Is a Pixie Cut Right for Your Face Shape? Find Out Here

The pixie cut encompasses a range of haircuts that can go as short as you can get before a "buzzcut." The style has been popularlized in media and Hollywood for years, from Jean Seberg in the 50s to Cara Delevingne in the 2010s. The pixie is also versatile, working as a catch-all term for choppy, cropped, layered hair that stops above the jaw. The pixie haircut is a true classic, and it can feel great — not to mention lighter — to take that plunge. These styles can also be incredibly low-maintenance.

Many celebrities have rocked pixies over the years. These classic, go-to styles have long been popular for actresses who want to make a striking change in their image. A great modern-day example is Jennifer Lawrence, who, in the shadow of her waist-length braid in The Hunger Games, decided to lop it all off. She isn't the first, though, and she won't be the last. Other starlets who've eternalized the style include Audrey Hepburn, Anne Hathaway, Michelle Williams, and, perhaps the most iconic, Mia Farrow.

The first mistake people make when it comes to pixie cuts is thinking that there's only one style. While pixies did begin with a short back and sides, they've evolved to include all manner of short hairstyles that can suit any and every face shape. Any magazine that tells you you can't get a pixie because of the shape of your face has its facts wrong.

Possibly the most common face shape, oval faces can work just about any hairstyle, including all manners of pixie cut. Women with oval faces can worry less about how to style their bangs or how short they "should" go, because this long, rounded structure means your style is sure to look even and natural. Whether you want to go as short as possible or keep a bit more length and bands, go for it.

If you've been blessed with a classic oval face, let your favorite features be your guide. Bangs that extend to just above your brows put the focus on your eyes. Side-swept bangs can highlight gorgeous cheekbones.

Whatever your preferences, your pixie cut should work with your hair's texture. If you have fine, thin hair, a pixie cut is a great way to add some volume since the length won't weigh it down. Play around with your hair to show off your personality and style since it's not limited by your face shape. Lucky you!

Heart-shaped faces feature high cheekbones and slender, rounded jaws. The best feature to highlight with your pixie cut if you have a heart face shape is the cheekbones. Most women with this face shape find a style that brings the focus to that stunning aspect and covers more of the forehead. Consider long bangs that wrap to the sides and a little extra length at the back.

If you have a heart-shaped face, you can totally rock a close-cropped Julius-Caesar style ‘do, baby bangs and all. Since your face has built-in interest and dimension, you don't need your hair to provide that. For a softer, slightly longer hairstyle, feathered layers create a soft, romantic pixie when paired with a heart-shaped face.

Round faces are similar to both heart and square-shaped faces, but with softer angles. The soft, feminine features of a round face is perfectly suited to pixie cuts with extra volume on top to elongate. Whether you go with choppy spikes or a sleek pouf, a pixie can definitely make your round face glow.

A round face is also a great choice for pairing a pixie cut with asymmetrical bangs. Sharply defined bangs are a fantastic way to give a round face's soft features some edge. More angular face shapes can look too harsh with asymmetrical bangs, but that's not so with a lovely round face.

Long asymmetrical bangs are another option. They have some softness but still add interest and dimension.

Both square and rectangular faces feature sharper lines such as strong jawlines, and generally the same width at the forehead and jaw. Pixie cuts for women with these face shapes usually focus on softening these strong features. Think layers, waves, and choppiness that off-set the symmetry of your face.

A curly pixie cut is one amazing way to flatter a square face's enviable angles. If you have natural curls, play them up to the max! You can also add some curls and waves with styling tools.

If curls aren't your thing, ask your stylist for a somewhat rounded pixie cut. Or, you can play up rather than soften that fierce jawline by accentuating the squareness with a pixie style that is somewhat squared in shape with upward movement. A gel is your friend with this type of cut.

Sometimes mistakenly confused with oval face shapes, an oblong face is the longest of all the face shapes. This slender shape is best suited to the opposite goal of the round-face pixie style. Rather than aiming for lots on the top, oblong faces can really work the low-volume look. Long bangs look amazing on long faces, and there's a lot of great pixie styles that fit the bill.

If you have an oblong face, the most flattering pixie for you is likely to be the "grown-out" pixie. Rather than waiting for a short pixie to grow out, you can ask your stylist to give you this slightly longer version of the pixie cut. A side part and waves are flattering ways to style a pixie cut with this bone structure.

Adding more volume around your cheekbones can also help provide visual width to a long and narrow face.

Diamond face shapes are an amalgamation of round, oval, and heart, with strong cheekbones and sharp jaws. Diamond faces are sharp and angular, without the fullness of heart faces. As with heart face shapes, though, your best bet is to highlight those beautiful cheekbones. To do so, feel free to play with blurred lines and different lengths in one cut, to help break up the contours of your face.

Diamond face shapes can pull off a lot of different styles. In general, choose a pixie cut that stays close to the sides of your head so that it doesn't make the forehead and cheekbone area look even bigger next to your narrow chin. A side-swept bang that creates a V shape on your face will emphasize your beautiful cheekbones. If you want to soften the sharp angles of your face, ask for a softly layered pixie.

Pixie cuts can feel like a drastic choice, perhaps because many of us were raised watching the tumbling waves of Disney princesses and seeing long hair as a high standard of beauty. Both long and short hair can look feminine, though, if that's what we're going for, and a pixie cut is a great option to refresh your style, highlight rather than hide your facial features, and keep maintenance low (though keep in mind they cost more in upkeep than long hair).

Making The Chop can seem like a terrifying prospect, but it's also fun and freeing. Hair grows back, and you can play with fun transitions along the way if you decide a pixie isn't for you. But who knows — maybe this will become your go-to style!