40 Lovely Pixie Haircuts That Prove Shorter Can Indeed Be Better

We've all been there; you're wrestling with your hair, or you see someone with a cute and stylish short hairstyle, and suddenly you're inspired. Should you go for the big chop? Cutting your hair can be a big decision, especially if you're thinking of a style as short as a pixie cut. But it can also be an exciting change that's easier to style and gets rid of old, damaged hair for a fresh start. 

Whether you've already decided to get your hair cut or are still weighing your options, there are lots of styles to consider. Just because your hair is short doesn't mean you can't find unique ways to style it and express yourself. Pixie cuts can be cute and spunky, elegant and chic, or anywhere in between. We've found 40 of our absolute favorite short haircuts that show just how trendy and varied pixie cuts can be.

An easy way to add some interest to a classic pixie is with an asymmetric cut. Leaving one side longer gives you the drama of side bangs with the convenience of a short cut. This slightly longer, tousled pixie with layers is also perfect for anyone with a natural wave or curl to their hair.

This is another slightly longer pixie that gives you a little more hair to frame your face while keeping the back cropped. The extreme side part adds some drama, and the shorter layers on the top provide volume, which is especially great if you have fine hair.

If you're hesitant to commit to a super short cut, you can always do this longer pixie. As the name suggests, the pixie bob is somewhere between a pixie cut and a classic bob. You get a cute and sassy short style, but without quite as dramatic of a chop as a traditional pixie.

Actress Carey Mulligan is known for rocking a variety of chic and cute short hairstyles. At the 2010 Met Gala, she rocked a pixie with most of her hair brushed forward for heavy, straight-across bangs (via PopSugar). It's a bolder style that looks wonderful with Mulligan's oval face shape and delicate features.

This is the perfect low-maintenance haircut. The shaved sides keep the hair off your neck and require no styling, while leaving longer layers on top gives it a cute, messy look. It's ideal if you have a natural wave, but if not, you can just use a little product to get that bedhead look.

As reported by PopSugar, Emma Watson had her hair in this sleek style at the "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" premiere in New York City in 2011. Her short hair was parted neatly to the side and slicked back for a chic and sophisticated look that's easy to copy.

You don't have to lose your curls when you go for a short haircut. This adorable pixie with a long top and shorter sides is the perfect style for curly or wavy hair. The shorter style also takes the weight off your curls and allows them to be more bouncy and voluminous.

If you want a stylish haircut that you don't have to spend a lot of time styling, this is the look for you. The super short, cropped pixie is about as low-maintenance as it gets but still looks fun and edgy with a slightly spiked top.

This is another short, manageable haircut that looks effortless and chic. The soft layers add beautiful texture to the basic cut and are perfect for bringing out the natural wave or curl in your hair.

This is a fun and edgy take on the classic pixie cut. The short hair is chopped into light, feathery layers that are easy to style into a slight faux hawk. It's a great option if you have fine hair that you want to give some texture and volume.

This tousled, messy look from Jennifer Lawrence, which she showed off at the 2013 "Hunger Games: Catching Fire" premiere (via The Hollywood Reporter), is the perfect "woke up like this" hairstyle. The shaggy layers make it look windswept and relaxed. Meanwhile, the heavy side bangs give it a unique look and gives you more hair to play with when it comes to different styling techniques. 

This haircut is such a fun take on the pixie cut. The shaved sides keep the hair off your neck, which is perfect for the summer. Then you have lots of longer layers on top to curl, gel, and style into a high pompadour (via Byrdie).

This is a slightly longer version of a traditional cropped pixie. You get the same effortless style but with a little more hair to play with and some choppy bangs. The short, layered cut is very versatile and can work on straight or wavy hair.

Whether your hair is straight, wavy, or curly, there's a pixie cut that will look amazing, and we love this style for hair with tight curls! The short and simple cut looks adorable and is the perfect way to show off your natural ringlets.

This is an easy and stylish look for anyone who has a natural wave or slight curl to their hair. Keeping it short at the bottom makes it manageable and gives it a neat, academic look. The longer, soft layers at the top encourage the natural wave of the hair for extra volume.

This haircut gives you the best of both worlds. You get the heavy bangs and layers on top as well as the edgy undercut on the sides. If you have thick hair, it's a great way to cut down on volume while keeping some length. Plus, it looks incredible with vibrant, dyed hair!

A short pixie cut like this is an excellent choice for anyone looking for a low-maintenance style. The short, choppy layers give it a "bedhead" look, so you can really just run your fingers through your hair and be out the door. The natural-looking highlights also add color and dimension to the basic cut.

If you are looking for an edgier style, then this mullet pixie cut is the way to go. The long in the back and short in the front style is inspired by the popular '70s mullet haircut. But the messier, choppier layers on top give it a modern feel.

