Short wavy hair is a cute and effortlessly chic style for women who want to explore a popular trend. Short wavy hairstyles are versatile and flattering looks that can transform your style with natural volume, movement and texture. If you’re looking for short wavy haircuts, the right styles will deliver the fullness, dimension and bounce you need for a stylish finish.
Whether you have naturally thick waves or need to use heat styling products, there are several popular short hairstyles for wavy hair. Some women will want a low-maintenance style like the wavy bob or pixie, while others may prefer a short layered cut and bangs or a feminine updo.
With so many cute wavy haircut styles, it can be a challenge choosing the perfect look.
To inspire you, we’ve compiled examples of the best short wavy hairstyles. From classic to modern styles, explore these short wavy haircuts for women to find a trendy look.
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Short Wavy Hairstyles
Short Wavy Bob
The short wavy bob is a versatile hairstyle that looks modern and fresh, and it can look as sophisticated or as tousled as you’d like. A stylish wavy bob short hairstyle should feature layered ends to create the coveted “bedhead” look, allowing the blunt style to offer a thicker and more polished finish. You might also want face-framing or chunky layers that you can separate with a texturizing sea salt spray. When getting a cut, you’ll want to choose a bob that fits your hair type and style.
Short Medium Wavy Bob
The short medium wavy bob is one of the most classic looks on this list, and it can also be adapted to suit your sense of style. You can leave the ends blunt for volume or opt for piecey ends to emulate the popular choppy and tousled look. You can scrunch your hair with your hands as it dries to add some additional waves, or if you want a sleeker look, you can use a straightening iron to smooth them out. It’s an effortless style that provides you with opportunities to get creative.
Wavy Pixie Cut
The wavy pixie cut is a fun and modern take on the classic style that so many women have come to know and love. If you want your waves to be the star of the show, leave the top and fringe several inches long, but crop the hair around the sides and back for that classic pixie look. You can cut your hair short all over and slick it down using a strong hold styling gel to create a daring sleek look.
Short Natural Wavy Hair
Short natural wavy hair is making a big impression on runways and the red carpet. Natural waves are incredibly voluminous, and they take the classic chin-length bob to a new level. Big, bold, face-framing waves draw attention to the eyes, especially when side-parted and paired with wavy bangs that blend into the rest of the style. This look does require some styling, but it is very forgiving and can be adjusted to suit your preferences, hair length, and hair texture.
Short Thick Wavy Hair
Short thick wavy hair is a versatile and cute style that offers endless styling options. The shorter you cut your hair, the more volume and waviness you can expect. If you like big, voluminous styles, consider a chin-length look with blunt ends. If you want to reduce some of the thickness, adding in a wide range of layers (and perhaps even some fringe) is ideal. You can create a slightly tousled look by scrunching in some sea salt spray as your hair dries, but if you want a sleeker and more professional look, all you need is a big barreled curling iron and some medium-hold hairspray.
Asymmetrical Wavy Hair
Asymmetrical wavy hair can be bold, fun, flirty, and even a bit eccentric depending on how much asymmetry you incorporate into your look. As an example, a more conventional style might involve a side-parted blunt cut that is only a bit shorter on the parted side. Cutting the parted side even shorter and leaving the other side almost long enough to brush your shoulders adds some fun and quirkiness that is sure to turn heads.
Short Wavy Layered Hair
Short wavy layered hair is a fantastic option for any hair type, but it is especially popular among women who have fine or thinning hair. Taking off extra length also removes excess weight, which gives fine or thin hair more movement and life. You might want a closely cropped chin-length cut boasting slightly piecey layers and some side-swept fringe. If your hair is fairly thick, you might leave it slightly longer and get thick blunt bangs. This provides a softer, more romantic look that can be styled in minutes with a curling iron.
Side Part
The classic side part is fantastic for women who have short wavy hair because it adds interest and flair to virtually any style. If you have a rectangular or heart-shaped face, parting your hair on the side can help put the focus on the entirety of your head – including your hairstyle – rather than on the angles and contours of your face. You can incorporate a side part into any short wavy style, including a shoulder-length bob, an ultrashort pixie, and everything in between.
Short Bob with Curly Bangs
The short bob with curly bangs is a popular style that works well with all hair textures and types. If you have a long oval-shaped face, or if you are trying to hide your high forehead, this is the perfect cut for you. You might prefer to leave your hair about shoulder length if you want a traditional look since going even shorter with layers throughout will immediately draw attention to your face, especially your eyes.
Short Wavy Shag
No-nonsense, no-fuss styles are insanely popular in today’s busy world, and the short wavy shag is one of the most versatile examples of this. Whether your hair is fine or thin, and whether you prefer your hair to rest just above your shoulders or just above your chin, the possibilities are endless. One of the hottest looks right now is the jaw-length shag that incorporates lots of short, thin layers throughout the length. A bit of texturizing spray or pomade can help create a shaggy look in minutes.
