Sophia Brigstock is a freelance copywriter and blogger from the San Francisco Bay Area. She is passionate about all that encompasses women’s beauty, from hair to fashion to makeup. Her perspective on life is to enjoy life’s minute moments; that everything in life can be overcome with a positive outlook and quiet strength.
Read full bio Editorial guidelinesAndrogynous haircuts are gender-neutral styles that effectively combine masculine strength and feminine allure. Pioneered by celebrities like Miley Cyrus, these ‘dos are growing in popularity these days, attracting many who want to make a fashion statement and proclaim gender fluidity.
So, if you seek to break gender norms and expectations while trying something new in your daily routine, here are the top 20 androgynous haircuts for women to choose from.
This pixie cut is simple and bold, ideal for women with straight hair. A gentle gradient fade adds flair without compromising the simplicity of the style. With low-maintenance styling, this is a solution to cut down the time in front of the mirror.
Try a longer length at the crown with a layered fringe to introduce more texture to your hair. To texturize, warm up a light-hold wax between the hands and gently shake out the hair through the fingers. Shaving a few horizontal lines in front of the ear is a common trend that modernizes the look.
Concentrating the length of the hair towards the fringe helps to disguise a bigger forehead. Additionally, highlighting the bangs helps draw attention away from unwanted areas. Those with smaller foreheads can still choose to have longer fringes, as they can style the hair sideswept or pushed back.
This long, unisex haircut leans more on the girly side with an allover, uniform length. If you’ve already taken the plunge and buzzed the sides, massage castor oil in those areas to eventually maintain a similar length on your whole head.
Short haircuts have many variations of layering and contrasting lengths throughout the head, leading to a multitude of choices for many different looks. Adding a subtle undercut can truly help make a statement with your new hairstyle.
If you need to add more texture to your locks, try a layered haircut, with longer tendrils at the front and shorter strands at the sides and the back of the head. Remember to use the right styling products to enhance the transition between the lengths.
A gender-neutral haircut for thin hair must be textured and layered properly to maximize volume. As fine hair tends to fall flat, blow-drying with a round brush to one side forms the illusion of more height.
This picture is a perfect example of an androgynous cut for thick hair. It is styled upright, as denser hair tends to stand up at a shorter length. A side part may not work for this texture and cut due to the bulkiness.
The quiff originated in the 1950s, popularized by the celebrities like Elvis and James Dean. This inherently masculine hairstyle was adopted by many women in the 1970s, and even more today. Using an alcohol-based hairspray rather than gel or pomade can allow for more height, as the others have the potential to weigh tresses down.
A mini mohawk is more understated and wearable than its dramatic punk brother. Bleaching to an icy blonde or adding colors like neons or pastels provides a gothic edge. Shaved cuts, as pictured, give more focus to the features of the face.
Retro hipsters can serve as a great inspiration for your hairstyle too. Often paired with sixties-inspired glasses and an oversized denim jacket, this style embraces polished ruggedness. Depending on your mood, you can add stud earrings and your favorite light pink lipgloss to your look.
A trendy technique employed by barbers is the “hard part,” in which a very thin line is carved into the side of the head where the part is desired. This makes for more definition and interest; however, it can be limiting as you can only style your hair to one side.
British actress Audrey Hepburn pioneered the crop cut in the 1950s. This iconic haircut can easily be paired with the tomboy look, or bold lashes, red lips, and winged eyeliner. You choose.
Coppery brown highlights on a masculine cut bring balance. Care for your color by shampooing and conditioning with sulfate-free products and minimizing heat exposure. Haircuts for round faces, such as this one, need to be cut wider to offset wide cheeks.
A textured pixie can be elevated by a bold color choice like this silvery, cool-toned blonde. Although this haircut is low maintenance, a platinum color is not and must be consistently maintained with a purple shampoo.
It may be harder to accomplish an androgynous look for long hair. To bring a more gender-fluid feel, a buzzed side, mullet-styled hair, or extended mohawk can suffice.
Non-gender-specific haircuts aren’t exempt from the effort needed to achieve healthy, shiny hair. Use the short cut to your advantage — chopped styles are healthier since split ends are removed with a trim at four- to six-week intervals. Shorter styles also tend to require less heat and, therefore, suffer less damage.
You can request a traditional men’s cut at a trusted barber to embrace an androgynous style. To bring your look towards either end of the gender spectrum, change up your clothes or makeup.
Curls and waves are a sought-after hairstyle, even in gender-neutral haircuts. For straight hair, use a wand that’s between one-half and one inch long, and wrap hair towards the crown. Then, finish hair with a light pomade or wax. Avoid water-based styling products that can potentially flatten curls.
Fifties greasers made the slicked back hairstyle fashionable. Many have adopted this look. To achieve a sleek and wet texture, drench the hair, comb to the desired part, and set in place with a gel.
Androgynous haircuts are suited to almost everyone, male or female. Requesting an appointment with a barber or a short-cut specialist guarantees the best result. To get your preferred style, go to the salon with a picture to show the artist. With consistent hair care like regular trims, professional products, and expert guidance, your androgynous style will be timeless.
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