Since the days of Jane Fonda in Barbarella and Brigitte Bardot in, well, everything she did, long and wavy hair has been the go-to style for anyone seeking feminine sex appeal.
Long waves have been an institution and a must-have for anyone who wants to look womanly — especially in recent years, thanks in large part to a certain reality TV family, whose members have a lock on old-school, über-feminine glam.
But this year, a sea change occurred when star after star cropped her hair. Jennifer Lawrence, Shailene Woodley, Emma Stone and more went for daring, tough and sexy short haircuts. Suddenly, long waves seem like a relic from the mid-2000s when Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan first made them compulsory.
We were reminded this year that you don’t need an over-the-top-girly hairstyle to cement your status as a heartthrob and a fashion plate. Reminiscent of short-haired sexpots of yore such as Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, ’80s Madonna and even Diana, Princess of Wales, today’s must-have haircuts show off your facial features and your personal style better than a look-at-me mane ever will.
In fact, the textured bobs and sleek pixies of Kristen Stewart, Jennifer Lawrence and Jourdan Dunn make long hair look downright dowdy. Compare photos of these stars side by side, long vs. short, and their long-haired selves sometimes look immature and self-conscious.
Long hair will always be a staple for some women — look to full-haired ladies like Cara Delevingne and Blake Lively for proof — but there’s something to be said for knowing yourself and your style well enough to stop hiding behind sheets of hair. Many women cling to long hair as an indicator of youth. It takes confidence to lop it off — and of course, we all know nothing is sexier than self-assuredness. Not to mention, there’s no better way to make your eyes and cheekbones pop than by cropping six inches or so.
The in-your-face, obvious sex appeal of a long and wavy weave suddenly seems passé. Even Victoria’s Secret appears to agree; they actually allowed model Jourdan Dunn to walk their show this year with her sassy blonde bob, while the other models sported their usual spaghetti-like extensions.
Even Beyoncé, who has practically turned her long, honey-colored hair into a stage prop, couldn’t resist the call of the textured bob this year. Scarlett Johansson, a fellow international sex symbol and new mom, also ditched her Playboy-centerfold-ready long waves for a boyish variation of the bowl cut.
Judging by how confident, beautiful and sophisticated all of these women look with their short hair, this Kardashian-proof trend will only get bigger in 2015. Get your styling waxes and pomades ready.
