To crop or not to crop? It’s the latest style statement but is short hair just for A-listers?
Did it start with Miley Cyrus? Possibly, but there’s no denying that in the months since she cut off her long, luscious brown locks there has been a continuing trend for previously long-haired starlets to chop off every inch of their bum-length locks and give the crop a go.
We have to admire the gumption of the ladies. None of them did it in stages, apart from Miley herself, instead going from long to crop in one sitting. This week alone Jennifer Lawrence has been showing off her shorn ’do at the rounds of international premieres for the second Hunger Games film and Pamela Anderson, post New York marathon, decided to go from bombshell to crop overnight.
It might not take much for us to book in for classes if Miranda Kerr tweets that she’s a devotee of a new exercise style, or rush to the shops to snap up something an A-lister has been pictured wearing, but jumping on the crop bandwagon isn’t something to do on impulse. A handbag can go with everything but if a crop doesn’t suit you then it’s a long wait or an expensive set of extensions to put you right.
Jonathan Long, co-founder of chic salon Lockonego on the Kings Road, told Glossip Girl: ‘In theory a crop could suit everyone, but you have to find the right style to suit your face shape. The trick is knowing how to adapt a cropped style to make it work for you. Think about whether you suit a long or a short fringe, if you want loads of texture of if you want it to be sleek – there are endless possibilities.’
There are some misconceptions about going short, explains Jonathan: ‘It’s easy to think short hair means less styling time, however if your hair is super curly and unruly and the crop you want is sleek then you’re going to have to straighten your hair every day and it might end up being more work than simply tying your hair back into a ponytail.’
MORE GLOSS: Top tips for cutting your hair into a short crop
Jennifer Lawrence’s choppy crop might take a bit of professional maintenance, but with a stylist on staff it’s not too much of a hassle for her; still, Jonathan explains regular trims are an essential: ‘Before you get the chop ask your stylist how often you’ll need to get it trimmed. If you’re the kind of girl who only gets her hair cut twice a year then this’ll be a really high maintenance style for you. A tailored crop will need a trim every four to six weeks to keep it looking sharp.’
The fact is that hair grows and colour fades – a mantra that can serve us all well when a trip to the hairdresser goes awry – but in the case of a misjudged cropped it’s good to be aware of the timescales: ‘On average, hair grows half an inch a month, so if you want to go from a short crop to a chin length bob, you’re probably looking at the best part of a year,’ says Jonathan, ‘and of course there’s also those awkward weeks of “in-between” hair as it grows out.’
Those first snips as the scissors take off a foot of hair may be an adrenalin rush, but it’s a jump Jonathan believes is worth it: ‘Hair grows back and although it’s a commitment, who wants to have the same hair style for their entire life?’
If you’re looking for inspiration there is, of course, Miley, and Jonathan believes there are others who are worth copying: ‘I love Michelle Williams in the Louis Vuitton campaign, Beyonce ’s is amazing and Keira Knightley, Carey Mulligan and Jennifer Lawrence look great too.’
If, however, you have long hair and have absolutely no intention of cutting it short it’s reassuring that longer styles aren’t going anywhere: ‘Long hair will always be in demand,’ explains Jonathan, ‘but there is definitely a movement towards the crop this season.’
Are you game? Will you crop and, if so, who will inspire you? If you have why don’t you tweet us at @GettheGloss with a picture of your crop with the hashtag #GlossipGirl – we can’t wait to see your styles.