The verdict is in: the bixie cut is the hybrid hairstyle already deemed to be one of this year’s hottest trends to watch out for in 2026, especially now that it has Zendaya's stamp of approval. In fact, the actor managed to show us three different ways to style a bixie cut in just one week.
For the uninitiated, think of the bixie cut as a love child spawned from the traditional pixie and bob hairstyles. As you would expect, the trend du jour boasts cropped layers often associated with a bob, while maintaining the shaggy, lived-in texture similar to that of a pixie. In other words, it’s almost like a cousin of previously viral styles such as wolf cuts and layered bobs, but slightly shorter.
Last night, for the Oscars 2026, Zendaya wore her short hair straight and parted to the side with bangs. She tucked a few strands behind her ears and flicked the ends of the back out, accentuating the bixie cut hairstyle.
On March 12, she attended the 2026 ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Awards with her hair styled in curls. Her bangs were adorable ringlets, draping over her forehead for a picturesque finish.
At Paris Fashion Week on March 10, Zendaya wore her short brown hair parted to the side and styled in soft waves. It was the perfect look for her Louis Vuitton outfit a bubble skirt shirt dress with an oversized collar.
Every year, there is a hair trend — or two — floating around in the beauty zeitgeist. A couple of years ago, rich cherry-red tendrils captured the hearts of Megan Thee Stallion and Dua Lipa. More recently, the choppy, textured cuts have been all the rage à la Emma Chamberlain and CORTIS’ Martin. Now, it's the bixie.
If the bixie haircut looks familiar, that’s because the hairstyle has been buzzing in the zeitgeist for quite some time. The bixie has been popular among TikTok creators in recent months, all of whom have made the drastic commitment to go short (or, at least, are consulting with one another in the comment section on whether they should). The hairstyle has garnered a huge celebrity backing lately, too — see: Madame Web actor Isabela Merced, longtime fan Zoë Kravitz, and NYC’s newly appointed First Lady Rama Duwaji.
But the two-in-one style isn’t anything new. It has been circulating red carpet glam and salon chairs as early as the 1990s and well into the 2000s. “The bixie reminds me of the ’90s nostalgia we all love,” says Hayley Heckmann, celebrity hairstylist and TRESemmé brand partner, citing A-listers like Natalie Portman and Winona Ryder as OG “bixie icons.”
What makes the lived-in, tousled hairstyle so coveted in 2026 is its low-maintenance and undeniable versatile appeal; it falls in the perfect in-between of feeling safe yet experimental. The rise of alternative subcultures — and, of course, the perpetual nostalgia craze — has led to the resurgence of the beloved bixie look. Plus, if you’ve ever had a cropped cut before, you might have already unintentionally sported a bixie during the awkward grow-out phase. More than a new ‘do, this is an all-too-familiar friend.
If you want to ride the bixie wave, you’ll want to head to a professional; we highly recommend that you don’t try to DIY this at home. Instead, enlist a reliable hairstylist who can better determine whether the look works for you — though, despite certain claims, it is proven to flatter just about any face shape and hair texture.
Ultimately, the magic lies in how you wear your bixie on a day-to-day basis. For those wanting to achieve an “intentionally effortless, not messy look,” Heckmann recommends using a smoothing cream, preferably on air-dried hair, to add definition. “But just on the ends to give some separation and texture,” she says. Additionally, if you’re often blow-drying your hair, opt for a “small round boar bristle brush on small sections” and finish with a gloss or lightweight oil for extra shine and moisture. A short hairdo doesn’t mean you have to abandon accessories, either. “You can add some edge to your bixie by switching up your part or adding accessories like headbands, hair pins, or scarves,” Heckmann says.
We’re all for taking a risk in the hair department, and with its ever-growing momentum, we believe there’s no better time than now to commit to a bixie cut. After all, what’s better than having the best of both worlds in one?