Let's be honest, Rihanna could probably make any hairstyle look good, but the pixie cut she debuted in the late 2000s was an especially cute look (via Harper's Bazaar). It's cut nice and short at the back with dramatic side-swept bangs at the front to give her a beautiful and mysterious look.

This is another pixie cut that's great if you have thick hair. The longer layers give it a similar shape to a classic bob, but the undercut at the nape of the neck keeps it fairly short and takes away extra volume so that it's not too big.

Finger waves are a style of soft curls that became wildly popular during the 1920s. Adding the elegant waves to a simple pixie cut is a great way to get a sophisticated, vintage look. While you probably won't want to style finger waves every day, it's perfect for dressing up a short haircut for a special occasion.

Short, soft, feathered layers are the perfect way to add a little extra texture to a traditional pixie cut. Kaley Cuoco, who's had a stunning transformation, is another celebrity who's worn her hair at many lengths. She looked beautiful with this short, spunky style messily parted to the side with some side-swept bangs.

One of the difficult things about cutting your hair is trying to grow it back out again. Especially if you go for a super short cut, you might be worried about an awkward growing-out phase. However, this cute asymmetrical look is the perfect cut for when your pixie first starts growing back out.

The short, cropped pixie looks just as amazing with curly hair. This haircut is just long enough for the tight curls to show but super easy to maintain with cropped sides and a higher top.

If you aren't scared off just by the name "bowl cut," then this is a look to consider. It's a fun, avant-garde take on the awkward haircut we all remember. The blunt cut, shaved sides, and silver color easily take the bowl cut from frumpy to fashion-forward.

This messy cut gives you lots of layers and bangs while keeping the hair light. To get this look, the hair has to be cut with a razor along with regular scissors. Using a razor on the hair ends eliminates some of the bulk you'd have with a blunt cut for easier, lighter layers.

Lupita Nyong'o looked stunning in this short hairstyle that she wore to the "Non-Stop" premiere (via Page Six). The sides are cut close to her head, but the top is left longer, and she takes advantage of her natural hair to give it a unique and stylish angled shape.

This simple cut with feathered layers is one of the most classic pixie cuts you can get. It's a no-fuss cut, and the short bangs give it a little more interest without adding heavy bangs that you'd have to style every morning.

This cut is great for straight, thick hair. The long layers on top add beautiful volume even if your hair tends to go flat. Meanwhile, the shorter sides take out some of the bulk so you can keep the top length without it looking too thick.

This pixie cut gives you a nice amount of length to frame the face but keeps it short in the back. The razored layers at the top of the head provide some extra volume even where it's short, which is great for thin or straight hair.

This short pixie is excellent if you have thin or fine hair. It's styled with lots of layers, which add extra texture and dimension to the short cut. Instead of cropping the sides, the hair is left at a similar short length all over the head, which gives the appearance of more volume.

This is another option with short layers in the back and long in the front. The heavy side-swept bangs make a big statement brushed over her eyes. However, it is a pretty versatile cut that you can style more like a bob if you don't want as messy of a look.

This haircut looks fantastic if you have thick, wavy hair. As usual, it's cut shorter on the sides, but the close cut is less extreme than an undercut. Then there is just enough length on top to show off the beautiful texture of the wavy hair.

An undercut at the temple is another way to cut down on bulk if you have a lot of hair. You can leave the longer hair covering the undercut or tuck the front layers behind your ear, like in this picture, to show the shaved corner off.

This elegant pixie looks wonderful with straight hair. The subtle layers, dramatic side part, and bangs add volume to the sleek and sophisticated look. If you prefer a more polished style, soft layers like these are a good alternative to choppy pixie cuts.

This is a spunky, shorter version of the asymmetric cut. For the most part, it's as short as a classic pixie but with the addition of angled bangs on one side. The small, choppy layers are a great way to give some lift, even to pin-straight hair.

If you're going for the effortlessly cool, just-rolled-out-of-bed look, give this cut a try. With an inch or two of length all over, this pixie is easy to muss up into a spiky, messy style. Along with the choppy layers, you also get longer, razored bangs that are just adorable.

For a no-nonsense short style that looks cute and professional, this is the way to go. Soft layers help the hair to lay right, but there are no choppy layers or heavy bangs. Just a simple short cut with neat lines that's easy to style.

No, you don't actually have to grow sideburns for this cut. It's a fairly basic pixie with bangs and razored layers, but it has the addition of longer hair just in front of your ears, or "sideburns." They add a fun element to the cut without any extra hair in front of your face or eyes.

This longer pixie cut is great for a cute professional look. It's also a great option if you're working on growing out a shorter style and need an in-between haircut.