WHAT’S HOT? THE UNDERCUT
What do uber babe Scarlett Johansson and Game of Thrones’ Natalie Dormer have in common? (Apart from being female. And actresses. Lol). THE UNDERCUT. This new version of the punk-inspired look started with model Alice Dellal in 2010, then inspired countless others including Rihanna, Kesha, Kelly Osbourne, Ellie Goulding, Miley Cyrus, Willow Pinkett Smith…and so the list goes on. Very fitting and on-trend, the undercut mixes textures and surfaces, creating individual looks that give multiple identities for both work and play.
What makes the undercut more appealing these days than when Boy George sported it back in the 80s is that it can be so much more feminine than its hard core roots, particularly in longer styles. Just ask our very own Salon Yazbek stylist Claire, who totally rocks her feminine undercut by complementing the shaved side with long, caramel toned waves.
So Claire…what exactly is an undercut?
“An undercut is a hairstyle where the underneath or a section of the hair is cut noticeably shorter, or even shaved,” Claire tells. “It is a disconnected haircut. Girls can have a long version, with a side shaved like I do, or alternatively, have the hair underneath your occipital bone – that’s the bone at the base of your skull – through to the hairline at the neck completely shaved out. You’ve probably seen this on all the cool kids when they wear their hair in top knots – it elongates the neck region and I think it looks super sexy and stylish. And your boyfriend will definitely get used to the shaved part, believe me!
“Men also can sport a shorter version of the undercut as well as women with short pixie hair, such as the cropped ‘do Robin Wright wears – all soft and feathery on top then short and disconnected at the sides and the back. I’m loving her hair at the moment.”
So you are thinking of getting an undercut…but you’re a little scared? You could begin with the ‘non-committal’ version of this hairstyle by slicking back the hair on one side of your head, or even braiding one side back instead of the shaved look, just until you get used to it. Or you could just go for it!
“An undercut is not for the faint hearted - you need to be sure about it because if you change your mind it takes a while to grow out and catch up to the rest of your hair length, particularly with the longer version. But I think this cool style definitely has its advantages.
“Undercuts are on trend and easier to manage for some people, depending on hair texture and thickness, as it can cut down styling time and add volume. It also gives you a few ‘alter egos’ or different versions of yourself. For example, if I’m going somewhere super trendy, I might decide to tuck my hair behind my ear to expose my undercut, giving me a cooler advantage in a crowd. But if I’m somewhere more conservative, I would cover my undercut by simply letting my hair fall over it. So it gives me two different looks, very quickly and easily.”
Here are some of our favourite undercuts…which one do you like best?
And don’t forget, if you’re thinking of taking the plunge and getting yourself a cool undercut, make a time to come in to Salon Yazbek for a consultation – we’d love to hold your hand along the way!