Messy Waves
Messy waves can be playful, sexy, chic, professional, or even outrageously bold depending on your personality. One of today’s most popular looks involves the grown-out boy cut look, which involves hair that is longer on top and along the sides and shorter in the back. To get it, simply use a texturizing spray or pomade and scrunch your damp hair as it dries. It’s one of the easiest styles to recreate at home, especially if you have naturally bouncy waves.
Low Maintenance Short Wavy Hair
Low maintenance short wavy hair is a true godsend for busy women. After all, if you spend every weekday morning styling your hair for work or school, taking the weekend off from the styling tools and sprays is a welcome reprieve. Casual styles abound, but simply pulling your hair back into a messy ponytail and letting a few tendrils hang free can create a look that is both fashionable and simple at the same time. It’s perfect for running errands, going to the gym, or even meeting up with friends for a lunch date.
Short Wavy Hair with Bangs
Short wavy hair with bangs can provide numerous styling opportunities that suit any hair type or texture and any face shape. You can add bangs to virtually any style, whether it’s a classic wavy pixie or a shaggy bob. Pairing a chin-length bob with ultra-short blunt bangs creates one of the most in-demand styles you’ll see on the runway today. If you prefer a more contemporary and classic look, you can go with slightly thicker and longer bangs. Both looks are simple enough to style with a bit of texturizing pomade applied to the ends.
Wavy Bob with Side Bangs
Some would argue that it’s difficult to create a flirty, feminine look with short hair, but the wavy bob with side bangs says otherwise. This slightly tousled style starts with hair that falls between the chin and the shoulders, and it is paired with thick blunt bangs that are ever-so-slightly swept off to one side. Along with a shallow side part and a few longer face-framing layers, this cut offers a youthful and playful vibe that is still professional enough for the workplace.
Short Wavy Updo
There are numerous short wavy updo options that you can wear to a formal event – or even if you’re just looking for a fun and flirty alternative to wearing your hair down every day. If you want a wavy blunt bob, try creating a deep side part, braiding across the crown of your head, and then securing that braid with a beautiful accessory. If you’re looking for something more formal, try teasing your hair to create a pouf, pinning it in place, and then securing the rest of your hair in a low bun at the back of your head.
Wavy Inverted Bob
The wavy inverted bob is a classic bob that is slightly longer in the front and shorter in the back. It combines the chic, sophisticated look of a bob with the casual and fun look of a wavy shag cut, and it is especially popular among women who have thinning hair as it can create significant movement and lift. Cute and easy to style, you’ll need to use texturizing spray or pomade at the ends to create a piecey look or wrap sections around a big curling iron for a more uniform and professional style.
Short Choppy Waves
Short choppy waves are a stylish look that can be created in different ways depending on the length of your hair as well as the tightness and fullness of your waves. As a popular style, the pixie features short, choppy layers all over with a wispy fringe and side part. Another option is the chopped bob that sits just above the shoulders. This cut features long layers and carefully placed highlights that create beachy windblown waves.
Middle Part
While the side part is especially popular among women with wavy hair, the middle part can be every bit as versatile. A center part works well with shoulder-length shaggy waves, chin-length blunt waves, and everything in between. If your hair is fine or thin, opt for a slightly choppy chin-length cut with long layers that stop at the cheekbone. Paired with a center part, this on-trend style will add some youthful flair to your look.
Slicked Back Style
A classic slicked-back style is a simple way to immediately tame your unruly waves. Slicked your hair up to create volume and shine has become one of the most popular trends in recent years. If your hair is especially wavy, you may need to use a thin flat iron first to get your strands to stay in place. High-hold styling gel will help you create the textured and wet appearance that gives this style its signature look while ensuring it stays in place throughout the day or night.
Short Wavy Blonde Hair
Short wavy blonde hair offers several classic looks that are easy to recreate at home. The blown-out look with a deep side part requires nothing more than a hairdryer and perhaps some volumizing mouse, but the finished result is seductive and flirty. A wavy stacked bob with highlights and lowlights or a platinum pixie are unique styles that you can quickly adopt as your own signature look.
Neck Length Wavy Layered Bob
A neck-length wavy layered bob is the perfect hairstyle for women who want the ability to take their styles from casual to chic within a matter of minutes. A deep side part and long layers make this cut perfect for women who have fine or thin hair. For thicker locks, consider pairing your bob with thick, choppy bangs, instead. You can even style a side-swept look paired with textured blunt ends for a refreshingly modern spin on the classic bob.
