Hair Accessories That Can Make Short Styles Stand Out
Short hair, do care — because you look great with abbreviated locks, and you own every tiny strand. While you may not be able to do everything someone with longer locks can, you have no shortage of options available to you when it comes to styling. Take hair accessories, for example. In fact, take them with you to your styling mirror, because you're going to want to use them a lot.
Of course, there are a couple of tricks you'll want to keep in mind before you clip in the sparkle. "When picking an accessory, make sure it can either hold the weight of your hair, has a grip to it and is able to slide and stay in your hair," advises hairstylist Sara Yousif via Today. If you need a little extra help, try spritzing locks with a bit of hairspray or do a little backcomb tease before adding an accessory.
And there are so many to add! From barrettes to bobby pins, headbands to hair bows, here are the hair accessories that will give your short locks an extra boost of stand-out style.
Get a grip
Get a very pretty grip, in fact. Barrettes never go out of style, and they look great with short cuts. While you may not be able to pull all your hair into a ponytail, you can still pull a few tresses into a barrette adorned with posh pearls. You can also pop in a touch of color or sparkle just about anywhere in your mane. "I love seeing barrettes in places you wouldn't typically see them," says stylist Bridget Brager via InStyle. "It adds bang to your outfit instantly!"
Be a pin-up girl
Bobby pins are both useful and stylish (see below), but bobby pins with embellishments can take your short hair to new heights — both stylishly, and actual height-wise. AnnaSophia Robb uses pins tipped with a pearl to add a dash of decor to her locks, while also bringing front tresses up and away from the face. You can let the whole pin show like Robb did, or you can tuck the metal portion under your hair and just let the decorative tip pop out.
Nip it with a bud
Tucking a rose or other flower in your short tresses offers a big dose of pretty with minimal effort. Just style your hair as you normally would, then use a hairpin to secure the blossom. You can use one bold, large flower like Lupita Nyong'o did, or use several tiny blooms scattered here and there for a floral fairy crown effect. If you refrigerate fresh flowers for several hours before pinning them, they should last for a while. If you're worried about your blossom wilting, opt for silk florals instead.
Take a bow
Ribbon bows may remind you of being a little girl with pigtails, but they can be quite grown up, too. A thin, velvet ribbon tied at the top of the crown matches a bow tattoo, but there are all sorts of ways to wear them. "It's a fun retro look that easily glams up any style with minimal effort," shares stylist Sunnie Brooke on Hair.com by L'Oréal. Tie a loose ribbon around a section of hair, or glue a bow on to a hair clip and insert wherever.
Drop into sight
It's time to stop hiding bobby pins in your hair, especially when they look so good standing out! "Bobby pins come in all sorts of colors and styles, so I like to create art with them," celebrity stylist Annagjid "Kee" Taylor shared with Allure. Slip them in random criss-cross patterns to form a crown of sorts, line them up in a row, or create geometric shapes with them, like triangles or hashtags. For better hair grip, use them with the wavy side toward your scalp.
Belly up to the bar
Watch how the simple bar clip can be elevated to an edgy but elegant style, thanks to a gorgeous example by singer Carly Rae Jepsen. Using a whole package at once, six sparkly clips help hold one side of the hair back. Not only does the grouping of clips create a stand-out effect, but staggering them also helps contain short strands that might not be all the same length. When styling, start by slipping a clip into the middle to secure the bulk of the hair, then add more clips to either side.
Hop on the band wagon
So many options, so many ways to wear a headband with short hair! Whether you choose one in a solid U-shape, or opt for an elasticized version that circles your head, every hair length can wear a band, and do it with style. January Jones uses a double sparkle version to keep her locks behind her ears, while Jaime Ray Newman has a jeweled version simply tucked between her tresses like a tiara. They also look especially cute with a pixie cut!
Go for the gold
Go for any color, really, that makes you happy. If you love the look of multiple barrettes or hair clips, but prefer something a bit more sedate, try using accessories that match in color and material. Three rose-gold barrettes secure curls away from one side of the face; two are the same (positioned in opposite directions), while a third differs in style. The effect is both stylish and trendy. Hint: If you're working with a lot of curls, choose accessories that are bold enough not to be overwhelmed by your spirals.
Strike up the band
"When you want to dress up your look in a flash, an oversized headband is the go-to accessory for you," says stylist Laura Polko via PopSugar. Sarah Paulson, who has been rocking short hair forever, uses a thick, velvet headband to hold her tresses away from her face; it also complements the black trim of her dress, completing her look much like jewelry would. Bonus: The headband is also perfect for next-day hair — if some of your shorter strands are misbehaving, simply corral them with a headband.
Aim for the stars
Why settle for one star, when you can have a bunch of them? Lucy Hale wears her slicked-straight bob with a partial pull-back adorned with all the sparkle. In addition to star barrettes holding a tiny chignon in place, a scattering of star hair pins add extra shine to match her dress. This is the perfect way to transform a basic look into something extraordinary for a special night out. If you're worried about the small pins staying place, apply hairspray to hair before inserting, to give them something to grip.