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What Are the Different Types of Modern Haircuts?

Alex Tree
Alex Tree

Some different types of modern haircuts include heavily layered, messy, and female crew cuts. In addition, the a-line bob has brought the regular early 1900s bob back into style with a twist. For the most part, these cuts are not low maintenance, though some require less maintenance than others. Many people make their haircut unique with hair dyes of almost any color, which are also ideally touched up every few weeks. In most cases, these modern cuts were started or made popular by celebrities, especially rock, punk-rock, and pop musicians.

Scene haircuts are modern haircuts with side-swept bangs and multiple layers. The desired look is usually a choppy, uneven cut with long, straight bangs that cover the forehead and sometimes one eye. In general, these modern haircuts are sported by young people who participate and identify with scene culture. The hairstyle is sometimes polished off with unnatural-colored hair dyes like green, blue, or deep red. Women with scene haircuts often wear eye-catching headbands or large hair clips.

Bobs were not considered fashionable until the 1950s.
Bobs were not considered fashionable until the 1950s.

Some modern haircuts are designed to be messy, with obviously uneven lengths. This cut basically gives a person a permanent case of bedhead, a hairstyle that was very undesirable in the past. The wearer can simply run his or her hands through the hair with gel or hair spray to finish the look. Messy haircuts are rarely very short because the hair must be long enough to adequately muss with a product or two. These cuts are particularly popular with men but also worn by women.

While men have worn crew cuts long enough for them to no longer be considered modern, women have not. Crew cuts are especially short modern haircuts for women achieved by using an electric razor. Many women choose to buzz off one or both sides of their hair rather than all of it. The overall upkeep of this haircut is minimal, but the close-cut hair usually needs to be cut again every two to four weeks.

Among the most popular modern haircuts is the a-line bob. Bobs themselves have been around since the 1900s, though not considered respectable or fashionable until around the 1950s. The difference between a regular bob and an a-line bob is that the sides are much longer than the back in an a-line. In fact, the sides generally taper into fine points under the wearer’s chin. Many women choose to finish the hairstyle by giving it a two-toned appearance with hair dye.

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    • Bobs were not considered fashionable until the 1950s.
      By: Christian Schwier
      Bobs were not considered fashionable until the 1950s.