Curtain Bangs with Wavy Hair
Curtain bangs with wavy hair can help transform your look without going to extremes. Curtain bangs are a loose, carefree and versatile style that can be tailored to suit your look. Curtain-style bangs with thick shoulder-length wavy hair add instant youthfulness and glow. You can even rock curtain bangs with an inverted stacked bob for a softer and more romantic look. These bangs are a perfect transition point if you’ve considered the style but aren’t quite ready to make the full commitment. They are versatile enough to work with almost any wavy style you can imagine.
Short Wavy Fluffy Hair
Short wavy fluffy hair is gaining popularity, and these styles come in many forms that range from high-maintenance and formal to zero-maintenance and casual. If your hair is naturally wavy, one of the best ways to achieve this modern style is to flip your head upside down immediately after towel drying and apply some good quality volumizing mousse from the roots to the tips. You can scrunch your hair occasionally as it dries, or you can use a blow dryer with a diffuser attachment to achieve huge, voluminous hair that is both daring and chic.
Short Feathered Wavy Hair
Short feathered wavy hair is a fantastic style that adds superior volume and bounce to hair that might be fine or thinning. The thin feathered layers create exceptional movement, especially when paired with a classic cut such as a bob that hits between jaw and chin length. If you have the time to wrap each section around a large curling iron in the morning before you start your day, you can create a polished feminine look in minutes. For an easy style, just spritz in some texturizing spray and give it a quick scrunch for a beachy, slightly tousled look.
Short Tapered Sides with Wavy Fringe
Short tapered sides with a wavy fringe is a bold and sexy way to show off your inner rock star. Simply taper the sides and back of your hair increasingly shorter while leaving the top sections several inches long. Use a big curling iron to create unstructured, messy waves that you can separate and tousle with your fingers. If you pull the top of the hair forward and to the side, it draws attention to the eyes and beautifully contrasts the short hair on the sides. For an even more adventurous look, try a bold color like pink, purple, or even silver.
Short Fine Wavy Hair
Short fine wavy hair doesn’t have to be lifeless and dull. In fact, with the right haircut, it’s possible to create incredible volume. There are two tricks to making your fine hair appear fuller: keep the length short and cut the ends blunt. A classic shoulder-length cut that is slightly tousled pairs very well with center-parted curtain bangs to create the illusion of volume in even the finest hair.
How To Style Short Wavy Hair
When it comes to trendy looks, there are several cute short wavy styles to consider. If you have very loose waves that fall in an unpredictable pattern, a big barrel curling iron will be an indispensable tool for creating many of today’s popular looks. If you have tight waves, you might find that working with the natural texture of your hair instead of against it is far more productive.
From choppy shags to pixies, the piecey look is easy to achieve with texturizing pomade. Just take a small amount of pomade, rub it between your palms to make it workable, and then coat your fingertips. Use those fingers to pull and shape the ends of your hair for that classic piecey look. A messy look can be achieved with a texturizing spray by simply applying the product to damp hair and using your fingertips to muss your waves until you are satisfied with the result.
If you use a curling wand to create your waves, make sure that you apply a quality heat protectant to your hair before using the curling iron. Heat can be incredibly harmful to your hair, and if your hair is colored, it can even affect the way the color looks.
When styling loose waves with a curling iron, don’t wait for the curls to cool completely before you tousle them. As soon as the section comes off the barrel of the wand, gently pull your fingers through the curl to create the loose windblown look. If you are looking for long-lasting and highly defined waves, let the curl cool completely before you touch it with your fingers.
Short wavy hair is surprisingly easy to style, especially if you work with your hair’s natural texture instead of against it. Talk to your stylist to determine the short wavy styles that will work best for your hair’s texture and thickness as well as your desired length.
How To Care For Wavy Hair
If you’re struggling to style short wavy hair, you’ll want to start with a proper care routine that will help you grow healthy locks. Wavy hair can become frizzy and hard to manage without the right care products start with hydrating shampoos, conditioners and masks that lock in the healthy moisture while keeping humidity out.
You might want to consider a serum designed specifically for curly hair that contains ingredients like keratin or argan oil. These organic oils are known for their ability to boost hair strength and keep frizz at bay.
You will also want to make sure you protect your hair from harmful UVA and UVB rays and chlorine, both of which can cause serious, irreparable damage to your strands. When spending time in the sun, you’ll want to wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunscreen that has been designed to protect your hair.
If you swim in chlorinated pools, you try soaking your hair in plain tap water before entering the pool to reduce the effects of chlorine. A swimmer’s cap will provide the best and most foolproof protection.
Popular Short Wavy Haircuts For Women
The most popular short wavy hairstyles include the bob, pixie, side part, layered cuts, textured looks with curly bangs, updo, choppy waves, middle part, slicked back and shaggy styles. These trendy wavy haircut styles are generally textured and tousled for a cute, feminine finish.
