead of thinking of it as a bob, you’re bringing it up a little, so that the hair stops at the temple or the cheekbone. The back is cut close to the head so that it almost feels like an undercut, but you still have that length, and it has a feminine edge thanks to the longer pieces which fall around the neck."

The vibe? "A young French boy who has grown out his hair and parted it in the middle." While the style looks softer on blonde, sun-kissed hair, Adir mentions it looks just as good on brunettes. "I can see Rooney Mara with this cut. It’s beautiful, severe and a little harder when your hair colour is black or brown."

It's not for the fainthearted, though, as Adir advises making it choppy. "Your hairstylist is likely to chop into your hair in a vertical way to take weight off the ends so that it collapses a little bit more." Leave the edges around the back longer, wispier and softer, and make sideburns a feature by cutting them in so that they frame the jawline and are easily tucked behind your ear.

In terms of maintenance, this one is simple. "Whatever you do, don’t undercut it," says Adir. "Simple allow the floppy parted fringe to grow out. That way, it becomes Louise Brooks-esque and it goes from French boy to 1920s flapper."

"I'm all about bringing back very simple bowl cuts that feel a bit more edgy and modern," said Adir. Instead of sleek and stuck to the head, the texture this time is much more natural, making it less maintenance.

"In terms of product, I'd suggest mixing a mousse with a hair cream, braiding the hair and simply allowing it to air dry before shaking them out. It feels more broken up and deconstructed." What distinguishes it from a traditional bowl cut (and the key to getting it right) is making sure that the cut isn’t the exact same length all the way around. "Make sure there are longer pieces left in between, so that it’s freer. You can even use a salt spray to achieve the dishevelled look."

Contrary to what you might think, Adir assures us that those with curlier, wavier, textured hair types can really pull this off. "Just remember to cut your hair a lot longer because of how much it’s going to shrink," he said. "If you get it cut to your cheekbone, it’ll jump up to your forehead, so if you have curly hair, always insist on a pre-cut when it’s dry and keep it longer than you think."

"This is about going in and taking a lot of weight out," said Adir. "It makes the hair 'collapse' and gives it different lengths, so that it feels deconstructed in a way." Unlike the others, this cut is pretty high maintenance and it could be quite difficult to grow out, so remember that if you decide to commit.

Who's it best for? Mainly those with fine or medium hair, mentions Adir. "If you have very thick or curly hair, you might not want to do this because it will make your hair look very thick, very quickly. If your hair has a great wave to it, this is a good technique. It is more of a risk and a little more daring as your stylist will literally chop chunks straight out of your hair, but that’s what makes it cool."

This differs from the traditional pixie crop because the haphazard cutting technique makes it feel a little more 'street' says Adir. "It should almost look as though you’ve cut it yourself. It’s not meant to be perfect or done at all. Ultimately, it's about how you carry yourself."